Budget Airline Avelo Agrees To Take On Deportation Flights For Ice

[Lauren Keenan]

BUDGET CARRIER AVELO [UH-VEE-LO] OFFERS SERVICES TO PLACES LIKE FLORIDA, CALIFORNIA AND CONNECTICUT.

NOW, IT’S TAKING ON A DIFFERENT ENDEAVOR. 

STARTING NEXT MONTH, AVELO’S NEW CUSTOMER IS THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT OR ICE.

AVELO AGREEING TO FLY MIGRANTS OUT OF MESA, ARIZONA, TO DETENTION CENTERS WITHIN THE U-S AS WELL AS DEPORTATION FLIGHTS OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY, ACCORDING TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

AVELO’S MOVE IS DRAWING CRITICISM AS IT WADES INTO A POLITICAL HOT-BUTTON ISSUE AMID THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S CONTINUED ENFORCEMENT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION POLICIES.

DESPITE THE BACKLASH, AVELO C-E-O ANDREW LEVY TELLS THE JOURNAL:

[ANDREW LEVY, AVELO CEO]

“WE CONCLUDED THIS NEW OPPORTUNITY WAS TOO VALUABLE NOT TO PURSUE, AS IT WILL STABILIZE OUR FINANCES AND ALLOW US TO CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY.”

[Karah Rucker]

INDUSTRY EXPERTS AGREE THE CONSISTENT NATURE OF THE WORK IS PART OF THE APPEAL AS AVELO AIMS TO ESTABLISH ITSELF AMONG MAJOR AIRLINES AS A START-UP THAT BEGAN FLIGHTS IN 2021.

IT ALSO STANDS TO MAKE SOME MONEY FROM THE NEW BUSINESS DECISION. THE JOURNAL REPORTS THAT ONE CARRIER OPERATING AROUND 60 FLIGHTS FOR ICE A MONTH MADE ABOUT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK BEFORE FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY IN 2023.

THE DECISION ALSO CARRIES RISK.

CONNECTICUT LAWMAKERS ARE VOWING NOT TO EXTEND A BREAK ON AVIATION FUEL TAXES SET TO EXPIRE IN JUNE IF AVELO MOVES FORWARD WITH ICE.

THE UNION REPRESENTING THE AIRLINES FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERNS.

THEY CITE PASSENGERS POTENTIALLY HANDCUFFED OR CHAINED LEAVING ATTENDANTS UNABLE TO RESPONDED DURING AN IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCY.

ACTIVISTS ARE ALSO TARGETING THE AIRLINES.

MORE THAN 34-THOUSAND PEOPLE SIGNED AN ONLINE PETITION CALLING FOR A BOYCOTT OF AVELO IF IT DOESN’T PULLBACK ON ITS DECISION.

CONNECTICUT ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM TONG WROTE A LETTER TO LEVY THIS MONTH, CALLING THE FLIGHTS “CRUEL” AND AND “ENORMOUSLY WASTEFUL” FOR TAXPAYERS, ADDING, “NO BUSINESS SHOULD BE COMPLICIT.”

AVELO ACKNOWLEDGED CONCERNS COMING FROM PROTESTERS AND CONNECTICUT, SAYING IT WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.