Ouch: Avelo Cuts 66% Of Its International Routes
Avelo Airlines is reducing its international presence significantly. In January, the carrier will exit Hartford and discontinue one international route from Raleigh/Durham. This change means Avelo will end four of its six international routes across its network, including flights to Cancun and Montego Bay.
The decision to stop flying to Montego Bay was made before Hurricane Melissa impacted Jamaica. Breeze Airways might replace Avelo on some routes, as it has done with several domestic flights from Burbank. However, Breeze recently canceled three routes before their initial flights.
Avelo remains the only airline serving all three markets mentioned. According to US Department of Transportation data since 1990, nonstop flights between Hartford and Cancun operated between 2005 and 2023 by airlines like Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, and USA 3000. Additionally, USA 3000 flew to Punta Cana from 2004 to 2007, and Spirit Airlines served Montego Bay in 2022 and 2023.
Load Factors and Route Performance
Seat load factors alone do not fully capture route performance but offer some insight. Avelo’s Hartford routes had load factors ranging from 59% to 79%. Cancun notably had lower demand, with no month since the route's launch in November 2024 exceeding 66% load factor. One route had only a 53% load factor, highlighting its underperformance.
"Seat load factors are only one measure of performance. They should not be considered in isolation from other factors."
Overall, comparing route results over time is crucial for understanding airline decisions.
Author's summary: Avelo is scaling back international flights sharply, ending key routes due to consistently low passenger loads and shifting market dynamics.