Avelo Airlines plans to end all deportation flights from Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport by January 27, concluding its participation in a federal charter program with the Department of Homeland Security. The decision follows months of scrutiny over the airline’s involvement in immigration enforcement operations.
The program, which began in May 2025, used Avelo’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft to transport deportees under contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mesa served as one of several national hubs for ICE Air, the agency’s deportation air network.
Avelo’s move to withdraw comes amid a mix of financial and reputational pressures. While the charter program initially provided an additional revenue stream, the airline reportedly found it difficult to sustain due to the complexity of operations and limited profitability.
The deportation flights had also sparked controversy, prompting public criticism and calls for boycotts from immigrant advocacy groups and labor unions representing airline workers.
With Avelo’s exit, ICE is expected to continue using other air carriers for deportation flights out of Arizona, maintaining operations at Mesa Gateway as one of its regional transport hubs.
