All's Fair in Love and War

Richard Branson flies into Dallas ready to fight for Virgin America

The battle for Love Field is officially underway. In an effort to build support for Virgin America coming to the Dallas airport, founder Sir Richard Branson rolled out the red carpet for a couple hundred invited guests at The Rustic in Uptown on Cinco de Mayo.

Branson and Virgin America CEO and president David Cush are campaigning for two open gates at Love Field — gates, you may recall, that the Department of Justice awarded to Virgin last month. But the City of Dallas has yet to sign off on the deal, and it is still entertaining the idea of backing Southwest Airlines, which already controls 16 of the 20 gates at Love Field.

The controversy was never far from sight at the May 5 festivities. Underneath signs proclaiming "Free Love Field" and "Make it a Fare Fight," a bevy of flight attendants posed for pictures while guests enjoyed an open bar and hors d'oeuvre such as wild boar meatballs, deviled eggs and house-made empanadas.

To get the party started, Branson presented a $55,000 check to KIPP DFW and crowd surfed from the stage. Using the hashtag #LovetoFlyVirgin, guests tweeted their support of the airline. At one point, a commercial for Southwest Airlines briefly crashed the party as it played on televisions mounted throughout the restaurant.

Virgin, however, isn't backing down. In addition to selling tickets for its Love Field flights, the airline has launched a petition on Change.org. Branson has said that Virgin is prepared to fight, and he thinks "it's extremely likely" they will end up in court.

The Dallas City Council will be briefed on the issue Wednesday, May 7.

Richard Branson threw a party at The Rustic to rally support for Virgin America.

Photo courtesy of Virgin America

Richard Branson threw a party at The Rustic to rally support for Virgin America.

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Airport News

Low-cost Avelo Air begins flights out of Dallas-Fort Worth Airport

Avelo Airlines

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A new airline is launching service at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport: Avelo Airlines, a low-priced carrier based in Houston, will begin direct flights between DFW and Tweed-New Haven Airport in Connecticut.

According to a release, the service will run twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays. They'll be nonstop flights, with ticket prices starting at $89. Service will begin on March 7.

“This service makes visiting Southern Connecticut, and everything the greater New England and New York regions have to offer, easier than ever. We also look forward to making DFW’s thriving culinary scene, sports mecca and vibrant nightlife a fast and seamless journey for Connecticut travelers,” says Avelo founder and CEO Andrew Levy in a statement.

The new service is one of five that the airline will add in 2025 to beef up its presence in Connecticut, which includes four new nonstop routes from Southern Connecticut’s Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN) and a third international destination from Hartford’s Bradley International Airport (BDL).

In addition to DFW Airport, other nonstop service from HVN will go to Jacksonville, Florida, Detroit, and Portland, Maine. The addition of these five new destinations will bring Avelo to 39 routes from Connecticut — 31 routes from HVN and 8 routes from BDL. Low introductory one-way fares start at $39.

Avelo was founded in 2018 and began flying in 2021. They currently fly to 54 cities in 24 states and Puerto Rico, as well as three international destinations to Jamaica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. They focus on flying unserved routes between under-served communities, primarily out of smaller airports. Although DFW Airport is by no means a smaller airport.

They made their service debut in Texas in spring 2024 with flights out of Houston's Hobby Airport.

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