Startup Avelo Airlines To Open Orlando Base

Credit: Avelo Airlines

US startup Avelo Airlines will open a third aircraft base at Orlando International Airport (MCO) in June, complementing bases in California and Connecticut.

The carrier, which was founded in April 2021, plans to launch three new routes from MCO in late June and early July, and aims to serve “at least 10 nonstop destinations from MCO by the end of 2022,” Avelo said in a statement.

The airline already serves MCO from its New Haven (HVN) base with daily flights. From June 16, service on the MCO-HVN route will expand to 3X-daily on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and 2X-daily on Tuesdays and Wednesdays—totaling 19X-weekly flights on the route.

From June 30, the airline will launch 5X-weekly seasonal service between MCO and Baltimore/Washington (BWI). The route will operate though Sept. 6. Also from June 30, Avelo will start 3X-weekly service between MCO and Charleston (CHS) in South Carolina.

The carrier will also launch 3X-weekly service between MCO and Wilmington (ILM) in North Carolina from July 1. A 3X-weekly HVN-ILM route will be added from June 30.

The new routes will be operated with Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Avelo said it will base two 737s at MCO initially and two more 737s at the Florida airport in the second half of 2022.

Additionally, Avelo will conduct training for its flight attendants and pilots in Orlando. “Avelo expects the training program to be fully implemented in the fourth quarter of 2022,” the carrier said.

Avelo inaugurated service in April 2021 from its first base at Burbank (BUR) in southern California.

“Avelo is poised for continued growth as we add more planes, more crewmembers, more destinations and more bases—including our new base in Orlando,” Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said.

Aaron Karp

Aaron Karp is a Contributing Editor to the Aviation Week Network.