The company, which serves airports in liberal cities on the coasts, has agreed to operate chartered flights for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Avelo Airlines, a budget airline that serves mostly small U.S. cities, began federal deportation flights Monday out of Arizona, a move that's inspired an online boycott petition and sharp criticism from the union representing the carrier’s flight attendants.

Avelo Airlines says it's counting on a new federal contract for deportation flights to help the discount carrier grow its regular passenger service.