Generated Title: Avelo's "Branding" Strategy: More Like Damage Control?
Okay, so Avelo Airlines is consolidating its network, right? Focusing on the East Coast until 2027 when their Embraer E195-E2s finally show up. The official line? It's all about "brand awareness." Give me a freakin' break.
"Brand Awareness" or Admitting Failure?
Let's be real: "brand awareness" is what companies say when they screwed up the first time. Avelo "wound down" its entire West Coast network. Wound down? More like pulled the plug after realizing they couldn't make it work. Now, they're trying to spin it as some kind of strategic masterstroke.
Mike Corcoran, Avelo’s director of network planning, says they're gonna "scale all of these smaller [East Coast] airports ... to drive relevance and awareness of our brand.” Translation: "We spread ourselves too thin, and now we're desperately trying to make something stick." Avelo Airlines To Consolidate Network Ahead Of E2 Deliveries
They're admitting that "a lot of people don’t know that we actually exist." Well, maybe if they hadn't tried to be everywhere at once, they wouldn't be in this mess. Honestly, it sounds like they're throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.
And what's with this mid-2027 timeline for the Embraer deliveries? That's ages away! The airline industry moves at warp speed, and they're planning for something that's years down the line? What if the market shifts? What if another budget airline comes along and eats their lunch?
The E2: A Hail Mary Pass?
The Embraer E195-E2 is supposed to be their savior, the magic bullet that will allow them to "expand nationally once again" and "serve the West Coast in a more efficient way." But here's the thing: new planes don't automatically equal success.
They're talking about 20 potential airports where these E195-E2s could be based – “all secondary airports near major metropolitan areas.” So, the plan is to… what? Hope people are willing to drive an extra hour to save a few bucks? That strategy worked out so well for them on the West Coast.
And what about the passenger experience? Corcoran mentioned they're "targeting around 140 seats on the aircraft" and are "open to the idea of a dual-class configuration ‘as our product develops over time.’” So, basically, they haven't even figured out what the inside of the plane is going to look like. Awesome.
Then again, maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe this consolidation is exactly what Avelo needs. Maybe focusing on a smaller, more manageable network will allow them to build a loyal customer base and create a sustainable business model. Maybe...nah.
Avelo also dropped some Florida routes due to "lack of demand" and is adding new flights between Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL) and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). Oh, and they're bringing back flights from Lakeland to Atlanta. It's all very...random. Like they're just picking destinations out of a hat.
PR Disasters and Deportation Flights
Let's not forget the PR nightmare they faced over those ICE deportation flights. Protests erupted at airports, people were furious, and Avelo's CEO had to issue some BS statement about "stability" and "Crewmembers."
“We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic. After significant deliberations, we determined this charter flying will provide us with the stability to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep our more than 1,100 Crewmembers employed for years to come," said Avelo's founder and CEO, Andrew Levy.
I ain't buying it. That whole episode left a stain on their brand, and no amount of "brand awareness" campaigns is going to wash it away.
