Overview
- A spokesperson confirmed Avelo will conclude all participation in the DHS/ICE charter program, ending deportation flights.
- CEO Andrew Levy told employees the work delivered short-term benefits yet lacked predictable returns to offset operational complexity and costs.
- The carrier will close its Mesa, Arizona base on Jan. 27 and shut crew bases in Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington, North Carolina, with layoffs as the fleet and network shrink.
- Avelo will return six Boeing 737-700s and had devoted multiple aircraft to ICE missions since spring 2025 under flights managed by CSI Aviation’s DHS contract.
- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA welcomed the move, activists claimed a victory, and the airline reported no booking hit with 2025 passengers up 11% from 2024.