Avelo Airlines, a budget airline, started conducting deportation flights for the US Department of Customs and Immigration (ICE) on Monday.
According to AZ Family, three Boeing 737-800s are being utilized for the flights and are departing from the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona. Mesa is one of ICE Air’s five hubs.
Founder and CEO of Avelo Airlines, Andrew Levy, stated his rationale on his airline’s current cooperation with ICE: “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,” Levy said.
Levy added that the flights will help the airline retain over 1,000 staff members and increase the scope of its service for passengers.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA expressed opposition to the flights and is urging the airline to reconsider the deportations.
“Flight Attendants have brought grave concerns to our union over Avelo’s recent decision to contract with the Department of Homeland Security to transport deportees through and out of the country on charter flights under the direction of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Air Operations Unit (ICE charters),” the association said. “Having an entire flight of people handcuffed and shackled would hinder any evacuation and risk injury or death. It also impedes our ability to respond to a medical emergency, fire on board, decompression, etc. We cannot do our jobs in these conditions.”
According to The Associated Press, “Financial and other details of the Avelo agreement — including destinations of the deportation flights — haven’t publicly surfaced. The AP asked Avelo and ICE for a copy of the agreement, but neither provided the document. The airline said it wasn’t authorized to release the contract.”
The deportation flights from Mesa are being made amid the vetoing of Arizona Senate Bill 1088 on Tuesday by Governor Katie Hobbs. The bill would require the state to aid the Trump administration in deportation efforts.
