SONOMA COUNTY’S REGIONAL AIRPORT will see the departure of Avelo Airlines, which announced it faces operational headwinds, but the airport’s leadership remains optimistic in their ability to continue growing for local travelers.
Passengers transiting through Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport will have fewer options after Avelo Airlines announced it will suspend all service to the airport on Aug. 11, leaving the airport with two commercial airlines, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines.
In its Monday announcement, Avelo mentioned it would be shutting down its base operations at Hollywood Burbank Airport, effectively closing all its operations on the West Coast of the U.S.
“We believe the continuation service from BUR in the current operating environment will not deliver adequate financial returns in a highly competitive backdrop,” said Avelo communications manager Courtney Goff in a press release. “Despite the investment of significant time, resources and efforts, our West Coast operations have not produced the results necessary to continue our presence there.”
Avelo Airlines quickly became the airport’s second largest operator, after Alaska, with about 24% of the share of the total number of passengers traveling to Santa Rosa as of April of this year. It began service in 2021, advertising itself to locals as a better and cheaper alternative to those looking to avoid headaches associated with traveling to the Bay Area’s larger international airports.
As of recently, its website touts its operations in Santa Rosa as “a hassle-free and convenient travel experience.”
The news of the airline’s departure slightly surprised airport manager Jon Stout but did not shock him. He had already seen Avelo significantly scale back its operations at the airport on May 1 when the airline removed aircraft and crews from Santa Rosa, so a decision to pull out altogether was not out of the blue. However, according to Stout, the airline’s decision to suspend service came swiftly.
“We got a call Monday morning saying this is what they are doing. They then reached out to reporters later Monday morning, so not a lot of advanced warning,” said Stout.
Financial data from the federal Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics show Avelo reported a net loss of $17 million in the first quarter of 2025, its highest loss in a quarter.
Stout said the economic impact to the airport of the airline’s departure will remain relatively small. He said the airport has a diverse revenue base with income coming from parking, businesses, and the other airlines that offer more frequent service.
Stout also adds that the airport’s other airline partners plan on increasing service throughout the year, effectively counteracting the loss in number of flights to Santa Rosa.
About 20 employees continue to work for Avelo at the airport as either check-in or ramp agents. Staff were instructed to direct all questions to the communications department, but Stout revealed Avelo employees were offered to transfer to different sites while some airport partners offered to hire some laid-off individuals.
Left: An Avelo Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 (N181SY) lands at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, Calif., after completing a flight from Kalispell, Mont., on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Right: An Alaska Skywest Embraer E175LR (N181SY) parks at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, Calif., after completing a flight from Santa Ana, Calif., on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (Andres Jimenez Larios/Bay City News)
“[The airline has] been offering them opportunities to go to the East Coast at some of their other airport operations and hubs,” said Stout.
Besides financial headwinds, Avelo has also come under fire from immigrant rights groups across the country after contracting with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport migrants from Mesa, Arizona.
Local groups like Indivisible Sonoma County have previously protested at the airport as well as other groups across the country displeased with the company’s deportation flights.
Residents employed with Avelo are not the only ones disappointed to see the airline leave. Travelers like Dana Johnson from Santa Barbara said he did not know the airline was going to suspend services, until passengers on his flight from Kalispell, Montana brought up the subject.
“I woke up at the end of the flight and there was somebody who was like, ‘Oh, I’m not gonna be able to do this.’ So many people on the plane were talking about it and upset,” said Johnson. “This flight’s pretty much full. Just raise prices if you needed to be here.”
According to Avelo, travelers who have trips booked past Aug. 11 should check their reservation online to receive a refund.