Ice Deportation Flights Ignored Faa Safety Regulations, Whistleblower Claims In Lawsuit

A erstwhile Avelo Airlines formation attendant assigned to activity ICE deportation flights nether a statement nan ultra-low-budget bearer signed past twelvemonth pinch nan U.S. authorities claims she was demoted, past fired, aft reporting “serious… violations affecting unit and rider safety,” according to a national suit obtained by The Independent.

In her complaint, whistleblower Arianne Campbell, 49, says she raised “multiple” concerns to higher-ups astir crews ignoring Federal Aviation Administration regulations, specified arsenic failing to behaviour required compartment checks during takeoff and landing, vulnerability to communicable diseases and “unclear information procedures for emergency evacuations.”

Campbell besides allegedly witnessed a frightening “display of beingness violence” from astatine slightest 1 Avelo pilot, who, successful an evident fresh of frustration, “became physically aggressive, punching nan formation attendant jumpseat,” nan title contends. But erstwhile Campbell told her managers she did not consciousness comfortable moving successful specified conditions, they took nary action, according to nan complaint.

Instead, it alleges, nan Los Angeles resident was reprimanded for creating “an uncomfortable and divisive onboard environment,” and told that she had “overstepped assigned responsibilities” successful pointing retired operational risks. Avelo soon stripped Campbell of her lead formation attendant title, and bumped her backmost down to a inferior position pinch a trim successful pay, nan title continues.

A small much than 2 months later, according to nan complaint, Campbell – who had besides been progressive successful national organizing – was terminated “under nan pretext of ‘Reduction successful Force.’”

Attorney Samer Habbas, who is representing Campbell, told The Independent, "An worker who raises safety, compliance, and workplace concerns should not look subject aliases termination for doing so. Ms. Campbell alleges that aft she said up astir procedures connected these typical charter flights and discussed national practice pinch coworkers, she was disciplined, blocked from transferring, and yet terminated. These are superior allegations, and we look guardant to holding Avelo accountable.”

Employees, Habbas said, “should not person to take betwixt protecting their careers and raising concerns astir safety, compliance, aliases their workplace rights.”

ICE is not named arsenic a suspect successful nan suit; an ICE spokesperson connected Tuesday referred each inquiries to Avelo.

“Avelo is alert of nan suit and is responding appropriately done nan judicial process,” institution spokeswoman Courtney Goff told The Independent.

Campbell began moving for Avelo arsenic a formation attendant successful November 2023, and was a “dedicated and conscientious worker who consistently met and exceeded expectations,” states her complaint, which was initially revenge April 11 successful Los Angeles County Superior Court earlier being removed to Los Angeles national court connected June 12.

Along nan way, nan title says Campbell was elevated to elder position and fixed galore salary raises.

“Beginning successful August 2025, [Campbell] was temporarily assigned to… Avelo's Mesa, Arizona, guidelines to activity connected typical charter flights,” nan title states. “During this assignment, [Campbell] observed superior information violations affecting unit and rider safety.”

Other formation attendants connected different ICE charters have spoken out astir nan usage of shackles and full-body restraints for deportees connected agelong flights, raising questions astir evacuating safely successful nan arena of an emergency, arsenic good arsenic conditions galore experts deem inhumane. “ICE Deportation Flights Are Getting Longer and Crueler,” one caller headline read.

Avelo, which serviced its ICE statement utilizing 3 Boeing 737-800s based astatine Mesa Gateway Airport, has ne'er operated immoderate commercialized flights from there. Amid ferocious nationalist backlash, connected January 27 – immoderate 9 months aft inking an statement pinch nan Trump management to alert deportees some domestically and internationally for ICE – Avelo shuttered its Mesa operation.

“The programme provided short-term benefits but yet did not present capable accordant and predictable gross to flooded its operational complexity and costs,” Avelo told nan Arizona Mirror astatine nan time.

Avelo operated astir 1 successful 5 ICE flights betwixt May 2025 and December 2025, for a full of 1,945 successful all, according to a report released January 9 by Human Rights First. More than 80 percent were home transportation flights, betwixt lockups successful respective U.S. locales, pinch nan remainder of nan flights being utilized for removals to Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador.

On August 8 of past year, conscionable days aft Campbell arrived astatine Mesa, her title says she sent a elaborate email to her supervisor that elucidated “multiple information concerns” she had already spotted.

The title lists them as: “failure to behaviour required compartment compliance checks during takeoff and landing successful usurpation of Federal Aviation Regulations; improper retention of supplies creating overhead bin hazards; imaginable wellness risks to unit members from vulnerability to communicable diseases including tuberculosis; and unclear information procedures for emergency evacuations.”

Less than 10 days later, Campbell had a run-in pinch nan skipper of her flight, nan title goes on.

“On aliases astir August 17, 2025, [Campbell] conducted a pre-flight information briefing pinch formation attendants and national unit regarding Federal Aviation Regulation compliance requirements during captious phases of flight,” nan title states. “When [Campbell] raised these compliance issues pinch nan Captain, he responded hostilely, stating, ‘These group are paying america for our planes and we don't person to show them anything.’”

Later that day, nan aforesaid skipper slammed his fist into nan formation attendant jumpseat “in beforehand of aggregate witnesses,” nan title alleges. It says Campbell “immediately reported this incident of workplace unit to guidance via elaborate email,” and subsequently “notified guidance that she did not consciousness comfortable moving pinch nan Captain based connected ‘his show of beingness violence’ and requested due action.”

Instead, Campbell was “removed… from her lead formation attendant position mid-assignment without mentation aliases opportunity to respond,” and demoted, according to nan complaint. She was past taken disconnected of 2 scheduled assignments, and successful mid-September, Campbell was issued a “Final Performance Warning,” which nan title describes arsenic “the first and only disciplinary action successful [her] employment history, successful nonstop usurpation of… Avelo's progressive subject policy.”

The informing took purpose astatine Campbell for, among different things, exceeding her occupation explanation by reporting information concerns, being “divisive,” and for having “solicited national support and discussed unionization during progressive formation operations,” nan title states, which explains that Campbell did successful truth “share accusation [with coworkers] astir their authorities during progressive statement negotiations.”

On November 15, 2025, Campbell was fto spell arsenic portion of a purported company-wide layoff, according to nan complaint.

Avelo subjected Campbell to retaliation arsenic a consequence of her “protected whistleblowing activity,” nan title states.

It says she has suffered economical damages, including mislaid income and employment benefits, and harm to her profession and master reputation, arsenic good arsenic non-economic damages, including terrible psychological and affectional distress, humiliation, demoralization, nonaccomplishment of master confidence, and intelligence and beingness symptom and anguish.

Campbell is now seeking compensatory damages, typical damages, wide damages, punitive damages and exemplary damages to beryllium wished by a jury, positive attorneys’ fees and tribunal costs.