US start-up carrier Avelo plans to launch first international flights, to Puerto Rico

US start-up carrier Avelo Airlines plans to operate its first international flights with new routes from the East Coast of the USA to the Caribbean starting in November. Earlier this month, the ultra-low-cost carrier said it would launch on 15 November twice-weekly flights from Connecticut’s Tweed-New Haven airport to Puerto Rico’s San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International airport – its first destination outside the continental USA. “We expect the affordability and convenience of this new route will inspire a meaningful number of travellers to visit Connecticut from Puerto Rico,” CE Andrew Levy said on 1 August. The airline says it will become the “first and only airline offering non-stop service between southern Connecticut” and Puerto Rico. On 10 August, Southern California-headquartered Avelo said it also plans to connect Wilmington airport in the greater Philadelphia area to San Juan and Sarasota, Florida. The twice-weekly service to San Juan will launch 15 November, while flights from Wilmington to Sarasota will start 2 November. Both routes will be flown with the two 189-seat Boeing 737NGs Avelo has stationed at its base in Wilmington, Delaware – one of its six operational bases across the USA. “Avelo is the first airline to offer non-stop flights beyond the continental United States at [Wilmington] — the convenient, affordable and travel-friendly alternative to Philadelphia International airport,” the carrier says. With the two new routes, Avelo plans to fly to 15 cities from its base in Wilmington. <br/>