A coalition of local activist organizations, namely the Immigrant Allies Forum, Indivisible Wilmington, and the Wilmington Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, assembled alongside the path leading to Wrightsville Beach. Their main objective was to reach as many holidaymakers as possible with the message to ‘fly their values.’ Their chosen protest spot was strategic, aimed at enlightening the largest number of travelers about budget airline Avelo’s collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation flights.
According to a key protest organizer, the motivation behind this action lies in the fact that county funds have been used to promote Avelo and destinations like Wilmington to potential tourists. The idea was to ensure that vacationers are fully aware that while the cost of their flight ticket may be cheap, it could potentially carry a significant ethical and humanitarian cost.
Avelo Airlines, a budget air service provider, operates in 23 states across the country. The airline expanded its operations to Wilmington in April, a move that has led to a series of protests erupting throughout the city. It is noteworthy that the first Avelo-focused protest took place directly at the airport in May.
The events this week are part of a larger, nationwide effort that seeks to put ‘commercial pressure’ on Avelo, a consequence of the controversial deal they made. The local protest is an essential piece of a national condemnation targeting the airline for its partnership with ICE. The organizer stressed, ‘This has transformed into a national movement now. Protests are being staged across several cities in which Avelo operates.’
One protestor, clarifying the reasons behind the demonstration, stated, ‘Avelo Airlines is a commercial entity. They are the sole commercial airline currently contracted with ICE. Deportation flights from Arizona to El Salvador are being conducted by them. Our message is simple – we urge people to boycott them.’ It’s important to note that public opinion on immigration is divided, and influencing perceptions on this issue may be challenging.
Despite those challenges, local and national advocates are adamant that travelers should consider picking a different airline to show their stance. A glimmer of hope appears to be showing, as one protestor shared, ‘It seems like our effort is beginning to have an effect. Just a few weeks back, Avelo cancelled some flights and scaled down on some of its routes, although not in Wilmington, but elsewhere across the nation.’
There is optimism that these local endeavors will bring significant transformations in the local landscape. Addressing the controversy, Avelo justified its collaboration with ICE, claiming that it’s crucial for its financial sustainability. A representative of one of the advocacy groups, however, through a public records inquiry to the New Hanover County Airport Authority, throws more light on the financial involvement of the company.
Two months after the request, the Deputy Airport Director replied to him. He confirmed that the Airport Authority neither allotted any funds to Avelo nor approved any budget alterations for the airline. He even shared a copy of Avelo’s lease agreement, remarking that it was standard for all airlines serving at ILM (the airport). In addition, he sent a supplementary document featuring the authority’s incentive program, accessible universally to all airlines.
The representative also discovered conflicting information after numerous email exchanges. The Deputy Airport Director conceded, after multiple discussions, that funding for local marketing had indeed aided in promoting Avelo flights and ILM Airport ever since Avelo initiated operations.
It’s undeniable that Avelo has stimulated the local economy since the inception of its operations. As a protestor pointed out, ‘It does not fully align with stats showing tourist expenses in New Hanover County were $1.1 billion in 2023. The total annual GDP for the county was less than $20 billion in the last fiscal report, which makes it difficult to credit Avelo for this level of economic activity.’
Going beyond economic considerations, the protestor highlighted a more profound ethical dilemma: ‘The key issue remains unaddressed: Are we prepared to ignore Avelo’s involvement in unauthorized and cruel deportation flights just because we benefit from their other ventures? We need to question what moral cost we’re willing to pay if we continue to enable these deportation flight operations.’
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