Avelo Airlines Begins Deportation Flights At Arizona Airport

11 hours ago A U.S. budget airline has begun making deportation flights out of an Arizona airport, an unusual and controversial move for a company that depends heavily on its consumer brand. Avelo Airlines, a commercial passenger carrier that serves mostly small U.S. cities, is branching out by becoming the newest contractor for ICE Air, as U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement's air deportation unit is known. The move has inspired a backlash against the airline in Connecticut, an online boycott petition and sharp criticism from the union representing the carrier’s flight attendants. Neither Avelo nor ICE provided details of the contract for the flights.