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Avelo Airlines’ ICE Deportation Charter Program: What Happened and Why It Drew Criticism

Avelo said its three-plane DHS charter program supported deportation efforts, but the full contract remains unavailable in the cited public sources. The airline announced its exit in January 2026, citing unpredictable revenue and operating costs.
From TheFinanceBase Team4 min to read
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Avelo Airlines said it would fly deportation-related charters for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), using three Boeing 737-800 aircraft based at Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona. The arrangement drew criticism from Connecticut officials, U.S. senators and local opponents. Avelo later announced it would leave the program and close its Mesa base, citing unpredictable revenue and operating costs. The complete Avelo contract is not available in the cited public sources, so its value and detailed terms cannot be established here.

What was Avelo’s ICE charter program?

In April 2025, Avelo CEO Andrew Levy described the arrangement as a “long-term charter program” supporting DHS deportation efforts. The Associated Press reported that the flights would be domestic and international, operated with three Boeing 737-800s based at Mesa Gateway Airport. Avelo’s job listing also described trips supporting DHS deportation efforts.

ICE is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency within DHS. The arrangement was for charter flying, not a public passenger route advertised to travelers. Levy acknowledged the sensitivity of the work, telling the Associated Press, “We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic.”

What is known about the contract—and what is not?

The full Avelo agreement and its detailed financial terms are not established in the available public material. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong asked the airline for a copy of its contract with DHS or an agent, contractor or subcontractor. According to Tong’s office, Avelo’s April 15, 2025 response did not provide the contract and directed the office to seek it through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

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A federal USAspending record describes a DHS task order awarded to CSI Aviation for charter flights supporting ICE enforcement and removals. That record identifies a related government award, but it does not establish Avelo’s full contractual relationship, the terms of any agreement involving Avelo, or how much Avelo earned.

As a result, public information cited here does not establish the contract’s value, payment structure, duration, or performance requirements. Those gaps matter when assessing the business arrangement: the existence of a government task order is not enough to calculate Avelo’s revenue or profit from the flights.

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Why did the arrangement draw criticism?

Questions from Connecticut’s attorney general

In an April 8, 2025 letter, Tong asked Avelo to provide its contract and address several concerns, including whether it would fly from Connecticut airports; whether flights involving restraints had a safe evacuation strategy; whether children would be shackled; and whether flights might disregard court orders or transport people without valid removal orders. These were questions Tong raised, not findings that Avelo had engaged in the conduct described.

After Avelo referred his office to FOIA for the contract, Tong criticized the response and said Connecticut should review public support for the airline. Those statements reflect the attorney general’s position.

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Concerns raised by U.S. senators

In May 2025, Senators Richard Blumenthal and Alex Padilla wrote to Avelo CEO Andrew Levy raising concerns about due process and court orders. Their public release said Avelo’s first ICE deportation flight reportedly took place on May 12, 2025. The senators’ concerns should be understood as their stated objections, not as independent findings about the government’s conduct or Avelo’s operations.

Local opposition

When the arrangement was announced, the Associated Press reported opposition from New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and a call for a boycott from an immigrant advocacy group. These examples document public criticism and pressure; they do not establish how all Avelo customers or residents viewed the program.

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How many Avelo flights were reported?

Human Rights First’s ICE Flight Monitor reported that Avelo operated 1,945 ICE Air flights from May through December 2025. The organization said those flights represented 18 percent of all U.S. immigration enforcement flights during that same period.

For context, Human Rights First reported 13,446 immigration enforcement flights from January 20 through December 31, 2025, describing that as the highest total since its tracking began in 2020. These are figures published by the organization’s monitoring project, not government-published counts.

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When did Avelo say it would stop?

On January 7, 2026, Avelo spokesperson Courtney Goff said the airline would close its Mesa Gateway Airport base on January 27 and conclude all participation in the DHS charter program. Goff’s statement was: “Avelo will close the base at [Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona] on January 27 and will conclude all participation in the DHS charter program.” The cited reporting records the announced closure and exit; it does not independently verify the date of Avelo’s last ICE charter flight.

Avelo said the program did not produce enough consistent and predictable revenue to outweigh its operational complexity and costs. That is the company’s stated business rationale. The public material cited here does not disclose program revenue, costs, or profit, so it is not possible to quantify the financial effect on Avelo.

What did the former flight attendant’s lawsuit allege?

A June 2026 report by The Independent described a lawsuit filed by former Avelo flight attendant Arianne Campbell. According to the report’s account of her complaint, Campbell alleged safety violations on special charter flights, including missed cabin checks, exposure to communicable diseases, and unclear emergency evacuation procedures. She also alleged that Avelo demoted and later fired her after she raised concerns.

These are allegations in a lawsuit, not established findings. The cited report does not establish the case’s outcome. Avelo spokesperson Courtney Goff told The Independent, “Avelo is aware of the lawsuit and is responding appropriately through the judicial process.”

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