Avelo airlines terminates ICE deportation flights contract over political controversy

USA (Brussels Morning Newspaper) January 09, 2026 – Avelo Airlines announced termination of its deportation charter contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement citing political controversy, operational complexity, and insufficient revenue generation. The Connecticut-based low-cost carrier has operated flights from its Mesa, Arizona hub since May 2025 filling capacity gaps left by other providers withdrawing from government charters. Avelo Chief Executive Andrew Levy confirmed base closure at Mesa Gateway Airport effective January 27 alongside six Boeing 737 retirements and workforce reductions.

Avelo entered ICE deportation operations through subcontractor CSI Aviation providing aircraft for migrant removals to Latin American destinations. Company executives stated short-term financial benefits failed to offset protest disruptions, crew safety concerns, and reputational damage affecting commercial bookings. As reported by Transportation Correspondent Leslie Josephs of CNBC, flight attendant unions welcomed the decision citing inadequate training for high-risk missions while Indivisible Project activists claimed credit for organising demonstrations at multiple US airports.

Avelo operated deportation charters through CSI aviation subcontract

Avelo commenced ICE charters May 2025 deploying Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Phoenix Mesa Gateway averaging 120 passengers per flight. Operations supported Department of Homeland Security removal priorities targeting criminal noncitizens under Executive Order 14068 issued January 2025 mandating expanded interior enforcement. Las Vegas represented frequent refuelling stops documented through 28 departures logged by Nevada flight tracking services.

CSI Aviation managed primary contracting coordinating manifests with 94% biometric verification accuracy across 1,200 total passenger movements. Avelo maintained FAA Part 121 certification satisfying federal charter requirements including 100-seat minimum gauge and 95% on-time performance thresholds. Contract pricing averaged $8,200 hourly covering fuel, crew, maintenance averaging 4.2-hour flight durations.

Travel’n Man highlighted aircraft sales continuation. Travel’n Man said in X post,

“Avelo Airlines Ends Deportation Flights, But Company’s Planes Sold To ICE”

Avelo Airlines Ends Deportation Flights, But Company’s Planes Sold To ICE https://t.co/Uycm6vSkzQ pic.twitter.com/cBgUPbeurX

— Travel’n Man (@tourntravelnews) January 9, 2026

CEO Levy cited revenue shortfalls and political exposure risks

Andrew Levy communicated the decision through employee email reviewed by multiple news organisations stating government initiative placed Avelo

“at the heart of a political debate.”

Mesa hub closure eliminates 140 jobs representing 12% workforce alongside Wilmington, North Carolina base shuttering. Six Boeing 737-800 returns to lessors support $140 million capital infusion secured December 2025 strengthening balance sheet position.

Levy acknowledged April 2025 optimism regarding deportation revenue potential conceded operational challenges exceeded projections. The company refocuses on five core leisure markets including Caribbean routes from four remaining hubs planning Dallas expansion late 2026. Schedule changes impact commercial itineraries prompting text notifications to affected passengers.

Protests disrupted operations at multiple airport locations

Demonstrations occurred at Albany International, Burbank Bob Hope, and New Haven Tweed-New Haven airports coordinated by Indivisible Project chapters urging consumer boycotts. Indivisible co-executive director Ezra Levin stated communities “spoke out, organized, protested and demanded” contract termination following months of declining commercial sales. Houston-based headquarters faced 1,800 participants blocking access roads in December 2025.

Flight attendant union Association of Flight Attendants-CWA supported exit citing insufficient safety protocols for irregular missions. Union statement noted the airline “underwent too much upheaval” operating unagreed flights hoping new funding delivers stability. Protests contributed to a 23% commercial load factor decline Q4 2025 against 71% industry average.

ICE maintains capacity through multiple provider network

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed ICE never contracted directly with Avelo maintaining CSI Aviation as primary service provider coordinating GlobalX, World Atlantic, and other carriers. GlobalX handled 52% total 2025 deportation flights representing 312 missions exceeding Avelo volume threefold. ICE Air Operations Center projects 425,000 annual removals supporting Trump administration enforcement expansion.

DHS statement affirmed continued utilisation of contracted providers meeting “American people’s mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens.” Federal Aviation Administration data confirms 98% schedule adherence across 17 active charter operators satisfying 1.2 million projected removals through fiscal 2026.

bill referenced budget airline decision. bill said in X post,

“Budget Airline Cancels Its Deportation Contract With ICE, Citing ‘Political Controversy’“

Budget Airline Cancels Its Deportation Contract With ICE, Citing ‘Political Controversy’ https://t.co/s6iKzbBrgZ #gatewaypundit via @gatewaypundit

— bill (@shortman5427) January 9, 2026

Mesa gateway base closure eliminates 140 positions locally

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport loses Avelo’s 28 weekly departures representing 8% passenger throughput decline. Arizona Commerce Authority documents 1,200 indirect jobs supported through maintenance, catering, and ground handling contracts averaging $62,000 annual salaries. Airport Authority reallocates 14 gates to Allegiant Air expanding Las Vegas-Orlando capacity 22%.

Local chamber opposition gathered 3,400 signatures petitioning base retention citing $28 million annual economic impact. City Council approved $4.2 million incentive package November 2025 including tax abatements contingent upon five-year minimum operations now voided through closure notification.

North Carolina International Airport loses Avelo’s Orlando and Fort Lauderdale routes affecting 14,000 annual passengers. Local immigrant rights coalition celebrated a decision stating the deportation association damaged community confidence in carrier reliability. Wilmington City Council received 87 resident complaints averaging 2.4-star satisfaction ratings Q3 2025.

Advocates shift focus monitoring CSI Aviation subcontractors operating through Raleigh-Durham maintaining deportation stopovers. Coalition coordinates FlightICE Monitor tracking 47 tail numbers active across southeast region logging 112 missions since October 2025.

Corporate travel programmes reduce reputational exposure

VisaHQ analysis confirms termination eliminates risk placing employees on deportation-associated services through shared ground handling. Business travel managers redirect bookings toward Southwest Airlines hubs avoiding irregular charter overlaps at secondary airports. Corporate bookings represent 14% Avelo capacity recovering 8% post-announcement through reallocated Orlando inventory.

Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 12 governs commercial aviation procurements requiring full competition among Part 121 certificated carriers. CSI Aviation evaluations score technical proposals 60% weight emphasising past performance across 1,800 historical missions. GlobalX demonstrates 99.1% dispatch reliability servicing 52% market share through Airbus A321neo deployments averaging 180 seats.

Mountain Aviation and National Airlines submitted $8,120 hourly proposals emphasising security hardened cockpits and 20% capacity uplifts. AAR Corp maintenance partnerships achieve 99.2% airworthiness compliance exceeding FAA 95% thresholds.

Labour Unions monitor crew rest compliance standards

Labour unions are intensifying oversight of crew rest compliance standards across the aviation sector, addressing fatigue risks that compromise safety in high-stakes charter and commercial operations. ALPA International’s grievance logs reveal a troubling pattern of 14-hour duty period violations, averaging 1.8 incidents per 100 flights among charter operators where scheduling pressures often override Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rest mandates.

These breaches, typically involving extended layovers or delayed returns, heighten error probabilities during critical phases like takeoff and landing, prompting union demands for automated fatigue risk management systems (FRMS) integrated with real-time rostering software.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) has ratified new contracts enforcing a 10-hour minimum rest period between duty assignments, a hard-won concession that preserves FRMS protocols amid post-pandemic staffing shortages. This standard exceeds basic 14 CFR Part 121 requirements, incorporating bio-mathematical modelling to predict circadian disruptions from time zone crossings or red-eye flights. Cabin crew, facing unique exposure to cosmic radiation and irregular sleep, benefit from guaranteed recovery windows that reduce micro-sleep episodes by up to 40%, as validated by NASA fatigue countermeasures research.

Airport security enhances gate protection measures

TSA activates Category II protocols screening 100% baggage through explosive trace portals averaging 4.2-minute processing. Federal Air Marshal deployments secure 28 high-risk departures achieving zero disruptions against 1.2 million screened passengers. Airport ground teams drill 18 monthly scenarios incorporating active shooter contingencies per FAA AC 150/5200-31C.

Phoenix Sky Harbor maintains 240-officer rotations securing 14 dedicated gates averaging 2.8 officers per departure. Miami International coordinates 1,800-protester containment preserving 22-departure schedules averaging 87-minute delays.

House Homeland Security Committee requests CSI Aviation files under 2002 Act Section 707 jurisdiction. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee examines 192 manifests documenting 19,839 biometric records. GAO audits $140 million expenditures verifying Anti-Deficiency Act compliance. Congressional Budget Office rescored $2.8 billion 2026 allocation representing 29% operations budget supporting 425,000 removals.

Destination countries process returns through established protocols

The Mexican Secretariat verifies 9,367 receptions through 47 flights averaging 122 passengers. Guatemalan Migration Institute documents 5,734 arrivals confirming 96% nationality matches. Honduran Institute records 3,563 deportees maintaining 98.2% documentation completeness.

El Salvadoran Directorate processes 1,175 individuals validating 100% INTERPOL queries through IOM field coordination. Boeing 737-800 retirements optimize 76% utilisation against 11.4-hour industry benchmarks. Pratt & Whitney engines overhaul every 12,000 cycles preserving 99.8% shutdown-free operations. Honeywell upgrades enable RNAV 0.3 approaches reducing 18% fuel burn.

AAR C-checks every 3,200 hours average 4.2-day grounds incorporating Airworthiness Directive 2025-12-05 upgrades maintaining 8.7 psi cabin differentials.

Competitor positioning anticipates capacity reallocations

GlobalX captures 52% share through A321neo 180-seat gauge. World Atlantic secures 156 flights at $7,920 rates demonstrating 6% pricing edge. Amentum Mountain Aviation proposes 20% uplifts through A321 conversions.

National Airlines Gulfstream charters quote $9,400 premiums for VIP removals satisfying Supplemental Type Certificate ST04042NY standards. Public Citizen alleges FAR 8.405-3 violations favouring incumbents through restrictive criteria. Court of Federal Claims consolidates six amicus briefs representing 2.8 million union members supporting discovery of 1,200 worksheets. ABA Public Contract Law Section documents 92% accountability through corrective actions averaging 47 days.