Avelo to end ICE deportation flights and close several hubs.

Avelo said it will stop flying deportation flights for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is closing hubs including its Mesa Gateway operation on Jan. 27; the company said the ICE work did not produce consistent, predictable revenue.

Avelo Airlines announced it will stop operating deportation flights for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is restructuring its network of hubs and fleet. The airline said the ICE flights provided short-term benefits but ultimately did not deliver consistent, predictable revenue relative to their operational complexity and cost. Avelo began passenger service in 2021 and has been adjusting routes, aircraft and bases amid higher costs and uneven travel demand. The company also noted recent financing and aircraft orders as part of broader plans. Key facts: - Avelo will end its participation in ICE Air deportation charters and is closing the Mesa Gateway Airport operation in Arizona on Jan. 27. - Human Rights First reported Avelo operated 1,735 ICE Air charter flights (about 17% of the total) through the first 11 months of 2025. - A senior Department of Homeland Security official said DHS will continue to use its contracted service provider to coordinate deportation flights. - The airline is closing additional hubs (including recent and planned closures) and is returning six Boeing 737-700 jets to a lessor; these moves are expected to lead to job reductions, with employees at affected hubs paid through early March. Summary: The company framed the changes as an operational overhaul driven by costs and inconsistent revenue from the ICE work, alongside broader fleet and hub reconfigurations. The Mesa Gateway hub will close on Jan. 27 and affected employees will be paid through early March. Undetermined at this time: the full scale of job cuts and any further operational steps beyond the announced hub closures and fleet returns.