American low-cost carrier, Avelo Airlines, has announced that it will be ceasing its operations at Windsor Locks, in Hartford, Connecticut. This would mean the airline will exit the airport in late January 2026, ceasing services on the three routes the airline serves from the airport, all of which are routes that are solely operated by Avelo Airlines.
While the airline claims it has been unsuccessful in operating out of the airport, the Connecticut Airport Authority has reportedly claimed otherwise.
Exiting Bradley Airport, Ceasing Three Services
Recent reports from WFSB state that the American low-cost operator, Avelo Airlines, is set to exit Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The carrier serves three routes from BDL, and the services are set to cease throughout the month of January, with the airline’s final service from the airport scheduled for January 25, 2026.
|
Destination |
Final Service |
|---|---|
|
Cancun, Mexico |
Saturday, January 3 |
|
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic |
Monday, January 5 |
|
Montego Bay, Jamaica |
Sunday, January 25 |
As for the reason behind ceasing operations at BDL, the airline reportedly was unsuccessful and was unable to make sufficient revenue from operating in these markets, as per the statements made to WFSB, by Courtney Goff – Communication Manager of Avelo Airlines.
“It is always disappointing to remove flights; however, multiple business factors make this the best decision for the airline’s continued growth.”
“Like all business decisions we make, this exit was made based on facts – the revenues on the market did not cover the costs.”
The airline has further confirmed that any passengers affected by the cancellation of these services will be fully refunded for the costs of the flights, along with assurances to serve Connecticut via New Haven Tweed Airport.
The Airport Authority’s Side Of The Story!
The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) is reportedly surprised by such a move from the airline, with reports from NBC Connecticut stating that the airline terminating services to Montego Bay, Jamaica to be “inexplicable” considering the strong demand on the route and the additional subsidies and airport incentives the airline has received thus far.
However, the CAA is reportedly already looking for alternative carriers to pick up these routes, and offer non-stop services, especially to Jamaica, and has already received interest from a few other carriers. However, no particular airline has been named.
Furthermore, it was reported that the airline recently requested the CAA to allow Avelo to forego its contractual rent payment for the remainder of the airline’s duration at the airport, but the CAA refused to accept it, considering the airline had been operating rent-free from the airport for a whole year as part of the incentive offered by the airport.
NBC reported the following statement from the CAA,
“The CAA understands Avelo’s financial distress and the impacts of public backlash related to its other business decisions, but the CAA cannot relieve Avelo of its financial commitments after investing so much in the airline’s success.”
Cutting Routes, Refocusing Network, Right-Sizing Fleet
In recent times, the airline has been undergoing significant changes to its routes, network operations, and, more recently, its fleet. Just based on the announcements made by the carrier during the second half of 2025, Avelo has already planned its exit from the carrier’s West Coast base in Burbank, California, this December.
Furthermore, the carrier also announced that the airline will be dropping its seasonal services from Tweed New Haven to Portland, Maine, citing poor load factors. Additionally, going forward, the airline will also be shifting from its single-fleet strategy as the carrier recently ordered the smaller Embraer E195-E2 jets from Embraer, which will help the carrier to right-size its operations across several of its routes, reducing costs and improving load factors.
While this is a smart strategy, considering the cost of investing in these new aircraft, Avelo will have to be efficient in how these aircraft are deployed to ensure better revenue growth in the future. Apart from right-sizing its fleet, Avelo plans to deploy its aircraft based in Burbank to the East Coast, strengthening the airline’s presence and network in the East.
Whether this will help with the airline’s load factors and operational performance, only time will tell, but at the moment, the carrier is certainly taking measures to reduce its costs and cutting routes that prove to be unviable.
