US low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines is signalling intention to grow its fleet of leased Boeing 737s, having recently taken delivery of its 22nd narrowbody jet.
The Houston-based airline recently disclosed an order for additional finlets from Seattle’s Vortex Control Technologies, which provided the efficiency-improving finlets installed across Avelo’s entire fleet.
After adding finlets to its first aircraft in January, Avelo says, it has “recorded consistent fuel savings and meaningful emissions reductions across both its 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft”.
VCT’s finlets deliver a 1.4% reduction in fuel burn, according to Avelo, with an associated reduction in operating costs. The US Air Force recently began flight testing the finlet technology for its fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130J transports, with hopes of reducing drag by 6-8%.
Notably, the Avelo says its follow-on finlet order is a precursor to adding more aircraft.
Fleets data provided by aviation analytics firm Cirium show that Avelo currently has 21 Boeing 737-700s and -800s in service. All of the aircraft are owned by lessors.
Avelo tells FlightGlobal it is “working with several lessors and companies to acquire more aircraft for our fleet”, with its 22nd jet “in final steps to begin revenue flying”.
”While we don’t have any immediate or finalised agreements, we’re working on continued fleet growth,” it adds.
Adding aircraft is a positive sign for Avelo’s growth potential, following the airline’s announcement that it will close its base in Burbank by December, and withdraw entirely from the West Coast of the USA.
Avelo will instead focus on growing its bases on the East Coast, where it sees ”significantly more opportunity to continue our path to sustainable cash flow generation”.
The start-up discounter launched in April 2021 and gained momentum coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic. It seemingly hit a rough patch earlier this year, making a controversial decision to fly chartered deportation flights for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, citing sluggish demand for low-cost airline seats.
