Avelo Airlines is closing its Southern California operations to focus on East Coast growth, allowing affected passengers to get full refunds.

What are the reasons behind Avelo's West Coast retreat, and what does it mean for regional air travel in California and beyond?

Low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines is planning to withdraw from the West Coast of the USA by year-end, a sweeping strategic change that signals significant financial difficulty for the start-up.

The Texas-based budget carrier announced it will end all West Coast operations by early December due to financial reasons.

Avelo Airlines will shut down its base at Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) by early December, ending a four-year presence at its West Coast hub. The airline cited challenging market conditions and limited financial returns in the region. It will instead target more profitable opportunities on the U.S. East Coast and in charter flying.

After Avelo Airlines operates its last flight out of Sonoma County on Aug. 11, people will still have choices if they want to travel nonstop Southern California and other destinations from Santa Rosa. Alaska Airlines and American Airlines will both continue operate nonstop flights out of Sonoma County. Here’s where:

Avelo Airlines, a Texas-based low-cost carrier, announced plans to shut down its base at Hollywood Burbank Airport by December 2, citing financial challenges and an uncompetitive market. The airline,