BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – JULY 25: A Southwest Airlines plane takes off from Hollywood Burbank Airport above other Southwest planes and an Avelo plane on July 25, 2024 in Burbank, California. Southwest Airlines has announced it will discontinue its 50 year policy of open seating and will assign seats including premium seating in an effort to […][/caption]
A POPULAR budget airline has completely pulled out of the American West Coast with all routes and flights cancelled from December 2.
The airline, which contracted with ICE to launch deportation flights earlier this year, has shut down its West Coast operations citing financial difficulties.
Avelo Airlines has completely pulled out of the American west coast[/caption]
All routes and flights have been cancelled from December 2[/caption]
Budget airline Avelo announced that it will close its Hollywood Burbank base by early December on Monday.
By December 2, all West Coast operations will cease as it shuts down the base entirely according to company officials.
The airline’s Burbank fleet and employees will relocate to bases on the Eastern Seaboard.
Avelo has operated out of the Southern California airport as a major partner for more than four years.
The airline was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 following a rebrand having previously operated as Casino Express Airlines.
Quickly expanding its operations in Burbank with flights to Northern California, Oregon and Montana, Avelo’s West Coast base accounted for one-third of its customers by 2023.
It was announced by the Avelo CEO on Monday that the company will reduce the number of planes flying out of Los Angeles County to only one by mid-August.
Andrew Levy said: “We believe the continuation of service from Hollywood Burbank Airport in the current operating environment will not deliver adequate financial returns in a highly competitive backdrop.”
Burbank’s current fleet will relocate to different locations across the country where Levy says the airline will see more “efficient longer-term growth prospects.”
Employees based in California will be given the opportunity to transfer to one of three other bases: Hartford, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Wilmington, Delaware.
And any passengers with existing flights booked will be able to refund their purchases online.
Avelo Airlines sparked controversy and boycotts earlier this year after launching federal deportation flights from Arizona.
Three Boeing 737-800s were chartered for the flights from Mesa Gateway Airport near Phoenix.
The agreement was announced with the Department for Homeland Security in April.
It drew sharp criticism from the union representing its flight attendants and sparked an online petition calling for a boycott of the airline.
In general, the airline operates older and more affordable Boeing 737 jets at less congested, more cost-effective secondary airports.
And it tends to focus on routes overlooked by larger carriers.
Avelo Airlines pulling out of the West Coast follows another budget airline going out of business last month.
The Sun reported on how beleaguered Silver Airways failed to attract any possible buyers at a bankruptcy auction.
The carrier filed for bankruptcy in December last year after bosses struggled to clear mounting debts totalling more than $100 million.
