As budget carrier Avelo Airlines continues to operate deportation flights on behalf of the US Department of Homeland Security, it has taken the unusual step of painting the Boeing 737 aircraft it uses for these flights all white. What has driven Avelo’s decision to paint over its own colorful livery on these aircraft?
Avelo Paints 737 Aircraft White That It Is Using For Deportation Flights
As flagged by One Mile At A Time, Avelo appears to have painted at least one and possibly all three of the 737 aircraft it now bases at Arizona’s Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) and uses to transport illegal aliens out of the United States under the direction of DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division.
For example, N804VL recently spent a week in Dothan, Alabama (DHN) where it presumably underwent the paint job.
There is no requirement that these aircraft be painted white or at least remove the airline livery. For example, GlobalX also operates deportation flights and yet has not repainted its aircraft (the video below was shared by President Trump).
So why would Avelo paint its aircraft? Is it because it is ashamed of operating these flights, as One Mile At A Time suggests?
I tend to think that is the most likely reason. After all, the airline went to extraordinary lengths to block a billboard outside Tweed New Haven Regional Airport (HVN) and now faces a lawsuit over whether its actions constituted an unlawful attempt to squelch free speech.
> Read More: Avelo Airlines Sued By Aviation Blogger Turned Pol Over Billboards Attacking ICE Deportation Flights
Some have alleged that Avelo had to do this to protect itself from vandalism, the sort of vandalism that many Tesla owners have faced in recent months, but that strikes me as less plausible since aircraft are on located on the secure side of airport fencing. Furthermore, deportees are led onto aircraft in shackles (an impetus for the campaign against Avelo’s decision to offer deportation flights in the first place).
Ultimately, this strikes me as a cowardly move: you either own up to running these flights or don’t run them at all. Avelo is in the business to make money and saw an opportunity that it felt it could not turn down despite some public pushback. By trying to hide it (by suppressing the billboard and now suppressing aircraft liveries), it only brings further attention to it…a perfect example of the Streisand Effect.
I think Americans can reasonably agree that illegal aliens who commit crime while in this country should be swiftly removed…but that rounding up people and sending them out without a hearing is not only cause for concern, but runs against our laws…and when you look beyond the headlines into individual cases, there have been some very questionable deportations.
That strikes me as the reason people are opposed to Avelo operating these flights: not because they are pro-illegal immigration or anti-Trump, but because they are “law and order” folks who believe in the rule of law, even if the wheels of justice move slowly. That includes adequate safeguards to ensure that folks are not deported for crimes they did not commit or associations they took no part in.
What do you think about the Avelo livery issue?
Cowards. Just like masked ICE agents not showing their identities or names. This whole thing is right out of scary futurist novels about creepy authoritarian worlds.
Why do you love illegal immigrant gangbanbers so much?
How do you know they are illegal? Only because a liar told you perhaps. And TACO already wants deportation slow walked in Florida because those ag workers are important to him. So they are suddenly not the dangerous criminals you’ve been indoctrinated to fear.
Because they don’t have US passports, valid US Visas or green cards.
See how easy that was?
A.H. if you are a citizen, then I hope you carry all your supporting documents every time you walk out the door. Remember it is only simple to a fool.
@Maryland: I have a feeling that Andrew H. is up to no good. I think we should throw him in prison right now, then sort it out later.
@Billybob . I am trying to show no one is safe anymore. Many cannot believe this could happen to them.
Right On!!!!
Im sure the children whose hands they zip tied for their court appearance were really murderers in disguise.
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/migrant-kids-zip-tied-20351707.php
People in law enforcement custody are restrained for their safety irrespective of the offense that they are accused of.
And if that’s your biggest issue then you’re losing.
BIG time.
It’s not by biggest issue, but if you think handcufing 9 year olds that aren’t violent is ok then you are a special kind of psycho.
LOL…you people are like the cast of The View.
Hyperbolic and bereft of common sense.
The last time you guys got this hysterical (No is Safe! We’re All Gonna Die!) a worthless “vaccine” was litteraly shoved down everyone’s throat and I had to carry around “my papers” just to get food.
Meanwhile…Adios!
Reminder…these are the same airlines that helped facilitate the invasion at the southern border so its only right that they correct their mistakes.
Could you elaborate on that?
Yes, please do elaborate.
Did you guys really not know how the “Biden Administration” was moving immigrants from the border to NY, Chicago, etc.?
https://nypost.com/2022/04/15/biden-administration-resumes-migrant-flights-to-airport-outside-nyc/
There are pro-LGBTQ+ firms in the US that hid that from everyone not that long ago. You can do what you believe is the right thing and still not want it publicized. I never supported Trump, but if I wore a MAGA hat, I might remove it in some places. They’re getting grief for the flights. In the idiot mind, if they refused to do these flights, they wouldn’t happen
Avelo participated in the transportation of immigrants from the border to New York, Chicago, etc. and I dont recall a single person threatening or demeaning them for that.
Certainly no elected Republican official put up a billboard trying to shame them.
This was the inevitable backlash to the reckless policies of the previous “administration” and targeting legitimate businesses for conducting legitimate business on behalf of the Federal Government is just dumb.
Avelo also covered up their name on the plane they let Nathan Fielder fly for his TV show
My friends in New Haven and Bridgeport fly with Avelo from Tweed Airport to Atlanta all the time. They used to have to drive all the way up to Bradley Airport near the Massachusetts border to fly with Frontier before Avelo set up shop at Tweed-New Haven. They love Avelo.
Oh dear, a US business ashamed of what it is doing in support of Criminal Trump but not so ashamed that they refuse the money for the job. It’s called hypocrisy.
They did the same job for the “Biden Administration” but in reverse.
And they didn’t have to worry about unhinged Leftists threatening them.
The major issue is the anger,hatred and threats from the left!! They can cause real damage to people,planes etc –FOr example -The Tesla destructions by settting on fire the cars and the dealershios that sell them… They are just protecting their property and staff from the left lunatics!!!