Local community groups, such as the Immigrant Allies Forum, Indivisible Wilmington, and the Democratic Socialists of America’s Wilmington branch, have staged demonstrations along the path to Wrightsville Beach, encouraging holidaymakers to align their actions with their moral convictions. One protest organizer highlighted the significance of this site, asserting that its high traffic volume would maximize awareness about Avelo airline’s controversial agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to operate deportation flights.
The organizer revealed, ‘We have evidence of the usage of county funds being channeled for Avelo’s promotional activities, enticing potential travelers to Wilmington and other cities. Our objective is to drive individuals to understand that their affordable airfare might be underwritten by a notable cost to human rights.’ Avelo Airlines, a cost-conscious carrier, provides services across 23 states.
In April, Avelo Airlines expanded its reach by setting up an operational base in Wilmington, and since that time, public demonstrations have been a regularity within the city. In fact, the initial protest against Avelo was staged directly opposite the airport in May. However, this week marks a significant shift with the inception of a national campaign aiming for ‘commercial pressure’ on the airline as a response to its partnership.
Explaining the scale of this movement, it was stated, ‘This isn’t an isolated protest confined to one city, but a nationwide demonstration that extends to several cities where Avelo Airlines has established a presence.’ A spokesperson during the protest elucidated, ‘Avelo Airlines, as it stands, is the lone commercial airline that has entered into an agreement with ICE to carry out deportation flights, transporting individuals from Arizona to El Salvador. We’re aiming to educate the masses to boycott such practices.’
While unanimity regarding the subject of immigration is decidedly absent, and modifying perspectives on such a matter is challenging, both local and national advocates aspire to persuade travelers to reconsider their airline options. There’s a sense of optimism among demonstrators, as one expressed, ‘We’ve begun to notice some impact – Avelo has recently reduced some of its services, eliminating certain routes – not in Wilmington, but in other parts of the country.’
There is hope among those protesting that their local actions will resonant and induce substantial change. Avelo, however, has justified its alliance with ICE, attributing the necessity to maintain fiscal stability. Meanwhile, a team member from one of the advocacy groups approached the New Hanover County Airport Authority for public records and insight into their funding process.
After a period of time, the Deputy Airport Director provided a response, stating that there had been no allocation or budget approval specifically for Avelo. The deputy director offered a copy of Avelo’s standard lease agreement, similar to other airlines operating from ILM, along with details of the airport authority’s incentive program that is available to all airline operators.
However, subsequent correspondence clarified that local marketing funds had indeed been used for promoting Avelo flights and ILM Airport since the inauguration of Avelo’s operations. Avelo’s presence in the area and operations had a notable influence on the economic ecosystem inciting mixed opinions on their contribution.
One of the protesters took issue with the claim of Avelo’s economic benefits, stating, ‘The numbers don’t quite match up – New Hanover County’s total tourist spending reached $1.1 billion in 2023, and the entire annual GDP for the county was below $20 billion in the last disclosed fiscal year. It’s hard to reconcile that Avelo could be a substantial contributor to this economic activity.’
He continued, ‘However, this argument bypasses the real moral question at hand: Can we simply turn a blind eye to Avelo’s involvement in unlawful and cruel deportation flights just because we derive profits from their other activities? What sort of monetary value are we assigning to our own ethical standards if we allow these deportation flights to persist?’
The post Community Protests Avelo Airlines for Deportation Flights appeared first on Real News Now.
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