{"id":47928,"date":"2024-07-18T18:37:47","date_gmt":"2024-07-18T22:37:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=47928"},"modified":"2024-07-18T18:37:53","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T22:37:53","slug":"by-the-numbers-look-at-avelos-first-month-at-lakeland-linder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2024\/07\/18\/by-the-numbers-look-at-avelos-first-month-at-lakeland-linder\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a0By-the-numbers look at Avelo’s first month at Lakeland Linder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It’s been roughly a month since\u00a0Avelo Airlines launched Lakeland Linder Airport’s first commercial passenger airline service in more than a decade.\u00a0So far, it’s off to a promising start, officials say.<\/p>\n\n\n

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“We only have half a month of data, but we’re looking really good,” Airport Director Kris Hallstrand told city commissioners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hallstrand did not have any official numbers, as it can take the Federal Aviation Administration up to three months to provide an official report on passengers and flight service. However, she believes the local reports to be fairly accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To date, it’s estimated\u00a0that Avelo’s<\/a>\u00a0outbound flights to Tweed-New Haven Airport are averaging about 94% full to capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We’re rocking it; we’re doing a good job. Our community has really stepped up,” she said. “Sometimes our flights are fuller going out than they are coming in.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s estimated that about 60% of the airline’s passengers are utilizing it for tourism and 40% are local community members. This is seen as the ideal mix for a commercial airline service to be successful at Lakeland Linder, Hallstrand said.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Airport Director Kris Hallstrand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There is currently engineering design work being done to create a temporary long-term grass parking lot with pedestrian improvements to create a safe crossing into the terminal, Hallstrand said. This work will include the installation of parking lot kiosks and lighted pedestrian crossings. The estimated cost is $1.37 million with roughly another $625,000 needed to complete construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the ‘unofficial’ numbers<\/p>\n\n\n\n