Overview
- Avelo confirmed it will close its Phoenix–Mesa Gateway base on Jan. 27 and cease deportation operations tied to that base.
- The timing of the final removal flight is unknown because DHS and ICE control the flight schedules, according to the airline.
- Avelo said the charter program’s short-term benefits were outweighed by inconsistent revenue and added operational complexity and costs.
- As part of a broader network shift, the airline will close bases in Raleigh–Durham and Wilmington and plans to open a base at McKinney National Airport in Texas.
- The company has not detailed workforce impacts as relocations continue, and it noted the Mesa flights began after an April 2025 DHS contract that drew protests and a reported crew safety complaint.