Avelo Airlines Explained

Airline:Avelo Airlines
Iata:XP[1]
Icao:VXP
Callsign:AVELO
Commenced:
Aoc:BJNA472B[2]
Fleet Size:17
Destinations:45
Parent:Avelo, Inc.
Headquarters:Houston, Texas, United States
Key People:Andrew Levy (Chairman & CEO)
Num Employees:1,000

Avelo Airlines is an American ultra-low cost airline headquartered in Houston, Texas. It previously operated charter flights as Casino Express Airlines and Xtra Airways before transitioning to scheduled operations and rebranding as Avelo Airlines on April 8, 2021.[3] The airline's first scheduled flight under the Avelo name was on April 28, 2021, from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport.

History

Casino Express Airlines

Established on July 20, 1987, as Casino Express Airlines, the air carrier began operations in 1989 using Boeing 737-200 jetliners flying exclusively for the Red Lion Hotel and Casino in Elko, Nevada. Casino Express operated 737 jet service from Elko Regional Airport nonstop to many cities in the US. In 1994, Casino Express was operating scheduled weekend only flights nonstop between Elko (EKO) and Portland, Oregon, (PDX) and Seattle (SEA) with McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jetliners.[4] For a short time in 1999 Casino Express Airlines operated one Boeing 737-200 jetliner for the start-up airline Tahoe Air, which provided scheduled passenger air service with nonstop flights from the South Lake Tahoe Airport to Los Angeles International Airport in southern California and also nonstop service to San Jose International Airport in northern California.

Xtra Airways

Casino Express quickly expanded its customer base to include sports teams, government agencies, foreign dignitaries, press corps, other gaming properties, and other types of public and private charters. It changed its name to Xtra Airways on December 8, 2005, to reflect its broader focus.[5]

From 2007 through 2012 Xtra Airways dedicated two Boeing 737-400 aircraft to fly for Direct Air, an airline business based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Xtra Airways changed its aircraft livery in 2015 to an executive jet style, displaying flag blue and red stripes.[6]

In September 2016,[7] it began operating a Boeing 737-800 (registration: N881XA), repainted in a sky-blue and white livery with "Stronger Together" titles, for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.[8] Soon afterward a second aircraft, Boeing 737-400 (N314XA), was also chartered by the campaign, painted with a sky-blue stripe and "Clinton/Kaine" titles.[9]

Avelo Airlines

Andrew Levy, a former chief financial officer for United Continental Holdings and later chief operations officer of Allegiant Air, acquired Xtra in August 2018, with the intent of transforming the charter airline into an ultra-low cost carrier.[10] By that time, Xtra had sold most of its fleet to Swift Air, but kept one Boeing 737-400 to retain its FAA Part 121 Regularly Scheduled Air Carrier certification.[11] By April 2019, the airline was considering operating Boeing 737-800s.[12]

In February 2020, Levy announced the new holding company for Xtra, named Houston Air Holdings, Inc., reflecting the company's Houston headquarters. The same month, the company raised US$125 million in funding and received its first airplane from GE Capital Aviation Services ahead of its original plans to launch scheduled operations later in 2020.[13]

On April 8, 2021, the new airline was announced under the name Avelo Airlines, and began selling tickets for flights based at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California.[14] [15] [16] Its initial route network consisted of eleven unserved destinations from Burbank, launching between April 28 and May 20, 2021, with an initial fleet of three Boeing 737-800s, expanding to six by the end of 2021.[17] [18] Avelo's announcement of its entry into scheduled flight operations was met with competitive response initially from American and Alaska Airlines, with American upgauging the aircraft on its existing route between Phoenix Sky Harbor and Burbank, while Alaska announced a new service between Burbank and Santa Rosa to start on June 1, 2021.[19] Avelo's inaugural flight occurred on April 28, 2021, which traveled from its Burbank base to Santa Rosa's Sonoma County Airport.[20] The airline on July 7, 2021, announced that it would terminate its flights to Bozeman and Grand Junction by the end of September,[21] while by July 29, 2021, the airline announced an additional five destinations including Fort Collins, Las Vegas, Monterey, Provo, and St. George,[22] [23] although the planned flights to Monterey, Provo, and St. George were later cancelled.

Following the airline's California launch in late April, Avelo announced on May 6, 2021, that it would open a new base at Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut during the third quarter of 2021. The airline additionally announced that it planned to invest US$1.2 million toward the New Haven airport's facilities, and that it would use Boeing 737-700 aircraft for its operations at the new base.[24] On August 19, 2021, details of the airline's operations at its New Haven base were revealed, initially with four routes between New Haven and destinations in Florida announced to launch during November 2021.[25] By the end of 2024, Avelo had expanded its service from New Haven to 26 destinations, making the airport its largest base.[26]

On January 6, 2022, Avelo announced that it had raised an additional US$42 million. This second-round offering increased Avelo's invested capital base to over US$160 million. On April 14, 2022, the Association of Flight Attendants was certified as the exclusive representative of all of Avelo's 14 flight attendants after a vote under the Railway Labor Act was conducted by the National Mediation Board.[27] [28] Over the remainder of 2022, Avelo had established three more bases, consisting of Orlando International Airport in April 2022,[29] Wilmington, Delaware's New Castle Airport in October 2022,[30] and Raleigh–Durham International Airport in November 2022.[31] In September 2023, the airline established its sixth base at Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport,[32] however the base was relocated to Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa in May 2024.[33] [34] The airline posted its first profit in fourth quarter of 2023.[35]

In February 2024, Avelo announced plans to add five additional aircraft to its fleet, all sourced from bankrupt Brazilian airline GOL.[36] Additional aircraft were sourced from Aerolineas Argentinas and Southwest Airlines in the same year. In July, the airline unveiled its biggest network expansion to date, with 18 new routes, new bases at Hartford's Bradley International Airport and Lakeland Linder Airport, as well as the launch of international service to the Dominican Republic and Mexico for the first time.[37] Levy stated the airline had found a niche primarily serving passengers travelling to visit friends and relatives seeking nonstop flights.[38] Further routes from Santa Rosa to Ontario and Salt Lake City were announced in August.[39]

Corporate affairs

The headquarters are in 12 Greenway Plaza in Houston, Texas.[40]

Destinations

See main article: List of Avelo Airlines destinations. Avelo operates domestic routes on the east and west coasts of the United States. Prior to rebranding as Avelo, the airline operated ad-hoc and on-demand charter services as both Casino Express Airlines and Xtra Airways within the Americas.

Fleet

Current fleet

, the Avelo Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft:[41] [42]

AircraftIn serviceOrdersPassengersNotes
Boeing 737-70071147
Boeing 737-800104189
Total175

Former fleet

Casino Express Airlines and Xtra Airways, Avelo's predecessors, previously operated the following aircraft:[43]

AircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotes
Boeing 737-200719942005
Boeing 737-300120102011Transferred to iAero Airways
Boeing 737-4001220062020

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Avelo Airlines Airline Profile . 2022-11-25 . CAPA . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230524161547/https://centreforaviation.com/data/profiles/airlines/avelo-airlines-xp . live .
  2. Web site: Airline Certificate Information . . June 24, 2022 . April 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230408065754/https://av-info.faa.gov/detail.asp?DSGN_CODE=BJNA&OPER_FAR=121&OPER_NAME=AVELO+AIRLINES+INC. . dead .
  3. Web site: About XTRA Airways . LinkedIn . September 14, 2020 . March 15, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240315063255/https://www.linkedin.com/uas/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Ftem-enterprises-d-b-a-xtra-airways%2Fabout%2F . live .
  4. September 15, 1994, OAG Desktop Flight Guide, North American Edition, Elko, NV (EKO) flight schedules
  5. Web site: Compart . Andrew . February 5, 2006 . Casino Express changes name, flies in a different direction: Travel Weekly . April 30, 2017 . July 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230709105743/https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Casino-Express-changes-name-flies-in-a-different-direction . live .
  6. Web site: August 28, 2015 . XTRA Airways Introduces a New Livery, Completes its Move to the Miami Area . World Airline News . May 7, 2021 . June 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220627031713/https://worldairlinenews.com/2015/08/28/xtra-airways-introduces-a-new-livery-completes-its-move-to-the-miami-area/ . dead .
  7. News: hermes . September 7, 2016 . Journalists get to join Clinton on new aircraft . The Straits Times . October 8, 2016 . April 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411074630/https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/journalists-get-to-join-clinton-on-new-aircraft . live .
  8. Web site: Atapattu . Suresh A. . September 30, 2016 . Aviation Photo #4005779: Boeing 737-86J — Untitled . October 8, 2016 . Airliners.net . April 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230410063832/https://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/Boeing-737-86J/4005779 . live .
  9. Web site: Gimmillaro . Chris . October 5, 2016 . Aviation Photo #4009879: Boeing 737-484 – Xtra Airways . October 8, 2016 . Airliners.net . July 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230709105742/https://www.airliners.net/photo/Xtra-Airways/Boeing-737-484/4009879 . live .
  10. Web site: Kaplan . Seth . April 2, 2019 . New Ultra-Low-Cost Airline Led By Former United Executive Aims To Take Off This Year . May 7, 2021 . Here & Now . . June 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230609223536/https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/04/02/new-low-cost-carrier-xtra-airways . live .
  11. Web site: April 5, 2019 . US investor to try to launch new ULCC based on XTRA Airways . May 7, 2021 . ch-aviation . April 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230410063838/https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/76964-us-investor-to-try-to-launch-new-ulcc-based-on-xtra-airways . live .
  12. Web site: Bachman . Justin . April 2, 2019 . United Air's Former CFO to Launch a New U.S. Budget Airline . subscription . May 7, 2021 . . November 29, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221129215542/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-02/united-air-s-former-cfo-to-launch-a-new-u-s-budget-airline . live .
  13. Web site: Bachman . Justin . February 12, 2020 . Former United CFO raises $125 million for U.S. start-up airline . May 7, 2020 . . . April 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230410153536/https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-02-12/former-united-cfo-raises-125-million-for-startup-airline . live .
  14. Meet Avelo: America's Newest Airline . April 8, 2021 . . May 7, 2021 . May 30, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230530124244/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/meet-avelo-americas-newest-airline-301264717.html . live .
  15. Web site: Rucinski . Rachel . April 8, 2021 . New U.S. budget airline Avelo seeks niche on West Coast . Reuters.
  16. Web site: Brancaccio . David . Garretson . Meredith . Conlon . Rose . April 8, 2021 . New low-fare airline launches, focusing on smaller airports . . Minnesota Public Radio . April 8, 2021 . April 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411070023/https://www.marketplace.org/2021/04/08/new-budget-airline-avelo-is-launching-focusing-on-smaller-airports/ . live .
  17. Web site: McKenty . Natasha . April 14, 2021 . New low-cost carrier, Avelo Airlines, to serve western U.S. for as little as $19 one-way . May 7, 2021 . Skies Mag . April 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230409225749/https://skiesmag.com/news/new-low-cost-carrier-avelo-airlines-serve-western-us/ . live .
  18. Web site: Wolfsteller . Pilar . April 12, 2021 . Andrew Levy's low-cost Avelo Airlines hits the ground running . May 7, 2021 . . . en . June 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230601152918/https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/andrew-levys-low-cost-avelo-airlines-hits-the-ground-running/143244.article . live .
  19. Web site: Pallini . Thomas . April 23, 2021 . American and Alaska are making moves to compete with America's newest airline before its first flight has even taken off . May 7, 2021 . . April 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230409225750/https://www.businessinsider.com/american-and-alaska-trying-to-crush-americans-newest-airline-2021-4 . live .
  20. Wheels Up: Avelo Airlines Takes Off with First Flight Between Burbank and Santa Rosa . April 28, 2021 . Avelo Airlines . April 28, 2021 . May 3, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210503040549/https://www.aveloair.com/newsroom/wheels-up-avelo-airlines-takes-off-with-first-flight-between-burbank-and-santa-rosa/ . live .
  21. Web site: Wolfsteller . Pilar . July 7, 2021 . Two months after launch, Avelo cuts destination cities, raises prices . July 9, 2021 . . . June 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230601184713/https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/two-months-after-launch-avelo-cuts-destination-cities-raises-prices/144501.article . live .
  22. Web site: Lilly . Caitlin . July 15, 2021 . Low-cost airline to launch nonstop service between Las Vegas, California's wine country . . . July 15, 2021 . July 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210715232403/https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/low-cost-airline-to-launch-nonstop-service-between-las-vegas-californias-wine-country/article_8eaedbce-e57c-11eb-aea5-fff2ee98ce8e.html . live .
  23. Web site: Karp . Aaron . July 30, 2021 . Avelo, Breeze add more new routes . July 30, 2021 . Routesonline . Informa Markets . July 30, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210730124047/https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/296440/avelo-breeze-add-more-new-routes/ . live .
  24. Avelo Expands To East Coast; Announces Tweed New Haven Airport Base . May 6, 2021 . . May 6, 2021 . April 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230406202543/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avelo-expands-to-east-coast-announces-tweed-new-haven-airport-base-301285665.html . live .
  25. Web site: Fins . Antonio . September 15, 2021 . New airline to fly from Palm Beach International Airport to Connecticut . September 15, 2021 . . January 30, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230130054712/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2021/09/15/avelo-airlines-fly-palm-beach-international-airport-connecticut/8347566002/ . live .
  26. News: Zaretsky . Mark . Avelo announces 4 new destinations from New Haven, including Atlanta . 2024-02-16 . New Haven Register . en . February 6, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240206171047/https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/avelo-new-haven-new-destinations-tweed-18648662.php . live .
  27. 1514349253623115776 . MorePerfectUS . BREAKING: Flight attendants at @AveloAir, a new U.S. airline that launched last year, have won their union election and will join @AFA_CWA. Avelo management hired union-busting firm Jones Day to stop the flight attendants, delaying the union vote by 6 months, but still lost. . More Perfect Union.
  28. Web site: National Mediation Board . April 14, 2022 . In the Matter of the Representation of Employees of Avelo Airlines, Inc. Flight Attendants . April 15, 2022 . National Mediation Board . May 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503005017/https://nmb.gov/NMB_Application/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/22.04.14-NMB-Case-R-7568-Certification-49-NMB-No.-20.pdf . live .
  29. Web site: Wichter . Zach . Budget airline Avelo opens base in Orlando with $59 one-way introductory tickets . 2024-05-04 . USA TODAY . en-US.
  30. Hello, Avelo! Avelo Airlines Announces New East Coast Base In Wilmington, Delaware. Avelo Airlines. PRNewswire. October 20, 2022. November 10, 2022. November 11, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221111061751/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hello-avelo-avelo-airlines-announces-new-east-coast-base-in-wilmington-delaware-301654929.html. live.
  31. Avelo Airlines Announces Fifth Base in Raleigh-Durham. Avelo Airlines. PRNewswire. November 10, 2022. November 10, 2022. November 10, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221110155051/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avelo-airlines-announces-5th-base-in-raleigh-durham-301674684.html. live.
  32. Web site: 2023-09-07 . Avelo Airlines launches new hub at Las Vegas airport with additional routes . 2024-05-04 . KSNV . en.
  33. Web site: Sarfaty . Cheryl . January 30, 2024 . Avelo Airlines to establish new base operations at Sonoma County airport, add dozens of new jobs . January 30, 2024 . . Sonoma Media Investments . January 30, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240130183433/https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/industrynews/avelo-airlines-to-establish-new-base-operations-at-sonoma-county-airport-a/ . live .
  34. Web site: Avelo Airlines Moving Las Vegas Base To Northern California, Seeking Efficiency . 2024-05-04 . Aviation Week Network.
  35. Web site: Airlines . Avelo . Avelo Airlines Reports First-Ever Full-Quarter Profit . 2024-08-04 . www.prnewswire.com . en.
  36. Web site: Avelo Airlines To Grow Fleet With Five Boeing 737NGs Sourced From Brazil's GOL . 2024-02-16 . Aviation Week Network . February 16, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240216165433/https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airlines-lessors/avelo-airlines-grow-fleet-five-boeing-737ngs-sourced-brazils-gol . live .
  37. Web site: Airlines . Avelo . Avelo Airlines Extends West Coast Flight Schedule Through Early Next Year to 18 Popular Destinations . 2024-08-04 . www.prnewswire.com . en.
  38. Web site: 2024-07-24 . Avelo will soon fly out of Bradley with two international destinations. See where you can fly to. . 2024-08-04 . Hartford Courant . en-US.
  39. Web site: SARFATY . CHERYL . 2024-07-31 . Avelo adding Sonoma County flights to Salt Lake City, another California destination . 2024-08-04 . The North Bay Business Journal . en-US.
  40. Web site: Contact Us. Avelo Air. 2023-04-09. Avelo Airlines Customer Support 12 Greenway Plaza, Suite 400 Houston, TX 77046. April 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230410012618/https://www.aveloair.com/contact-us. live. - Also stated in the contract of carriage
  41. Web site: Avelo Airlines Fleet . April 12, 2023 . July 2, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230702004719/https://www.aveloair.com/help/avelo-airlines-fleet . live .
  42. Web site: Avelo Air Fleet Details and History . February 13, 2023 . February 13, 2023 . Planespotters.net . April 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230408065755/https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Avelo-Air . live .
  43. Web site: August 17, 2021 . Xtra Airways Fleet Details and History . August 19, 2021 . Planespotters.net . April 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230408065755/https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Xtra-Airways . live .

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