Home » AIRLINE NEWS » California, United States Sees Major Change As Avelo Airlines Ends West Coast Service And Expands Its Focus To The East Coast
Friday, July 18, 2025
Avelo Airlines is changing course in a big way as it pulls out of the West Coast and focuses on the East Coast. The strategic move casinos a huge sea change for the airline, which had historically flown out of California and Arizona, another low-cost mecca. The decision is part of the airline’s strategy to become more efficient and generate stronger financial results by focusing on regions with more promising growth prospects. The move is also a change of business model for Avelo as it plans to tap the Eastern U.S. market.
Next month, a Texas-based airline will close its operations at Burbank, California, marking a significant shift in the company’s strategy.Avelo Airlines announced this week that it will cease its West Coast operations. Beginning August 12, just one aircraft will continue flying from Burbank, with the final flight scheduled for December 2. The airline has announced that its employees based at the California location will be given the opportunity to transfer to other hubs across the United States.
Avelo’s choice to close its Burbank base comes after multiple years of efforts to enhance its operations in the area. The airline acknowledged that the move was not an easy one, as Burbank had been a key location in its operations since the company’s inception. “This was a tough decision,” Avelo stated in an official statement. “Burbank has been the heart of our operations, where we launched our very first flight more than four years ago during the COVID pandemic.”
The airline’s West Coast service, which began in 2020, marked an important milestone for the low-cost carrier. Burbank, located in the heart of Southern California, offered a strategic location for Avelo’s regional flights, serving as a gateway to key cities in California and the greater West Coast region. However, despite these initial gains, the airline faced difficulties in generating the financial results needed to sustain and grow its presence on the West Coast.
Avelo has made multiple attempts over the years to boost its financial performance in California, adjusting its operations to better meet customer demand and market conditions. The airline invested significant time, resources, and effort to improve its West Coast services, but the results failed to meet expectations. As a result, Avelo decided to move its focus to other regions of the United States, with plans to shift its fleet and resources from the West Coast to the East Coast.
While the decision was a difficult one, the airline emphasized that it was necessary for the company’s continued success. This statement highlights the ongoing challenges airlines face as they attempt to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the aviation industry. For Avelo, the choice to move its operations to the East Coast is part of a broader strategy to focus on markets that offer more promising financial prospects.
Employees at Avelo’s Burbank base, many of whom have worked with the airline since its early days, will be offered transfers to other hubs across the country. This move is part of the company’s effort to retain its staff while consolidating its operations in other areas. While the decision to shut down the Burbank base may be a setback for some employees, the opportunity to transfer to another location allows for continuity and a chance to stay within the company.
Avelo’s decision to close its Burbank base comes at a time when the airline has been in the news for other reasons. Earlier this year, the airline made headlines after agreeing to operate deportation flights for the U.S. U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. This decision sparked protests from certain activist groups, who voiced their opposition to the airline’s involvement in the deportation process.
Despite the backlash from some quarters, Avelo has maintained that its partnership with ICE did not influence the company’s decision to shut down its operations at Burbank. The airline made it clear that the closure of the West Coast base was based purely on financial and operational considerations, rather than external pressure related to its work with ICE. “The backlash we received from the ICE flights had no impact on our decision to shut down the Burbank base,” the airline asserted.
For Avelo, the closure of the Burbank base represents the end of an era, but it is also an opportunity to refocus its efforts on markets where the airline sees greater potential for growth. As the airline transitions its operations to the East Coast, it will continue to serve its core markets while exploring new routes and destinations that align with its long-term strategy.
In the competitive world of aviation, decisions like this are a reminder of the challenges airlines face as they seek to maintain profitability while meeting the evolving needs of travelers. Avelo’s shift in focus demonstrates how airlines must continually adapt to market demands and operational realities in order to stay competitive.
Avelo Airlines is ending its West Coast service to focus on the East Coast, a move aimed at streamlining operations and capitalizing on growth opportunities in more favorable regions.
As Avelo Airlines proceeds with the updated plans, the airline will remain focused upon operational excellence, customer services, and financial sustainability. Having to make the decision to close its Burbank base is a difficult one but it is necessary to ensure that we have a successful and growing future across the US.
Tags: Airline Growth, Airline News, airline operations, Avelo Airlines, Avelo Airlines closure, Burbank, Burbank base, California, Travel News, United States, US aviation industry, West Coast exit
