Avelo Airlines Gets Into Deportation Flight Business

US ultra low cost carrier Avelo Airlines is expanding its business model, with a new kind of charter flying (thanks to Ed for flagging this).

Avelo will operate deportation flights from Mesa

Avelo Airlines has announced that it has signed an agreement with the US Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration Control and Enforcement agency, to carry out deportation flights. Specifically, the airline will be basing three Boeing 737s at Arizona’s Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA), with flights expected to start as of May 12, 2025.

Here’s how Avelo CEO Andrew Levy describes this development:

“Having a portion of our company dedicated to charter flying, without exposure to fluctuating fuel prices or risk from macroeconomic factors, provides us with the stability to grow our core business, which is scheduled passenger travel.”

For context, Avelo currently has a fleet of 20 Boeing 737s, and the company has actually done quite a good job with running a profitable operation, given the challenging environment for small players. In particular, Avelo has done an impressive job setting up big bases at underserved airports, and essentially creating demand.

Say what you will about these deportation flights (I certainly have a lot to say, but let’s save it for another venue), but I can see why an airline CEO would want that steady, profitable stream of income, especially with the level of uncertainty that airlines are now facing.

Avelo is hiring deportation flight attendants

Per a job posting, Avelo Airlines is hiring dedicated flight attendants to work these deportation flights. As the job listing describes it:

This opportunity is for a charter program for the Department of Homeland Security. Flights will be both domestic and international trips to support DHS’s deportation efforts.

The description otherwise seems to be the same as it would be for standard flight attendants, with things like “treat each customer with kindness and respect.”

GlobalX is a charter operator that also does a lot of deportation flying, and as I recently wrote about, flight attendants have exposed just how unpleasant these flights are to work, and how they can’t interact with passengers in any way.

I at least commend Avelo for transparently hiring flight attendants for this kind of work, rather than just saying “oh, you’re going to operate charter flights,” and then they find out what they’re really doing. Based on what we’ve learned about these roles, this definitely isn’t a flight attendant dream job, that’s for sure.

I honestly struggle to think who would want to work these flights, because this seems like the worst kind of flight attendant job there is. I mean, I guess you don’t actually have to do a whole lot, but still.

Avelo emphasizes that existing employees also have the option to transfer to this base, but I can’t imagine interest will be that high…

Bottom line

Avelo Airlines will begin operating deportation flights, often referred to as “ICE Air.” Specifically, the airline will base three Boeing 737s at Mesa Airport in Arizona, and the airline is even hiring dedicated crews to work these flights. The company’s CEO explains that this provides a steady stream of income, in an otherwise uncertain environment.

What do you make of Avelo getting into the deportation flying business?