Activist Organisations Stage Demonstration Against Avelo Airlines

Several local activist organizations, such as the Immigrant Allies Forum, Indivisible Wilmington, and the Wilmington Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, staged a demonstration along the road to Wrightsville Beach, encouraging tourists to ‘travel in accordance to their beliefs.’ The site of the protest was chosen to maximize visibility to passersby regarding the agreement Avelo Airlines made with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to facilitate deportation flights earlier this year.

One of the protest leaders stated, ‘A portion of county funds has been designated to Avelo for the promotion of Wilmington and other destinations to attract tourists for their holidays. Our goal is to ensure that travelers are conscious of the moral implications surrounding their choice of airline. Although Avelo offers affordable fares, there could be a significant cost in terms of human rights violations.’

Avelo Airlines, a budget airline serving 23 states, recently established an operational base in Wilmington in April. Since the base was established, the city has been the site of multiple demonstrations. The first protest against Avelo took place in front of the airport in May, but this week saw the start of a coordinated nationwide campaign designed to place commercial pressure on the airline following its controversial agreement.

The campaign has now become a nationwide movement, with protests occurring in cities where Avelo maintains operational bases. ‘Our aim is to participate in a country-wide protest, increasing pressure on Avelo’s activities,’ described one activist.

Another protester elaborated on the cause, ‘Avelo Airlines operates as a commercial airline and currently stands as the only commercial airline under contract with ICE to conduct deportation flights, which operate from Arizona to El Salvador. Our message to the public is simple – boycott Avelo.’

Despite a lack of consensus on immigration policies, and recognizing that reshaping individual views on the subject could be a challenging task, advocates at the local and national level are urging travelers to reconsider their choice of airline. A participant of the protest claimed that their efforts seemed to be making an impact, stating, ‘Avelo has cancelled some of its flights and has reduced its operations, although this has not affected Wilmington. The changes were seen in other parts of the country.’

There is optimism among the local protesters that their efforts can act as a catalyst for significant changes. Avelo, on the other hand, has justified its agreement with ICE as necessary for ensuring the airline’s financial sustainability.

A prominent member of one of the advocacy groups’ steering committee submitted a public records request to the New Hanover County Airport Authority. After waiting a few months, he received communication from the Deputy Airport Director who informed him that the Airport Authority neither allocated any financial resources to Avelo nor approved any budgetary amendments for the airline.

The Deputy Airport Director also sent a copy of the standard lease agreement that Avelo, like all other airlines operating at ILM, has signed. Additionally, he shared details of the incentive program that the airport offers to all operating airlines. He did, however, acknowledge that local marketing funds have been used to promote both Avelo flights and ILM Airport ever since Avelo started operations.

Avelo’s operations have considerably influenced the local economy since its inception. However, one protester casts doubt on these purported benefits, stating, ‘It’s challenging to reconcile the fact that New Hanover County reported tourist expenditure of $1.1 billion in 2023 with the notion that Avelo is responsible for a significant fraction of this revenue.’

He went on to further challenge this view, saying, ‘The annual Gross Domestic Product for the county in the last fiscal year that was reported was less than $20 billion. To attribute a substantial part of the economic activities in the county to Avelo seems a stretch.’

He concluded by highlighting the central ethical dilemma: ‘Are we prepared to overlook Avelo’s implication in potentially illegal and inhumane deportation flights simply due to the economic benefit derived from their operations? Are we willing to compromise on our moral stand if we continue to allow these deportation flights to proceed?’