August 2, 2011

Funding to Support the Marketing of New Air Service at Lakeland Linder Regional 

Airport at Lakeland, Florida

Sponsor: Lakeland Linder Regional Airport

Eugene B. Conrad III, C.M. Airport Director

Congressional Code: FL-12

Dun & Bradstreet Number: 020997912

Tax Identification Number (EIN): 59-6000354

LAKELAND LINDER REGIONAL AIRPORT

Lakeland, Florida

Proposal Under the Small Community Air Service Development Program

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0119
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introductory Letters of Support 3

Summary Information – Appendix C 4

Introduction 6

The Lakeland Linder Regional Airport Air Service Market 8

Location, Catchment Population and Air Service Airports 8

Current and Historical Service 9

Central Florida Top Domestic Market Average Fares 12

Central Florida Carrier Market Share 13 

Air Service Development Efforts 14

Air Service Needs and Deficiencies 16

 Identifying the Air Service Deficiencies 16

 The need for Improved Central Florida Air Service 18

 Alternative Airports 21 

Strategic Plan for New Air Service 22

Goals and Objectives 23

Many Steps Have Already been Taken 23

A Modern, Convenient and Low Cost Airport Terminal Facility 23

Low Costs for Airlines 24

Local Support via Public Private Partnership 24

Grant Funding Plan 25

Grant Application Target Audience 26

The Economic Impact of New Grant Supported Service 27

Grant Use Timeline and Measuring Progress toward Goals 28

Grant Application Legal Sponsor 30

Summary 31

Appendix A: Domestic Cities without Nonstop Air Service to Central Florida: Year 2010 33

Section Page Number
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 3

INTRODUCTORY LETTER OF SUPPORT
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 4

SUMMARY INFORMATION – APPENDIX C

Small Community Air Service Development Program

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0119

A. Applicant Information

 Not a Consortium Community now receives EAS subsidy

 Interstate Consortium Intrastate Consortium

 Community previously received a Small Community Grant

 If previous recipient, date of Grant: ________________________________

Expiration date of Grant: _______________________

B. Public/Private Partnership

Public:

1. The Lakeland Linder Regional Airport

2. The City of Lakeland, Florida

3. Polk County

4. Central Florida Development Corporation of Polk County

Private:

1. Polk Vision

2. Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce

3. Lakeland Economic Development Council

4. Columbia Air Services

C. Project Proposal

 Marketing Upgrade Aircraft New Route

 Travel Bank Service Restoration Subsidy

 Surface Transportation Regional Service Revenue Guarantee

 Launch New Carrier Start-Up Cost Offset First Service

 Study Secure Additional Service Other (Specify)
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 5

D. Existing Landing Aids at Airport

 Full ILS Outer/Middle Marker Published Instrument Approach

 Localizer Other:

E. Project Cost

1. Federal amount requested: $ 350,000

2. State cash financial contribution: $ 0

Local cash financial contribution:

3a. Airport cash funds: $ 0

3b. Non-Airport cash funds: $ 70,000

3. Total local cash funds: $ 0

4. TOTAL CASH FUNDING: $ 0

In-Kind Contribution:

a. Airport In-Kind contribution: $ 0

b. Other In-Kind contribution: $ 0

5. TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION: $ 0

6. TOTAL PROJECT COST: $ 420,000

F. In-Kind Contributions

For funds in lines 4a (airport in-kind contribution) and 4b (other in-kind contribution), 

please describe the source(s) of fund(s) for each.

__________________________________________________________________________________

G. Is Application Subject to Review by State Under Executive Order 12372 Process?

 This application was made available to the State on ______.

 Program is subject to review, but has not been selected by the State.

 Program is not covered.

H. Is Applicant Delinquent on any Federal Debt?

 No
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 6

INTRODUCTION

The Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is the newest commercial service airport in the United

States. The Airport and its community supporters are proud of their hard work and financial 

commitment, which resulted in Lakeland‘s new air service.

The Airport is the lowest cost facility in Central Florida and its location, right between Orlando 

and Tampa and along Interstate I-4, means it has enormous potential to introduce new and low 

fare air service from cities nationwide to Central Florida.

With commercial service now in operation, the Airport wishes to ―take the next step‖ and 

develop an aggressive and comprehensive air service marketing program. This program would 

promote Lakeland as the best, most convenient and lowest cost air service airport in Central 

Florida, for inbound tourists and for local residents.

While the Orlando and Tampa areas have a significant level of low-fare air service, some cities 

and entire regions of the United States still lack any nonstop service to Central Florida and have 

average fares significantly higher than do cities in their peer group.

The Small Community Air Service Development Grant program was designed for precisely this 

situation. In this Grant application, the Airport and its supporters propose to match $350,000 in 

grant funding with $70,000 in a local cash match. The total of $420,000 in dedicated air service 

marketing funds will enable the Airport to provide marketing and advertising support for new air 

services from cities that do not currently have nonstop and low fare service to Central Florida.

The Airport and its supporters would use Grant funding in coordination with both the existing air 

service provider (Direct Air) and other carriers that are currently being recruited. There is a 

significant opportunity to grow Lakeland Linder air service to a critical mass at which it can 

complement existing service at the two Orlando airports and the two Tampa Bay area airports. 

The Orlando – Tampa corridor in Central Florida contains some of the most popular tourism 

attractions in the world, including Disney World, SeaWorld, and the incredible beaches of the 

Gulf of Mexico at Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg.
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 7

The region draws millions of domestic and international tourists per year, from Boston and from 

Binghamton, from Washington D.C. and from Williamsport, from St. Louis and from Springfield, 

and from every big and small city in between. People love to vacation in Central Florida.

Domestic air service to Central Florida is focused at Orlando International and at Tampa 

International, with somewhat less service and traffic at Orlando Sanford and St. Petersburg. The 

two Orlando area airports clearly serve that city and region, the two Tampa area airports the 

Bay area and the gulf beaches.

The Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is located right between Orlando and Tampa and just off 

of Interstate I-4. It is the only airport in Central Florida that truly serves the entire region. Lakeland 

Linder is actually closer to Disney World and SeaWorld than is Orlando Sanford. Downtown 

Tampa is less than a 45 minute drive and the beaches of St. Pete are an hour or less.

Capitalizing on this strategic location, the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, in partnership with 

the FAA, the City of Lakeland, and the State of Florida, committed $9.8 million dollars over the 

past several years to develop Lakeland Linder as a commercial service airport. Years of hard 

work culminated on June 23, 2011, when the first Direct Air scheduled public charter MD80 took 

off for Myrtle Beach.

Now Lakeland Linder is in a unique market position. It is the one commercial service airport that 

truly provides visiting tourists with easy access to all of Central Florida. This efficiency, the ability to 

market both the Orlando area attractions and the Tampa Bay area attractions, has significant 

potential to open up less-than-daily air nonstop service from a host of domestic cities that lack 

such service today and pay high airfares to access Central Florida.

The new service, launched on June 23, is just the beginning of developing that potential to bring 

new nonstop air service and lower airfares to Central Florida from many small and medium sized 

U.S. cities that currently have no such service and pay high airfares to Orlando or Tampa.
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 8

THE LAKELAND LINDER REGIONAL AIRPORT AIR SERVICE MARKET

Regional Air Service Data

Location, Catchment Population and Air Service Airports

The Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is located in central Florida, 32 miles from downtown 

Tampa and 60 miles from downtown Orlando, all easily accessible via Interstate I-4 which is only 

five miles north of the Airport terminal.

Lakeland Linder represents the single most convenient commercial air service airport in all of 

Central Florida, putting airport users within a one hour or less drive time of the entire Orlando and 

Tampa Bay metro areas. Some 1.9 million central Florida residents live within a 60 minute drive of 

the Airport and 4.9 million live within a 90 minute drive. The other area airports, Orlando 
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 9

International, Orlando Sanford, Tampa International and St. Petersburg, all serve one section of 

the region. None can compare to Lakeland Linder in terms of accessibility to the entire region.

And the resident population totals do not diminish near the airport. The Airport is within minutes 

of downtown Lakeland, population 92,796, and Winter Haven, population 32,577. Polk County, in 

which the Airport is located, has a population of 574,746. The Lakeland-Winter Haven MSA has a 

population of 583,403 and that population has grown 20% since 2000.

In terms of proximity to tourism attractions, the Airport is actually closer to Disney World and 

SeaWorld than Orlando Sanford. It is barely 30 minutes drive further from the Tampa Bay area 

than is Tampa International Airport. In short it is one airport that effectively gives tourists easy 

rental car access to all of the attractions of Central Florida.

Lakeland Linder Area Current and Historic Air Service

Commercial air service began at Lakeland Linder just recently, on June 23. For the summer of 

2011 Direct Air has scheduled eight weekly departures to four cities.

Road Distance To Drive Time To

Location Lakeland Linder Lakeland Linder 

Walt Disney World 47 :51

SeaWorld 49 :53

Legoland 23 :28

Downtown Orlando 60 1:07

Downtown Tampa 32 :36

Clearwater Beach 55 :59

St. Petersburg Beach 60 1:10

Drive distances and times per MapQuest

Weekly

Period Departures Destinations

Summer 2011 Eight Hagerstown, Myrtle Beach, Niagara Falls/Buffalo, Springfield (IL)

Hagerstown, Myrtle Beach, Niagara Falls/Buffalo, Springfield (IL)

Plattsburgh (NY), San Juan

LAKELAND LINDER CURRENT AIR SERVICE 

Winter 2011-2012 Twelve
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 10

The first few weeks of service have generated strong passenger traffic with the average number 

of passengers per flight well over 100 (137 seat aircraft), generating load factors in the 70% to 

80% range.

Direct Air‘s winter service package will 

grow from eight weekly departures to 

twelve (50%) and the carrier is reporting to 

the Airport strong winter season bookings.

Obviously the lion‘s share of Central Florida 

air service is at the Orlando International 

and Tampa International airports.

Orlando International has 64% of the region‘s domestic traffic while Tampa International has 

32%. These two airports also have 44% and 30%, respectively, of the nonstop domestic routes 

flown from Central Florida. The two large airports combine to have 97% of the region‘s seats. The 

Domestic Domestic Percent Domestic Nonstop Percent Domestic Percent

Airport Carriers Traffic Total Avg Fare Routes Total Seats Total

MCO 11 27,227,330 64% $128 92 44% 32,653,540 62%

TPA 8 13,690,090 32% $137 62 30% 18,101,880 35%

PIE 3 737,630 2% $73 25 12% 800,064 2%

SFB 3 699,260 2% $78 30 14% 773,700 1%

Total 42,354,310 $129 209 52,329,184

CENTRAL FLORIDA AIR SERVICE SUMMARY
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 11

St. Petersburg and Sanford Airports, on the far western and eastern fringes of the region, have 

about 2% each of traffic and seat capacity.

Overall Central Florida traffic and capacity (the combination of Orlando International, Tampa 

International, Orlando Sanford and St. Petersburg) is down in 2010 compared to previous years.

Central Florida Combined Domestic Traffic, Capacity and Average Fare

Central Florida traffic and capacity peaked in 2007. Capacity is down 13% since 2007 while 

traffic is down 10%. Average fare is up 5% since 2007 and 11% since 2003.

Philadelphia is the largest domestic O&D market for the combined Central Florida airports. 

Twenty five of the top thirty markets are east of the Mississippi River. All of the top thirty have 

nonstop service to both Orlando MCO and Tampa TPA airports.

77,102

85,092

89,882 89,280

94,242

90,546

82,051 81,532

50,191

56,583

61,702

61,999 64,375

61,937

58,036 57,668

$114

$110

$112

$123 $121

$128

$117

$127

$100

$105

$110

$115

$120

$125

$130

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

100,000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Seats per Day Each Way Traffic PDEW Avg Fare 
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 12

Combined Central Florida Top Markets O&D and PDEW: Year 2010

Central Florida Top Domestic Market Average Fares

The average domestic one way net fare paid in 2010 in all domestic markets for the combined 

four Central Florida airports was $126.78. Passengers in the combined top thirty markets paid 

$123.38.

What is noteworthy is that both St. Petersburg and Sanford have significantly lower average fares 

than their respective neighbors TPA and MCO. The St. Petersburg average fare, at $73, is 47% 

lower than at Tampa International ($137) while the Sanford average fare, at $78, is 39% lower 

than at Orlando International ($128).

0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000

PHL

EWR

JFK

BOS

DTW

BWI

LGA

ATL

MDW

SJU

ORD

DFW

MSP

DCA

DEN

PIT

BUF

IND

MKE

LAX

BDL

IAD

PVD

STL

CMH

LAS

ISP

MCI

MHT

BNA

1,624,530

1,607,670

1,385,240

1,304,680

1,279,780

1,268,350

1,071,570

1,019,340

999,430

996,420

899,770

844,150

809,560

772,820

764,480

733,380

692,070

687,200

667,460

655,810

637,470

614,690

614,240

550,810

544,690

533,900

520,190

486,250

471,940

445,880

2225.4

2202.3

1897.6

1787.2

1753.1

1737.5

1467.9

1396.4

1369.1

1365.0

1232.6

1156.4

1109.0

1058.7

1047.2

1004.6

948.0

941.4

914.3

898.4

873.2

842.0

841.4

754.5

746.2

731.4

712.6

666.1

646.5

610.8

Annual O&D PDEW
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 13

Average Fares in Central Florida’s 30 Largest O&D Markets: Year 2010

Central Florida Carrier Market Share

Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines are the dominant carriers in terms of market share in 

Central Florida with a combined share of 55.9%. Low cost carriers Southwest/AirTran, jetBlue, 

Frontier/Midwest and Allegiant combined to capture 54.7% of total domestic traffic in 2010.

$0 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $120 $140 $160 $180 $200

ATL

BWI

PHL

JFK

FLL

LGA

DFW

BOS

ORD

EWR

DCA

LAS

BNA

LAX

ORF

DEN

DTW

MSP

PIT

SFO

SEA

MDW

PHX

IND

CLT

SAN

BDL

IAH

STL

CMH

$116

$109

$124

$122

$104

$133

$150

$124

$158

$158

$174

$158

$119

$172

$114

$144

$142

$163

$116

$177

$177

$118

$152

$116

$177

$182

$133

$180

$146

$114

6.1%

0.5%

10.1%

10.8%

17.0%

1.1%

38.9%

4.6%

2.4%

0.2%

8.5%

Central Florida Combined Domestic Market Share: 2010

AA

AS

B6

UA/CO

DL/NW

F9/YX

WN/FL

G4

NK
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 14

LAKELAND LINDER REGIONAL AIRPORT AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

Local Air Service Development Efforts

Within the past five years, the City of Lakeland and LAL have been actively involved in efforts to 

prepare the airport for commercial service and in pursuing new service.

Starting in 2007, LAL began exploring options for commercial service. Since that time the Airport 

has spent nearly $500,000 on consulting and on marketing.

Specific activities have included:

2007 - 2008

Participated in an extensive process attempting to secure service from Skybus Airlines, 

including making infrastructure improvements.

2009

Hired new airport director Eugene B. Conrad III, C.M. who has significant experience in 

recruiting commercial service to small communities including being part of the team that 

opened Branson Airport, which was the first privately developed and operated 

commercial service airport in the country.

2010

LAL secured funding for and launched a major project to develop the infrastructure 

required to support scheduled service.

LAL recruited Sky King corporate headquarters and maintenance operations to the 

airport with a key motivation being to establish a base from which they could offer 

scheduled charter service.

Year Expenses

2007 $95,675

2008 $97,984

2009 $61,987

2010 $14,679

2011 $204,606

2007 - 2011

LAKELAND LINDER REGIONAL AIRPORT: 

AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT COSTS BY YEAR
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 15

In the summer of 2010 the airport funded an air service study.

In the summer of 2010 LAL started holding meetings with targeted communities interested 

in low fare service to the Central Florida region.

LAL spoke with multiple carriers who are interested in providing service to the market.

LAL held meetings with the FAA Administrator, Randy Babbitt.

LAL created marketing materials to promote the airport and to start preparing the 

community that commercial service is coming.

In the fall of 2010 LAL held meetings with Direct Air regarding market potential. The carrier 

committed in the spring of 2011 to serve the market starting in June 2011.

2011

LAL attended the Network Conference in Austin, Texas, in March of 2011 and met with six 

low cost or less-than-daily airlines.

Marketing of the new Direct Air service began in earnest in early 2011, with expenditures 

for the year projected to total over $200,000 across many media venues.
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 16

AIR SERVICE NEEDS AND DEFICIENCIES

Identifying the Air Service Deficiency

There is significant airline service, in terms of the number of carriers, nonstop routes and nonstop 

flights, at the Orlando International and Tampa International Airports. Allegiant Air and other lessthan-daily carriers offer modest low fare nonstop service at Orlando Sanford and St. Petersburg.

Domestic cities that have nonstop service (or concentrated Southwest Airlines one stop service) 

to any of the Central Florida airports tend to have significant traffic and also have low fares with 

that service. Domestic cities that do not have nonstop service to Central Florida have 

significantly less traffic, and significantly higher average fares paid, for travel to Central Florida.

This disparity is clear in the 2010 domestic O&D data for the combined Central Florida airports.

The combined Central Florida airports generated some 42,097,370 million O&D at an average 

fare of $126.78 on an average itinerary of 1,097 miles at an average yield of 11.6 cents. On the 

surface a well served market.

But a closer examination shows there are two levels of air service to Central Florida. Some 125 

cities with nonstop or concentrated one-stop service enjoy an average fare of $126.78 while an 

additional 295 cities have an average fare of $185.82. So, underneath the overall Central Florida 

domestic traffic data of 42,097,370 million annual O&D and an average fare of $126.78, is a 

clear distinction, with some markets enjoying low fares and other markets suffering high ones. 

Total Domestic O&D 42,097,370

Total City Pairs 420

Average Fare $126.78

O&D Traffic 39,518,520

Average Fare $122.92

O&D Traffic 2,578,850

Average Fare $185.82

City Pairs with Nonstop or One-stop 

Service

125

City Pairs with Only Connect Service 295

CENTRAL FLORIDA DOMESTIC TRAFFIC: YEAR 2010
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 17

The disparity in Central Florida air service is further confirmed by an examination of domestic 

cities that gained nonstop Allegiant Air service to Central Florida in the period 2003 – 2010.

Orlando PDEW and Average Fare in 29 Allegiant Cities: 2003 – 2010

These 29 cities gained Allegiant Air nonstop service to Orlando over a several-year period 

beginning in late 2006. Measured over the period from 2006 to 2010, Orlando traffic in these 29 

cities grew 76% while average fare dropped 32%.

Tampa PDEW and Average Fare in 20 Allegiant Cities: 2003 - 2010 

1,011

1,134

1,283

1,349

1,709

1,790

2,037

2,374

$120 $121 $120

$131

$118 $115

$88 $89

$0

$20

$40

$60

$80

$100

$120

$140

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Average Fare PDEW

PDEW Average Fare

579 599

660

557

909 931

1,135

$120 $120 1,177 $121

$142

$110 $111

$85 $88

$0

$20

$40

$60

$80

$100

$120

$140

$160

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Average Fare PDEW

PDEW Average Fare
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 18

Allegiant added service from twenty domestic cities to St. Petersburg in the 2007 – 2010 period. 

Comparing 2006 to 2010, traffic grew 111% while average fare dropped 38%.

So there are deficiencies in domestic air service in Central Florida. The roster of domestic markets 

falls into two groups; one with nonstop or concentrated one-stop service and resulting low fares 

and another with only connection service and high average fares that diminish traffic demand.

While many examples are possible, below are six pairs of nearby cities, with one city in each pair 

lacking nonstop Central Florida service and the other city having that service.

These six examples, out of many, illustrate that high fares and deficient service do exist in some 

Central Florida markets. A complete list of domestic markets with no nonstop service to Central 

Florida is in Appendix A of this document.

The Need for Improved Central Florida Air Service

Less-than-daily air service at Sanford and St. Petersburg has demonstrated the ability to stimulate 

travel demand for Central Florida. The vast majority of travelers on less-than-daily flights to 

Central Florida airports are leisure visitors and tourists.

Tourism is a major element of the Central Florida economy. It is also a major element in the local 

economy around the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. In Polk County alone, tourism has an 

estimated annual economic impact of $1.1 billion. Tourism supported more than 21,000 Polk 

County jobs in 2009. Visitors paid more than $31 million in sales taxes in Polk County. Lakeland is 

home to 37 area hotels and motels offering 3089 rooms. Within Polk County, there are 7,100 

rooms in approximately 111 hotels and motels. The traditional tourist season runs January 

City Without Drive Time/Distance City With

Central Florida 2010 to Central Florida 2010

Nonstop Service O&D Avg Fare Alternative Airport Nonstop Service O&D Avg Fare

Evansville IN EVV 17,150 $153 1:53 / 116 miles Louisville, KY SDF 238,780 $123

Baton Rouge, LA BTR 16,340 $153 1:21 / 79 miles New Orleans, LA MSY 375,580 $122

State College, PA SCE 16,320 $145 1:59 / 103 miles Harrisburg, PA MDT 131,460 $113

Charlottseville, VA CHO 16,110 $149 1:36 / 87 miles Richmond, VA RIC 209,420 $103

Traverse City, MI TVC 15,600 $172 2:29 / 151 miles Grand Rapids, MI GRR 265,560 $97

Saginaw, MI MBS 12,120 $142 :56 / 52 miles Flint, MI FNT 185,070 $110

CENTRAL FLORIDA AIR SERVICE DEFICIENCY EXAMPLES
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 19

through March with an average occupancy rate of 60% and an average daily room rate 

(―ADR‖) of $77.00. Obviously, this is an average of all Polk County hotels and motels. They have 

some properties that run an average of 84% in peak season. Off peak season would be from 

April through December, where the occupancy runs about 38% on average with an ADR of 

$61.00. Again, however, in Lakeland, there are several properties that run a much higher 

occupancy rate and their ADR is $65.00--$71.00.

Polk County is unique in that it also offers approximately 7,200 vacation rental homes on the east 

side of the county near Disney World. These homes account for 52% of the annual bed-tax 

collections. Their peak season is summer.

With significant hotel and rental home inventory with low daily rates and low occupancy, Polk 

County has tremendous potential to emerge as a low cost base for tourists wanting to access 

the attractions in the region, and in doing so driving significant economic benefit to the local 

economy. 

Last year, Polk County hosted 227 sporting events generating more than $126 million in 

economic impact alone. Lakeland is the Spring Training home to The Detroit Tigers and the 

annual home to their Class A team, The Flying Tigers. Together, they generate about $50 million 

in economic impact. During 2010 the Detroit Tigers, at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland,

held a total of 15 Spring Training games with a total attendance of 112,560, averaging 7,504 per 

game. The largest crowd ever recorded was Saturday, March 27, when the Tigers played The 

N.Y. Yankees.

The Lake Myrtle Sports Complex is home to the Florida Youth Soccer Association—bringing 

thousands of young soccer players to the area each year and the Russ Matt Central Florida 

Invitational, which brings more than 200 collegiate baseball teams to the area each March.

The Lakeland Center, a four-building multipurpose entertainment complex in Lakeland is home 

to many diverse performing arts programs, including the Lakeland Broadway and Entertainment 

Series, the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, the Lakeland Concert Band, and various 

contemporary performances by professional artists. The venue also features 100,000 square feet 
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 20

of state-of-the art exhibit space for meetings and conventions and an arena that is the ideal 

location for many state, regional and national championships. In February and March alone, 

more than 100,000 fans from around the State of Florida enjoy the Florida High School Athletic 

Association State Wrestling and Boys and Girls State Basketball Championships. These numbers 

account for more than $6 million in direct economic impact each year.

Lakeland is home to Explorations V Children‘s Museum, Florida Air Museum, Sun  ̳n Fun Fly-In, the 

largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture, the Florida Dance Theatre, the 

Harrison School for the Arts, the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, The Lakeland Community Theatre, 

Polk Museum of Art, and last but certainly not least, one of only three surviving atmospheric 

theatres left in the state—the Polk Theatre. The Historic Polk Theatre opened in 1928 as a 

vaudeville and movie house and is now in the National Register of Historic Places, along with 

many other historic locations in downtown Lakeland, including the Lake Mirror Promenade and 

The Terrace Hotel.

Each year, Lakeland provides access to a number of top tourist destinations and attractions. 

Bok Tower Gardens, Fantasy of Flight, Disney World and Busch Gardens are all within an hour‘s 

drive of Lakeland. LAL is within an hour‘s drive of eight Spring Training Major League teams. The 

Annual Sun  ̳n Fun Fly-In brings in approximately 160,000 international, national, regional and 

statewide visitors to Lakeland and the entire Polk County area each Spring for a week long 

aviation convention. Mayfaire-by-the-Lake, in Lakeland, has grown into a regional juried art 

show that showcases more than 200 artists‘ displays along the shores of Lake Morton each 

Mother‘s Day weekend. It brings in about 35,000 annual visitors. Florida Southern College offers, 

in addition to the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture with the ―Child 

of the Sun‖ Collection, the Annual Festival of Fine Arts program featuring such international artists 

as The Moscow Festival Ballet! The Lakeland Annual Pig Festival each January brings 30,000 

visitors to sample more than 300 BBQ teams‘ finest food. In April, downtown Lakeland introduces 

the Florida Outdoor Sculpture Celebration and in October, more than 25,000 visitors enjoy 500 

show vehicles in the Lake Mirror Classic Auto Festival. 

In the fall of 2011, LEGOLAND is scheduled to open in Polk County. The attraction represents a 

$150 million dollar investment for the first three years, with another $150 million dollar investment 

scheduled for the next three years. The second offering will include a resort hotel and 
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 21

conference center, a water park, and a Sea Life Aquarium. LEGOLAND has been recognized 

by Amusement Today as the Country‘s best theme park for children for the 6th consecutive 

year.

New nonstop less-than-daily air service at Lakeland Linder will clearly bring more tourists to 

Central Florida. These new tourists will improve the struggling economy of the region. Polk County 

has been one of the hardest hit by the recession. In May of 2011 the national unemployment 

figure was 9.2% and the Florida unemployment rate was10.6%. The Polk County rate was also 

10.6%. In a recent Florida Trend Article regarding poverty rates in the suburbs, Lakeland had the 

fifth highest suburban poverty rate in the nation in 2008. According to a Brookings Institute study, 

75,000 people in Lakeland‘s surrounding suburbs — or 15.8% of the population — live below the 

poverty level of $21,834 for a family of four. Within Lakeland‘s city limits, meanwhile, 12,182 

people, or 13.3% of the population, live in poverty.

In short, the community is in need of the economic benefit that would come from new less-thandaily air service at Lakeland Linder. The community and City have shown their confidence in the 

potential for the service by investing a significant amount of resources in the improvements 

noted above and in supporting this grant application. 

Alternative Airports

Residents of the area around the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, in nearby Lakeland, Winter 

Haven and throughout Polk County, do have access to alternative air service at Tampa 

International, Orlando International, St. Petersburg and Orlando Sanford.

From To Time Distance

TPA :47 41

PIE :59 51

MCO 1:01 55

SFB 1:33 80

TIME AND DRIVE DISTANCES 

Lakeland
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 22

A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR EXPANDED LAKELAND AIR SERVICE

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR NEW AIR SERVICE

The strategic plan for Lakeland Linder Regional Airport commercial air service began in 2007 

with a local commitment by the Airport, the City of Lakeland and interested citizens to creating 

commercial air service at the Lakeland Linder facility. Concurrent with the large scale 

infrastructure efforts needed to bring the newest commercial service facility in the country online 

were efforts to recruit air carriers to serve it.

All of those efforts have been rewarded as the first Direct Air scheduled service (public charter) 

took off from the airport on June 23, 2011. While a baseline of scheduled service is in place to 

four cities, the Airport and its supporters see great potential for Lakeland Linder, with its optimum 

Central Florida location, to recruit and support much more air service in the next few years.

For the Airport and its supporters, the guiding strategic principals in this effort are:

 Develop a convenient, easy to use and low cost airport terminal facility for airlines and 

their customers.

 Develop a facility cost-of-operation model that permits self-sustaining operation without 

burdening airlines with significant per passenger costs.

 Promote the new commercial air service, as it develops, so that local residents know 

there is new air service in the Lakeland/Polk County area. 

 Recruit LTD carriers aggressively, listen to their needs and concerns and respond as 

possible.

 Build a significant marketing and advertising fund for use in partnership with LTD carriers 

to support their market entry and address their number one concern -- how to market 

new LTD air service to Lakeland Linder as a superior alternative to the traditional use of 

nearby Orlando or Tampa area airports.

All of the above strategic principals are in place except for the development of a significant 

marketing and advertising fund for use in partnership with LTD carriers to address their concern 

about adequate marketing of Lakeland Linder as a superior alternative to the more traditional 

nearby airports.
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 23

Fundamental Goals and Objectives of the Air Service Development Plan

The Airport and its community supporters have three primary goals in air service development 

and those goals apply to this SCASD grant application:

 Recruit scheduled air service, and the resulting economic impact, to Lakeland Linder.

 Identify domestic markets that lack nonstop and low fare Central Florida service.

 With robust marketing and promotional efforts, ensure that new service at Lakeland is 

successful.

Many Steps Have Already Been Taken

The Airport is proud of all the hard work and financial commitment that combined to bring 

Lakeland Linder to life as a commercial air service airport.

A Modern, Convenient and Low Cost Airport Terminal Facility

A total of $9.3 million dollars was needed to prepare Lakeland Linder for commercial air service.

The State of Florida invested over $4.0 million dollars in the project, the City of Lakeland over $1.8 

million and the FAA over $3.4 million. The result is an easy to use (for customers and airlines) 

facility capable of handling hundreds of thousands of passengers on an annual basis.

Fund Use Florida DOT City of Lakeland FAA Total Project Cost

ILS $440,000 $110,000 $1,000,000 $1,550,000

Taxiway H & J $94,304 $94,302 $2,407,300 $2,595,906

Apron and Pond $1,000,000 $614,230 $1,614,230

Terminal Expansion $2,000,000 $400,000 $2,400,000

FBO Relocation $475,000 $475,000

AWOS $200,000 $50,000 $250,000

Taxiway Lighting $80,000 $20,000 $100,000

Gates / Access Controls $213,000 $53,250 $266,250

Total $4,027,304 $1,816,782 $3,407,300 $9,251,386
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 24

Low Costs for Airlines

One essential ingredient in low cost air service is low cost airport operations for airlines. Lakeland 

Linder has developed a comprehensive program to ensure that air carriers are afforded the 

lowest costs possible at the Airport.

The Airport is able to cover a significant portion of its operating costs from non-airline airport 

activities. Thus the Airport does not charge any landing fees, terminal rent or fuel storage fees 

and has no PFC charge.

The Airport has airline ground handling equipment for ground handling services in order to 

minimize carrier costs. In-to-plane fuel charges are only $75 per turn. 

The Airport intends to develop, as traffic grows, a revenue sharing partnership with its airlines, 

sharing Airport terminal and passenger related concession revenues in a way that will further 

lower airline airport cost.

Long term, the Airport believes that its airline terminal services and infrastructure will be selfsustaining at a very low cost to airlines of about $2 per enplanement.

Local Support via a Public/ Private Partnership

The Airport‘s government and private sector partners in air service development include:

The City of Lakeland, Florida (public member) – The City committed over $2.2 million dollars ($1.8 

for infrastructure and $400,000 for studies, recruiting and marketing) since 2007 to the effort to 

make the Airport ready for commercial air service. The City also provides Crash/Fire/Rescue 

(ARFF) services and police services for the Airport at no charge.

Polk County (public member) – The County actively supports Lakeland Linder development as 

part of its overall economic development efforts.

Central Florida Development Council of Polk County (public member) – The CFDC is itself a 

public/private partnership of government and private entities working together to further 

economic development in Polk County. It has committee $100,000 in 2011 to assist in air service 

implementation.
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 25

Polk Vision (private member) – Polk Vision is an association dedicated to establishing and 

meeting long term goals for economic and social infrastructure development in Polk County.

Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce (private member) – The Lakeland Area Chamber of

Commerce is a not-for-profit organization representing the interests of its 1,700 business members

and facilitating economic growth in the area.

Lakeland Economic Development Council (private member) – The LEDC is a private non-profit 

association with 175 member companies. The ECDC‘s primary job is to expand economic and 

job opportunities for area residents and recruit new businesses to the area.

Columbia Air Services (private member) – Columbia Air Services is a network of full service FBOs. 

The Lakeland operation provides full FBO services for both general aviation and airline 

operations at Lakeland Linder.

To complement and guide the public/private partnership the Airport has the Lakeland Linder 

Airport Advisory Board. The board meets six times a year and holds special sessions if required. 

Board members represent a cross-section of the local business community and the airport 

business group.

Lakeland Linder Airport Advisory Board

Tom Dunn – Corporate Aviation Rep – Columbia Air Services – Director of Fuel Operations

Robert Knight - Citizen-at-Large – Knight Industrial Equipment Inc. – Owner/President

Ken Willaford - Airport Tenant – Aeromech, Inc. - Owner

John Burton – Citizen-at-Large – Sun  ̳n Fun Fly-In - President

Jeff Kincart – Citizen-at-Large – American Compliance Technologies, Inc. – Civil Engineer

Joel Adams – General Aviation – Highland Homes - President

Scott Franklin – LEDC Representative – Lanier Upshaw, Inc. – President and CEO

Gow Fields – City Commission Representative - Mayor

Justin Troller – City Commission Representative - Commissioner

 

Grant Funding Plan

The Airport is requesting $350,000 in Department funding. Local non-airport partners of the airport 

will contribute $70,000 (a 20% match) for a total Grant funding level of $420,000. The Airport 

believes a Grant timeframe of two years will be adequate for executing an effective marketing 

program in support of new Lakeland air service.
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 26

The local non-airport cash funding of $70,000 will be generated by several local organizations. 

The Economic Development Councils have committed $55,000 and the City and the local 

Chamber and associated businesses will contribute the remaining $15,000.

The City, County, the local Chamber and Economic Development groups have already 

contributed over $2.2 million to the multi-year effort to make the Airport ready for commercial 

service. The Airport is 100% comfortable that each of these parties will make good on its modest 

contributions to the non-airport matching funds indicated for this Grant application.

The Airport has over $200,000 already committed for 2012 for the purpose of air service recruiting 

and existing air service marketing and promotion. We have not listed this as in-kind contributions 

to this application since it is funding the Airport will spend regardless of Grant application award.

This document has already detailed the low Airport cost structure provided to incumbent and 

new entrant airlines. This is not a fee waiver scenario and, without knowing the operational plan 

of a specific new service, it is not possible to put any accurate in-kind valuation (for Grant 

purposes) on the Airport‘s program for ensuring air service providers have the lowest possible 

airport costs.

Line Description Sub Total Total Amount

1 Federal amount requested $350,000

2 State cash financial contribution $0

Local cash financial contribution

3a Airport cash funds $0

3b Non-airport cash funds $70,000

3 Total local cash funds (3a + 3b): $70,000

4 TOTAL CASH FUNDING (1 + 2 + 3): $420,000

In-Kind contribution

5a Airport in-kind contribution** $0

5b Other in-kind contribution** $0

5 TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION (5a + 5b): $0

6 TOTAL PROJECT COST (4 + 5): $420,000

Lakeland Linder Regional Airport

2011 SCASD Project Cost Detail
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 27

Grant Application Target Audience

Grant funding will be used to promote new air service at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. 

There are four commercial air service airports, of varying size, in the central Florida region around 

the Orlando and Tampa metro areas.

Lakeland Linder has now become the fifth and is the most centrally located and convenient for 

tourists wishing to visit the region. It is also the most convenient for residents of Lakeland, Winter 

Haven and Polk County for outbound travel. However, its existence and convenience are not 

widely known outside of the immediate Lakeland area.

Thus the target audience for Grant supported marketing and advertising will be both inbound 

tourists and local residents. The inbound tourist promotional efforts will be focused in the 

catchment areas of airports in the northern tier, Midwest or mid-Atlantic areas that gain 

Lakeland air service. This will be the primary focus of Grant supported marketing and advertising 

efforts.

Depending on what new air service is recruited in 2012, the Airport may expend, with 

Department approval, some Grant funding for marketing of new air service to local residents. 

Just as an example of this, should Lakeland Linder gain nonstop service to Portland, Maine, the 

Central Florida region generates significant origin traffic to Maine in the summer months as 

Floridians vacation in Maine, thus some local marketing of that service in spring may be a wise 

use of some Grant funding.

The Economic Impact of New Grant Supported Air Service 

Visit Florida is the official tourism marketing corporation for the State of Florida. According to their 

Research Center in 2010 there were 71.2 million domestic tourists visitors to Florida. The average 

visitor stay was 4.7 nights. This means a total of 334,640,000 million visitor nights were generated in 

that year. The Center also estimates that domestic visitors generated $53.3 billion dollars in 

Florida spending during their visits. This equates to about $160 per day per visitor.

One of the primary goals of the Airport and its partners in developing commercial air service is to 

increase tourism visits to the Lakeland area.
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 28

The economic impact of one Grant supported new route flown by a less-than-daily carrier is 

significant. The Airport believes that one new route, flown twice weekly year-round with a 150 

seat aircraft at an 80% load factor will conservatively generate near 8,400 new visitors to the 

Lakeland region. Those new visitors, using average stay and spend patterns according to Visit 

Florida, will contribute over $3.1 million in tourist spending. 

The economic payback from all the effort and spending the Airport and its partners have done 

to make the airport capable of commercial service is then clear. Also clear is the enormous 

economic benefit and payback that will occur from the successful use of Grant funding to 

support additional new air service at Lakeland Linder.

Grant Use Timeline and Measuring Progress toward Goals and Objectives

The Airport envisions that Grant funding would be available beginning in fourth quarter of 2011. 

The Airport envisions that new Grant supported air service could then begin, at the earliest, in 

spring of 2012. Since the lead times for Airlines to make new route decisions can be lengthy, the 

Airport requests that Grant funding be available for a two year period from the time of Grant 

award.

Data Point Metric Remarks or Source

Annual Flights 208 52 x 4

Seats per Flight 150

Annual Seats 31,200

Load Factor 80% Typical for LTD service

O&D Passengers 24,960

Round trip passengers 12,480

Percent Inbound Origin 67% Allegiant at Orlando

Inbound Visitors 8,362

New Visitor percentage 50% Assumed

New Visitors 4,181

Average Visitor Stay (days) 4.7 Visit Florida Research Center

New Visitor Stay (days) 19,650

Average Spend per Visitor Day $160 Visit Florida Research Center

Total New Visitor Spend $3,143,962

On One Less-Than-Daily Route Flown Twice a Week Annually

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NEW AIR SERVICE
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 29

The monitoring and measuring of Grant progress requires close coordination with the carrier or 

carriers that are operating the Lakeland routes that are being supported by Grant funding.

The Airport will establish with the airline a baseline of overall revenue targets for each new route. 

The key is overall revenue, which is a combination of carried load factor and average fare and 

ancillary revenue. Once revenue targets are established the ongoing monitoring of booking 

curve activity, actual traffic and actual average fare and ancillary revenue can begin. As 

airlines have the ability to determine, via zip code, the origin of bookings, it will be possible to see 

where Grant supporting marketing is having an effect and where it may be ineffective.

All route performance data will be measured against predetermined goals for bookings and 

actual carried traffic and revenue.

The Airport, thru its Advisory Board, will monitor progress on each new route that receives Grant 

marketing and promotional funding.

In terms of new routes being self-sustaining, the Airport recognizes that domestic air service is a 

very competitive business and subject to many outside factors that can dramatically impact air 

service economics.

Time Window Milestone

Aug, 2011 Grant Application

Aug, 2011 Submit Letters of Support for Grant Application

Receive Grant Award

Fourth Quarter 2011 Renew new air service recruiting efforts with Grant funding available

Gain new air service commitments from incumbent or new entrant carriers

Submit first quarterly DOT Grant status report

Develop media plan based on type of new service: route, frequency, carrier etc.

Begin new air service marketing and promotion in coordination with carrier 

Monitor new service booking curve and adjust nearterm media plan as needed 

Adjust summer and fall 2012 media plan as needed

Refine marketing program based on route performance

Renew marketing program, targeting winter bookings 

Fourth Quarter 2012 Evaluate first six months of service, adjust marketing plan as needed 

2013 Repeat the quarter by quarter process from 2012 as appropriate

LAKELAND LINDER REGIONAL AIRPORT GRANT APPLICATION MILESTONES

First Quarter 2012

Second Quarter 2012

Third Quarter 2012
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 30

We believe that, working with our airline partners, we will pick successful new air service routes 

from Lakeland Linder. The potential for Lakeland Linder to have successful new air service that 

complements that which exists at the Orlando and Tampa area airports is great. There will be a 

learning curve to determining which types of markets, long haul, short haul, small city, large city 

etc, will work best.

Thus the Airport recognizes that one or more new Lakeland routes may not be financially 

successful for the airline. If and when that happens, depending on the depth of the financial 

losses and the carrier‘s willingness to continue the service, the Airport will make the best and 

most financially sound decision regarding the continuation of Grant funded marketing efforts on 

that route.

Grant Application Legal Sponsor

 

The legal sponsor of this application is the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. The Airport Director is 

Eugene B. Conrad III, C.M.

The contact information for the Legal Sponsor is:

Lakeland Linder Regional Airport

3900 Don Emerson Drive, Suite 210

Lakeland, FL 33811

Contact: Eugene B. Conrad III, C.M.; Airport Director

(863) 834-3298
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 31

SUMMARY

Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is the newest commercial service Airport in the nation. The 

Airport is perfectly located to provide convenient and low cost airport gateway, for both airlines 

and customers, to the entire Central Florida region.

The Airport and its local partners have worked diligently since 2007 to establish commercial air 

service at Lakeland. The Airport and community spent over $2.2 million of its own money 

(primarily infrastructure expenditures so far) and gained $4 million from the State of Florida and 

$3.4 million from the FAA to do what was necessary to make Lakeland Linder airline-ready.

The goal of all this hard work is to bring air service to the Airport, air service that will provide a 

critical economic boost to an area hard hit by the recession. That specific goal was achieved 

with the first Direct Air scheduled service flight on June 23, 2011. Today four cities have service to 

Lakeland Linder.

But the Airport and its partners did not commit all this time and local, state and FAA funding to 

have air service to four cities. The potential for Lakeland Linder to be the best airport for tourist 

access to Central Florida is clear. The potential for local Lakeland and Polk County residents to 

have a convenient, low cost and hassle free neighborhood airport is clear.

While some 125 domestic cities enjoy low fare nonstop service to one or more of the four Central 

Florida airports, this report has clearly identified 295 ―other airports‖, large and small, that do not 

have nonstop service to Central Florida. While the average fare paid between Central Florida 

and these 125 cities was $122.92 in 2010, it was $185.82 between Central Florida and the 295 

―other airports‖. This glaring gap suggests Lakeland Linder can serve a valuable role as a single 

airport gateway (at low costs and with high convenience) for some of these 295 airports to 

receive their first nonstop service to Central Florida.
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 32

Growing the Lakeland Linder air service from its current humble beginnings requires a significant 

expenditure of marketing and advertising funds. This brand new commercial service airport must 

compete with the powerful identity of four surrounding airports. While Lakeland Linder has better 

regional access and lower costs, it is not known to the general public outside of the immediate 

Lakeland area.

Educating the traveling public about this new airport and all that it offers takes marketing 

money. Thus the purpose of this Grant application.

The Lakeland Linder Regional Airport respectfully requests the Department‘s careful 

consideration of this Grant application. Lakeland Linder is the newest commercial service airport 

in the nation. The Airport and its partners have worked very hard to make that reality and are 

committed to its long term success. The significant capital investments of the Florida Department 

of Transportation and the FAA clearly show both organizations are also committed to Lakeland‘s 

long term success.

This document has clearly outlined that there are numerous situations of lack of service and high 

air fares involving hundreds of domestic cities and Central Florida. Lakeland Linder is the one 

airport gateway for innovative less-than-daily carriers to step in and address this service 

deficiency and fill that air service need.

The modest Grant funding request herein will permit Lakeland Linder to foster additional new air 

service. This new air service will bring new tourists to Lakeland and Polk County and all of Central 

Florida. The economic gain from such service is measured in millions of dollars per new route, a 

significant return on investment from the $350,000 Grand funding request. 

This Grant application is precise in its focus and modest in its funding need. The innovation and 

entrepreneurial spirit that the Airport and its partners have shown to create commercial air 

service deserves the recognition a Grant award would entail. This is the type of Grant 

application that the Small Community Air Service Development Program was designed to 

support. 

The Airport and its partners thank the Department for its consideration of this application.
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 33

APPENDIX A: DOMESTIC CITIES WITHOUT NONSTOP SERVICE TO CENTRAL FLORIDA: YEAR 2010

Market Distance O&D Revenue Average Fare Avg Coupons

PDX 2,497 198,270 $33,101,680 $166.95 2.0

SMF 2,357 154,780 $26,405,780 $170.60 2.0

SNA 2,126 130,440 $24,122,980 $184.94 2.0

SJC 2,419 121,610 $22,583,140 $185.70 2.0

ONT 2,171 103,150 $17,936,610 $173.89 2.0

TUL 1,005 91,840 $14,378,250 $156.56 2.0

HNL 4,691 71,250 $26,442,300 $371.12 2.2

ICT 1,091 65,910 $8,877,750 $134.70 2.0

TUS 1,783 65,820 $11,152,000 $169.43 2.0

RNO 2,267 63,650 $11,692,590 $183.70 2.0

COS 1,520 61,410 $9,636,510 $156.92 2.0

GEG 2,315 50,100 $8,662,800 $172.91 2.0

ANC 3,803 48,660 $13,272,780 $272.77 2.1

MSN 1,113 48,400 $6,450,000 $133.26 2.0

STT 1,297 42,970 $7,675,910 $178.63 2.0

BOI 2,194 40,570 $7,458,510 $183.84 2.1

BUR 2,155 36,960 $6,860,230 $185.61 2.0

AVP 944 34,050 $4,572,190 $134.28 2.0

CHS 371 30,240 $5,960,350 $197.10 2.0

GRB 1,169 28,350 $3,947,650 $139.25 2.1

FAT 2,296 25,250 $5,148,140 $203.89 2.1

CAE 420 24,890 $4,796,940 $192.73 2.0

MYR 448 23,560 $2,786,590 $118.28 2.0

ERI 981 22,500 $2,747,240 $122.10 2.1

LBB 1,210 22,400 $3,667,740 $163.74 2.0

BGM 996 22,100 $3,028,140 $137.02 2.0

FAY 529 21,970 $3,502,230 $159.41 2.0

HRL 939 19,500 $3,210,880 $164.66 2.0

RAP 1,588 18,630 $3,477,870 $186.68 2.1

CRP 988 18,560 $3,371,170 $181.64 2.0

BIL 1,906 18,190 $3,545,670 $194.92 2.1

SHV 742 18,170 $3,796,170 $208.93 2.0

AMA 1,285 17,780 $3,073,240 $172.85 2.0

MAF 1,270 17,700 $3,026,880 $171.01 2.0

EVV 753 17,150 $2,625,120 $153.07 2.0

BZN 2,017 17,150 $3,573,240 $208.35 2.1

STX 1,283 16,760 $3,790,090 $226.14 2.2

BTR 609 16,340 $2,497,750 $152.86 2.0

SCE 873 16,320 $2,373,760 $145.45 2.1

CHO 689 16,110 $2,392,970 $148.54 2.0

OGG 4,613 16,050 $5,876,580 $366.14 2.3

CWA 1,217 15,820 $2,101,450 $132.84 2.0

TVC 1,168 15,600 $2,690,440 $172.46 2.1

PSP 2,107 15,480 $3,071,110 $198.39 2.1

SBA 2,240 15,400 $3,586,350 $232.88 2.1

LFT 592 14,640 $2,414,520 $164.93 2.0

GRK 945 14,310 $2,511,690 $175.52 2.0

AGS 373 13,630 $2,144,980 $157.37 2.0

JAC 1,901 13,350 $2,855,820 $213.92 2.1

BIS 1,645 12,200 $2,776,510 $227.58 2.1

EGE 1,651 12,170 $2,315,370 $190.25 2.0

MBS 1,052 12,120 $1,725,950 $142.41 2.0

PSC 2,384 11,910 $2,492,140 $209.25 2.2

OAJ 492 11,870 $1,828,380 $154.03 2.0

AZO 998 11,840 $2,010,280 $169.79 2.0

LYH 625 11,400 $1,404,340 $123.19 2.0

AEX 702 10,270 $1,902,990 $185.30 2.0

LRD 1,109 10,040 $1,573,100 $156.68 2.0

SBY 761 10,030 $1,312,060 $130.81 2.0

LSE 1,199 9,980 $1,921,570 $192.54 2.0

ITH 1,007 9,840 $1,277,960 $129.87 2.1

EUG 2,542 9,580 $2,037,860 $212.72 2.3

MLU 648 9,540 $1,503,980 $157.65 2.0

EWN 587 9,480 $1,310,670 $138.26 2.0

ASE 1,596 9,460 $2,082,180 $220.10 2.0

FAI 3,775 9,290 $3,335,390 $359.03 2.5

MGM 403 9,100 $1,640,410 $180.26 2.0

HDN 1,647 9,040 $1,570,800 $173.76 2.0

GJT 1,721 8,930 $1,665,210 $186.47 2.1

FSM 901 8,610 $1,619,290 $188.07 2.0

MFR 2,461 8,550 $1,923,650 $224.99 2.3

FCA 2,198 8,130 $1,890,680 $232.56 2.2

DOMESTIC MARKETS WITHOUT NONSTOP

SERVICE TO CENTRAL FLORIDA
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 34

Market Distance O&D Revenue Average Fare Avg Coupons

VPS 297 7,780 $1,574,400 $202.37 2.0

MRY 2,359 7,780 $2,017,070 $259.26 2.2

RST 1,234 7,720 $1,207,880 $156.46 2.1

MSO 2,177 7,610 $1,843,100 $242.19 2.2

TYR 826 7,510 $1,221,930 $162.71 2.0

LNK 1,224 7,460 $1,254,550 $168.17 2.1

DRO 1,644 7,430 $1,465,120 $197.19 2.1

KOA 4,688 7,370 $2,851,770 $386.94 2.4

PGV 547 7,230 $949,070 $131.27 2.0

MOB 444 7,050 $1,797,940 $255.03 2.0

MTJ 1,631 6,940 $1,261,310 $181.74 2.0

GFK 1,592 6,900 $1,431,040 $207.40 2.0

SBP 2,287 6,630 $1,557,250 $234.88 2.2

MQT 1,309 6,430 $984,590 $153.12 2.1

LIH 4,822 6,290 $2,357,350 $374.78 2.5

GTF 2,079 6,230 $1,518,990 $243.82 2.2

MOT 1,722 6,220 $1,659,780 $266.85 2.1

SAV 255 5,630 $1,365,570 $242.55 2.0

LAW 1,042 5,460 $965,070 $176.75 2.0

RDM 2,405 5,140 $936,620 $182.22 2.5

ACT 977 4,990 $866,380 $173.62 2.0

FLO 459 4,920 $632,040 $128.46 2.0

COU 951 4,890 $720,360 $147.31 2.0

HLN 2,049 4,650 $1,008,590 $216.90 2.2

IDA 1,959 4,490 $1,084,930 $241.63 2.2

ABI 1,069 4,380 $871,290 $198.92 2.0

IPT 968 4,300 $669,250 $155.64 2.1

CLL 917 4,280 $786,650 $183.80 2.0

BFL 2,255 4,120 $979,310 $237.70 2.1

CPR 1,720 3,970 $846,600 $213.25 2.1

SJT 1,104 3,740 $804,340 $215.06 2.0

HVN 1,005 3,570 $525,190 $147.11 2.1

BRO 929 3,390 $659,110 $194.43 2.0

PLN 1,220 3,180 $649,400 $204.21 2.0

SPI 915 3,020 $443,690 $146.92 2.0

LCH 728 3,010 $878,810 $291.96 2.0

YUM 1,936 2,960 $684,310 $231.19 2.2

JNU 3,255 2,950 $856,220 $290.24 2.3

SPS 1,032 2,750 $475,400 $172.87 2.0

RHI 1,267 2,750 $426,910 $155.24 2.1

CMX 1,362 2,600 $367,550 $141.37 2.1

GTR 522 2,580 $499,480 $193.60 2.0

MHK 1,148 2,560 $469,780 $183.51 2.0

CIU 1,264 2,500 $540,960 $216.38 2.0

CMI 893 2,410 $446,770 $185.38 2.0

ACV 2,509 2,280 $542,100 $237.76 2.7

CSG 344 2,270 $538,150 $237.07 2.0

TXK 779 2,200 $561,130 $255.06 2.0

GUC 1,582 2,190 $441,630 $201.66 2.1

FLG 1,837 2,070 $450,140 $217.46 2.1

JST 877 2,050 $285,570 $139.30 2.0

ROW 1,416 2,050 $457,420 $223.13 2.0

BLI 2,590 1,980 $433,650 $219.02 2.5

PQI 1,512 1,980 $430,450 $217.40 2.9

SMX 2,334 1,930 $616,360 $319.36 2.4

EAU 1,264 1,690 $246,030 $145.58 2.1

BJI 1,504 1,680 $339,540 $202.11 2.1

GGG 844 1,660 $278,920 $168.02 2.0

YKM 2,456 1,650 $422,770 $256.22 2.2

BRD 1,421 1,630 $300,130 $184.13 2.1

BTM 2,080 1,630 $352,780 $216.43 2.3

COD 1,885 1,510 $372,140 $246.45 2.3

MEI 518 1,490 $288,870 $193.87 2.0

ACK 1,089 1,470 $282,120 $191.92 2.1

ESC 1,249 1,460 $233,850 $160.17 2.0

EAT 2,458 1,450 $295,070 $203.50 2.2

SUX 1,280 1,450 $307,200 $211.86 2.2

CLD 2,092 1,440 $207,910 $144.38 2.2

AOO 883 1,430 $170,840 $119.47 2.1

GUM 8,175 1,420 $1,295,800 $912.54 3.0

ABR 1,501 1,370 $321,770 $234.87 2.1

MKG 1,068 1,340 $168,940 $126.07 2.2

LWS 2,259 1,320 $282,990 $214.39 2.3

GCC 1,700 1,310 $297,070 $226.77 2.1
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 35

Market Distance O&D Revenue Average Fare Avg Coupons

BPT 774 1,290 $298,030 $231.03 2.0

APN 1,155 1,280 $205,580 $160.61 2.0

SAF 1,531 1,270 $264,160 $208.00 2.0

DBQ 1,098 1,270 $236,210 $185.99 2.1

DHN 318 1,260 $339,820 $269.70 2.0

KTN 3,095 1,250 $317,900 $254.32 2.2

RDD 2,410 1,210 $180,560 $149.22 2.5

PAH 735 1,200 $177,630 $148.03 2.1

MCW 1,208 1,160 $159,180 $137.22 2.2

PIB 474 1,120 $209,620 $187.16 2.0

SHD 740 1,110 $192,830 $173.72 2.1

TUP 595 1,100 $187,850 $170.77 2.1

ADQ 3,880 1,090 $447,110 $410.19 3.1

MSL 555 1,070 $171,810 $160.57 2.0

PIR 1,518 1,060 $217,210 $204.92 2.2

CIC 2,380 1,050 $199,160 $189.68 2.7

LWB 652 1,020 $109,380 $107.24 2.0

MGW 818 1,020 $161,680 $158.51 2.2

ALO 1,154 1,000 $210,390 $210.39 2.1

TWF 2,088 980 $156,960 $160.16 2.5

DUJ 889 960 $165,320 $172.21 2.1

HIB 1,447 960 $189,770 $197.68 2.1

PFN 290 940 $268,130 $285.24 2.0

MOD 2,367 940 $148,840 $158.34 2.5

INL 1,531 910 $204,860 $225.12 2.1

IMT 1,255 900 $138,560 $153.96 2.2

DRT 1,192 880 $173,780 $197.48 2.0

SUN 2,063 880 $186,760 $212.23 2.4

MVY 1,145 870 $171,510 $197.14 2.1

LMT 2,444 860 $172,660 $200.77 2.8

ITO 4,629 860 $378,520 $440.14 3.1

FOD 1,199 790 $113,470 $143.63 2.1

CYS 1,590 740 $180,480 $243.89 2.1

OTH 2,584 710 $162,610 $229.03 2.7

JHW 995 690 $109,470 $158.65 2.0

CKB 751 680 $149,350 $219.63 2.1

SIT 3,260 670 $241,640 $360.66 2.2

PIH 2,006 660 $87,570 $132.68 2.5

HHH 313 650 $174,240 $268.06 2.0

PKB 752 630 $105,620 $167.65 2.2

SGU 1,960 630 $59,800 $94.92 2.5

RKS 1,804 530 $124,790 $235.45 2.2

BHB 1,380 530 $117,800 $222.26 3.0

ABY 265 480 $109,220 $227.54 2.0

ATY 1,431 470 $100,850 $214.57 2.1

GLH 670 460 $99,560 $216.43 2.1

IYK 2,186 450 $223,540 $496.76 2.4

BFD 934 440 $78,130 $177.57 2.1

RUT 1,140 440 $77,060 $175.14 2.1

PVC 1,194 410 $78,090 $190.46 2.1

RIW 1,815 410 $114,400 $279.02 2.1

SHR 1,804 360 $126,740 $352.06 2.1

PUW 2,305 360 $45,090 $125.25 2.2

CEC 2,523 360 $64,450 $179.03 2.8

ALW 2,343 340 $75,000 $220.59 2.2

TEX 1,667 310 $105,020 $338.77 2.0

UTM 310 $35,980 $116.06 2.0

EKO 2,080 300 $33,380 $111.27 2.4

AUG 1,330 300 $71,250 $237.50 2.8

UIN 962 300 $45,270 $150.90 2.9

DVL 1,652 290 $62,300 $214.83 2.0

BFF 1,557 270 $64,100 $237.41 2.1

JMS 1,584 260 $69,900 $268.85 2.0

PSG 3,167 260 $71,240 $274.00 2.7

VCT 947 250 $65,890 $263.56 2.0

OXR 2,204 230 $70,190 $305.17 2.5

MWH 2,382 230 $43,780 $190.35 3.0

HYS 1,220 220 $57,180 $259.91 2.0

LAR 1,599 220 $65,820 $299.18 2.1

MWA 772 220 $38,580 $175.36 2.8

LBF 1,371 210 $50,750 $241.67 2.0

STS 2,472 210 $71,050 $338.33 2.0

EAR 1,284 200 $52,650 $263.25 2.0

GCK 1,297 200 $65,940 $329.70 2.2
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 36

TERNATE AIRPORTS

Market Distance O&D Revenue Average Fare Avg Coupons

BET 4,215 200 $71,210 $356.05 3.0

DIK 1,718 190 $53,520 $281.68 2.1

ISN 1,810 190 $67,950 $357.63 2.3

BKW 681 180 $27,170 $150.94 2.2

OME 4,295 180 $31,100 $172.78 3.0

BRW 4,051 180 $61,500 $341.67 3.1

ALS 1,549 170 $46,910 $275.94 2.0

TVF 1,571 170 $37,530 $220.76 2.1

HYA 1,104 150 $27,570 $183.80 2.1

CDC 1,940 150 $20,600 $137.33 3.0

WYS 1,982 140 $36,130 $258.07 2.3

CDV 3,646 140 $36,310 $259.36 2.9

ART 1,162 140 $28,350 $202.50 3.0

CGI 772 140 $26,060 $186.14 3.0

AKN 4,031 140 $86,960 $621.14 3.1

FMN 1,613 130 $51,990 $399.92 2.0

WRL 1,820 130 $35,100 $270.00 2.0

HOM 3,847 130 $52,880 $406.77 3.2

OTZ 4,197 130 $64,090 $493.00 3.2

CEZ 1,694 120 $29,320 $244.33 2.2

GRI 1,292 110 $26,110 $237.36 2.0

RKD 1,272 110 $20,350 $185.00 2.5

MSS 1,244 110 $22,280 $202.55 3.0

OGS 1,216 110 $22,390 $203.55 3.0

DLG 4,113 110 $54,310 $493.73 3.3

SPN 8,093 110 $126,050 $1,145.91 4.2

LBL 1,285 100 $40,600 $406.00 2.1

SLK 1,222 100 $23,160 $231.60 2.3

PGA 1,841 100 $33,830 $338.30 2.4

LNS 855 100 $13,700 $137.00 2.9

ENA 3,857 100 $23,480 $234.80 3.0

JHM 4,691 100 $50,150 $501.50 3.0

FKL 896 90 $15,030 $167.00 2.0

AIA 1,528 90 $18,010 $200.11 2.1

MAZ 1,184 90 $19,920 $221.33 2.3

PUB 1,497 80 $17,310 $216.38 2.0

MLS 1,820 80 $28,210 $352.63 2.1

WRG 3,140 80 $20,950 $261.88 2.3

DUT 4,477 80 $64,340 $804.25 3.0

JLN 972 80 $18,430 $230.38 3.1

CDR 1,569 70 $16,420 $234.57 2.6

LEB 1,161 70 $12,790 $182.71 2.6

PPG 6,650 70 $76,620 $1,094.57 3.1

MCK 1,331 60 $19,760 $329.33 2.0

VQS 1,277 60 $15,640 $260.67 2.0

MMH 2,252 60 $14,640 $244.00 2.2

TBN 896 60 $34,830 $580.50 3.0

HON 1,426 50 $14,080 $281.60 2.4

GST 3,296 50 $12,470 $249.40 3.6

VEL 1,799 40 $14,530 $363.25 2.3

IWD 1,345 40 $7,730 $193.25 3.0

SCC 3,853 40 $41,260 $1,031.50 3.3

CNY 1,731 30 $11,160 $372.00 2.0

PRC 1,819 30 $8,840 $294.67 2.0

SDY 1,809 30 $9,150 $305.00 2.3

IPL 2,054 30 $6,860 $228.67 2.7

SLN 1,178 30 $8,420 $280.67 3.0

VDZ 3,691 30 $36,770 $1,225.67 3.0

DDC 1,254 20 $8,890 $444.50 2.0

ELY 2,053 20 $6,220 $311.00 2.5

YAK 3,435 20 $5,610 $280.50 2.5

IRK 1,027 20 $3,410 $170.50 3.0

MKK 4,646 20 $6,150 $307.50 3.0

VIS 2,221 20 $4,760 $238.00 3.0

GDV 1,807 10 $3,880 $388.00 2.0

LWT 1,962 10 $4,990 $499.00 2.0

VLD 199 10 $2,860 $286.00 2.0

CNM 1,393 10 $2,350 $235.00 3.0

CVN 1,347 10 $1,990 $199.00 3.0

LNY 4,713 10 $5,110 $511.00 3.0

MBL 1,143 10 $1,340 $134.00 3.0

MCG 4,002 10 $0 3.0

MCN 332 10 $2,120 $212.00 3.0

OLF 1,857 10 $4,000 $400.00 3.0

SOW 1,736 10 $4,440 $444.00 3.0

Total 2,578,850 $479,212,580 $185.82