Commissioners consider expansion to Lakeland Linder International Airport

LAKELAND, Fla. - Lakeland Commissioners are expected to formally accept a grant on Monday from the Department of Transportation that will help fund an update to Lakeland Linder’s Airport Layout Plan Study. 

"We’ll be looking at the airport’s service volume for an additional parallel runway, and also some forecasting for future terminal expansion," said Lakeland Linder Airport assistant director Adam Lund. "This is going to really allow us to set up for the future and launch into a terminal master plan and environmental study as we look to add more and more gates, and also more parking for our visitors."

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City commissioners in December unanimously approved a 15-year deal with discount carrier Avelo Airlines that will bring commercial passenger flights back to Lakeland for the first time in more than 35 years. 

Lund says a terminal expansion would allow Avelo to offer more flights in and out of Lakeland in the future, and could potentially bring in other airlines as well. 

"This really sets us up for that long-term planning to make sure that we’re building smart and that we’re planning ahead and making sure that we have a phased approach with all of our development here at the airport," said Lund. 

The official launch of Avelo’s service from Lakeland has yet to be announced. The airline originally targeted a May/June start to service, but Lund says TSA delays have pushed the likely timeline slightly further into summer.