An Avelo Airlines jet taxis down the runway after touching down at the Dubuque Regional Airport for the airline's inaugural flight out of Dubuque on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
An Avelo Airlines jet taxis down the runway after touching down at the Dubuque Regional Airport for the airline's inaugural flight out of Dubuque on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
An airline flying out of Dubuque Regional Airport plans to temporarily pause its service to Orlando, Fla., as it moves to offering seasonal flights.
Dubuque Regional Airport Director Todd Dalsing said officials with Avelo Airlines informed him this morning that air service between Dubuque and Orlando temporarily will stop and then restart sometime in November.
"Flights will be paused," he said. "They will pick back up in November."Â
A Dubuque Regional Airport press release sent later in the day confirmed Avelo's decision and stated that flights between Dubuque and Orlando will pause in early April and resume in November. Scheduled flights through early April will not be impacted.
Avelo's website currently offers bookings between Dubuque and Orlando up to April 6.Â
Dalsing said Avelo officials made the decision as part of a companywide move to transition service at eight airports throughout the country to a "seasonal" air service schedule. The decision was driven by a combination of overall air service demand, the availability of aircraft and crew and aircraft maintenance schedules, Dalsing said.
"This is how ultra low-cost carriers operate," he said. "They review their network quarterly and make changes depending on demand and need."
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The release further states that Avelo has modified service at 26 airports in the last year "and at least two other low-cost carriers have done so in more than 20 markets in the same timeframe."
The news comes as the Dubuque Community Air Service Task Force continues to seek an air carrier that will return daily service to Dubuque Regional Airport. The task force and Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce plan to host a forum discussing those efforts on Feb. 22.Â
Mayor Brad Cavanagh said in the release that the return of daily air service to Dubuque remains a top priority.Â
"We will not rest until we achieve this goal," he said. "Though we wish there was less disruption in the airline industry right now, we do appreciate the service Avelo has provided to our community, and we appreciate their continuing partnership."
Officials with Avelo Airlines did not immediately return calls seeking further details on their planned service changes at Dubuque Regional Airport.Â
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
