Overview
- Avelo will shut its Mesa, Arizona crew base on January 27 and exit DHS charter flying, with the timing of the final flight set by contractor CSI Aviation and the government.
- The move comes alongside a broader restructuring that closes crew bases in Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington, refocuses operations on New Haven, Wilmington (DE), Concord, and Lakeland, and targets a new McKinney, Texas base in late 2026.
- The carrier is returning six Boeing 737-700s and concentrating on 737-800 flying after a recapitalization, with leadership warning of likely staff reductions as the fleet and network shrink.
- DHS said it never contracted directly with Avelo, which flew the missions as a CSI subcontractor; Avelo faced sustained protests and union and political criticism, and its CEO acknowledged the work became a political flashpoint.
- Avelo reported 2.6 million scheduled passengers in 2025, up 11% year over year, and separate reporting notes FAA records now list some former Avelo 737-700s under Daedalus Aviation Corp., a supplier to ICE.