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May 6, 2021

Tweed-New Haven announces $100M expansion

RENDERING | Courtesy Tweed
By Joanna Smiley

Avelo, a Texas-based airline, announced Thursday that it will expand with its first east coast base at Tweed-New Haven Airport. 

Avelo's investment is part of a $100 million project for a new terminal and extended runway at Tweed. It is expected to result in the creation of up to 11,000 jobs in the area, according to the company.

Avelo plans to start operating out of Tweed in the third quarter of 2021, and will offer low fares as well as a mix of nonstop flights and destinations.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said the community can expect to see flights starting late summer with Avelo announcing routes shortly.

“I spent a lot of time listening to residents recently and over the years about their desires and concerns about the airport. Over the past several months we’ve been negotiating with airport authorities to address those concerns,” he said, adding he’s particularly excited about the two-part job growth this expansion will bring to New Haven.

“The first category is airport-related jobs that will be directly created by the construction of the new terminal in addition to individuals that will work at the airport in the future, everything from car rental, to retail, and other airport staffing,” Elicker noted. “The second component is that a lot of companies want to locate in the region if there's an airport, the expectation is that the New Haven region will be a more desirable place now for people to locate.”

Airport and other officials at Tweed Thursday for the announcement. Photo | Courtesy Tweed

Tweed-New Haven will be Avelo's second base, following its launch of service at Hollywood Burbank Airport last month. 

According to the press release, “Avelo will operate single-class, fuel-efficient 737-700 Next Gen aircraft at (Tweed) to provide a more comfortable, mainline jet experience versus the smaller regional jets that currently service the airport.”

Avelo chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said Tweed New Haven has enormous potential.

“Our first East Coast base is great news for Avelo, New Haven, East Haven and other local communities," he said.

Avelo will be investing $1.2 million into Tweed to help upgrade and modernize facilities and operations, and will employ more than 100 crew members by the end of the year, most locally hired, the company indicated.

Sean Scanlon, executive director of Tweed New Haven Airport Authority, said Avelo has a “culture of service.”

"It is critically important for us to work with partners who share our ideals to maintain the convenience that people love about Tweed New Haven, while respecting the existing character of the local cities and their communities that we serve," Scanlon said. 

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said via email Thursday, “There's not a company in New Haven, or the Greater New Haven region, that doesn't talk to you about Tweed Airport, and how they could grow jobs if they could easily fly their workers, investors and boards in and out of Tweed.” 

“What you're seeing today is public and private sectors and citizens coming together to support a project that will create a lot of great local jobs and is going to be able to help market our state,” Murphy added. “Tweed has now become an example of how our state and our community leaders can work together on tough issues in order to benefit our state.”

Contact Joanna Smiley at jsmiley@newhavenbiz.com.

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