Arizona’s Deportation Alliance: Airline’s Role in Controversial Strategy

Airplane flying above the clouds in blue sky

Arizona’s collaboration with Avelo Airlines to conduct deportation flights has ignited both logistical initiatives and public outcry, leaving the community eagerly awaiting further developments.

Key Insights

Avelo Airlines began deportation flights from Mesa Gateway Airport as part of a collaboration with ICE.
These flights aim to benefit Avelo financially and safeguard jobs.
Protests and safety concerns arose over the ethical implications of the operation.
Specifics of Avelo’s agreement with ICE, including flight destinations, remain undisclosed.

Avelo Airlines’ New Role in Deportation Flights

Avelo Airlines has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to operate deportation flights using three Boeing 737-800 aircraft from the Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona. This venture, a significant deviation from its core low-cost commercial passenger service, marks an unprecedented move within the airline industry. As part of this operation, Avelo Airlines functions as a sub-carrier through a contract with CSI Aviation, typically known for collaboration with charter operators.

CEO Andrew Levy stated that these flights offer economic stability, allowing the airline to expand beyond its current service and maintain the employment of its over 1,100 crew members. However, operational details, including specific deportation destinations, have not been made public, fueling speculation and dissent. Local protests have emerged against the airline’s involvement with deportation flights, with ties to broader immigration policy debates.

The Community Response and Broader Implications

The decision to engage in deportation flights has roused opposition from several quarters, notably the New Haven Immigrants Coalition, which has called for a boycott of Avelo Airlines. The coalition denounces the airline’s partnership as a profit-driven facilitation of ICE’s operations under the Trump administration, provocatively affecting families and communities. Furthermore, Andrew Levy remarked, “We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic. After significant deliberations, we determined this charter flying will provide us with the stability to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep our more than 1,100 crew members employed for years to come.”

Protests are not limited to Arizona; in different states, including Connecticut, advocacy groups have underscored ethical issues, particularly the safety concerns highlighted by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. The union emphasized that flight attendants are responsible for ensuring all passengers’ safety, a task complicated by the presence of deportees who may be handcuffed during emergencies.

A flight attendant who worked on a deportation flight chartered by Avelo Airlines a couple of years ago is speaking out about safety concerns in this AZFamily news report. Avelo has faced significant backlash since announcing it would start supporting ICE with flights again… pic.twitter.com/iYKtYqHJYM

— Change.org (@Change) April 15, 2025

Considering the Future of Avelo’s Operations

Avelo Airlines garnered further attention by launching operations during the presidency’s mass deportation campaign, capitalizing on this political climate. Despite recording profitability in late 2023, details of the airline’s economic strategies concerning ICE remain scant. On the ground, Avelo offers passenger services to over 50 cities but does not conduct regular commercial flights from Mesa Gateway Airport. The expansion into deportation flights represents a dual-edged sword of economic opportunity and ethical debate.

“Flight Attendants are charged with the safety and health of the passengers on our flights and to evacuate an airplane in 90 seconds or less in the event of an emergency. Having an entire flight of people handcuffed and shackled would hinder any evacuation and risk injury or death,” argued the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.

The unfolding story reveals the intricate balance between business expansion and social responsibility, especially as communities continue to advocate for humanitarian considerations in business practices. The future of Avelo Airlines’ involvement will largely depend on how it manages these complexities while navigating public scrutiny.