PEASE- An ICE deportation flight operated by Omni Air International (OY) was stranded for 24 hours at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM) during a severe snowstorm.
The aircraft was carrying approximately 100 detainees and had planned only a brief refueling stop before continuing on a transatlantic route.
The Boeing 767 departed from Valley International Airport (HRL) in Harlingen, Texas, and later continued toward Sofia, Bulgaria, before proceeding to Doha International Airport (DOH) in Qatar.
Extreme winter weather forced the aircraft to remain grounded in New Hampshire far longer than scheduled.
Snowstorm Disrupts Planned Refueling Stop
The flight landed at Portsmouth International Airport shortly after 1:00 a.m. on Monday. Airport officials stated they received only 15 minutes’ advance notice of the stopover.
With more notice, officials said they would have advised the pilots to divert elsewhere due to severe conditions.
High winds, heavy snowfall, and freezing temperatures created unsafe operating conditions. What was intended to be a short refueling stop became an extended delay.
The aircraft remained parked on the tarmac for hours, with detainees and crew confined onboard until approximately 2:45 PM Monday.
This meant passengers were effectively trapped inside the aircraft for nearly half a day before being transferred.
The flight did not depart until 8:00 AM Tuesday, resulting in a total ground delay of around 24 hours.
Transfer to Terminal and Airport Response
After 2:45 p.m., airport authorities closed the terminal to the public to facilitate the controlled transfer of detainees from the aircraft into the building.
In a statement provided to local news outlet WBAL, the airport’s refueling contractor, Port City Air, said: “It is our legal obligation to safely service any flights into or out of the airport.” The company emphasized that servicing the aircraft was required under aviation safety and operational obligations.
News of the aircraft’s arrival spread quickly, prompting a small protest outside the airport. Authorities confirmed that no arrests were made.
Flight Routing and International Coordination
Publicly available flight records confirm that the aircraft was a Boeing 767 operating under Omni Air International’s charter agreement with the Department of Homeland Security.
The jet originated from Valley International Airport near Harlingen, Texas, which houses a major ICE field office.
After finally departing New Hampshire, the aircraft flew to Sofia, Bulgaria, and later continued to Doha, Qatar.
The routing suggests that detainees were being removed to multiple international destinations.
Charter Operators and ICE Air Operations
The deportation flight was conducted under contract with the Department of Homeland Security.
These missions are coordinated by ICE Air Operations (IAO), the internal unit responsible for scheduling and logistics, while most flights are operated by private charter airlines.
Alongside Omni Air International, Miami-based Global X (G6) is among the most active deportation flight operators.
According to PYOK, DHS confirmed late last year that it had purchased six aircraft at a cost of approximately $140 million to expand its in-house deportation capabilities rather than relying solely on subcontracted carriers.
Industry Backlash and Avelo’s Exit
The incident comes amid wider scrutiny of airline involvement in deportation operations. Avelo Airlines (XP) recently announced it would terminate its ICE contract following public backlash and calls for passenger boycotts.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Andrew Levy signed the ICE contract after what he described as significant deliberations to secure additional airline revenue.
Avelo had established a dedicated base at Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) in Arizona specifically to operate deportation flights. That base is now being shut down.
To reduce public identification, Avelo repainted aircraft assigned to deportation missions in an all-white livery. The move was intended to make the aircraft less recognizable as part of the airline’s commercial fleet.
The Pease delay underscores how severe weather, limited operational notice, and complex international coordination can disrupt tightly scheduled deportation logistics.
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