
LAKELAND – Zach Maiden-Fountain didn’t set out for any attention, but it happened anyway.
Maiden-Fountain was the first passenger to check in for first commercial passenger flight from Lakeland in more than a decade.
At noon Thursday, the first Avelo Airlines flight from Lakeland Linder International Airport ventured upward into somewhat cloudy skies on its way to Tweed-New Haven Airport in southern Connecticut — a gateway to 15 towns that make up Greater New Haven.
Maiden-Fountain was one of 134 passengers aboard the approximately 2 hour, 45 minute flight to New Haven.

Based in Houston, Texas, Avelo Airlines launched April 28, 2021, and has flown more than 4.7 million customers on over 37,000 flights. The airline serves 53 destinations in 24 states and Puerto Rico and in 2024 began 16 new routes and 11 new destinations – including Lakeland.
That was a good move for Maiden-Fountain, who found his waiting time to board occupied with questions from various news outlets covering the event.
“This is super convenient. I usually take the Avelo flight from Tampa, but they had an unusual time,” said Maiden-Fountain, who works from his home in Tampa. “I didn’t even know Lakeland had an airport, but there was a better flight time here. I guess I’m a pioneer – I’m the first person on this flight.”

Avelo Airlines’ Lakeland presence was designed to offer a “low fare” alternative to flying at the bigger and busier Tampa and Orlando international airports.
One-way fares between Lakeland and New Haven start at $81, and the airline is the first and only airline offering nonstop service between Lakeland and Connecticut, according to Avelo.
Kris Hallstrand, airport director, called the restart of commercial passenger flights from LAL “a new chapter” in air travel for Lakeland and for travelers in nearby communities and cities.
“We’re excited be able to provide this service to our community. We’ll be a more convenient option for flights. No one enjoys (Interstate) 4 coming from either direction, so we’re trying to be the best airport we can be,” she said, prior to a formal presentation by Avelo and LAL staff.

Currently, Avelo will operate the LAL route on Thursdays and Sundays, flying a Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. Other passengers boarding Thursday’s flight were Lesli McDonald and her daughter, Grace McDonald, 22.
The McDonalds were eager to be among the passengers on the premier flight, so they booked a one-day round-trip Avelo flight. Their idea was to fly to New Haven, do some shopping and have some pizza in Tweed-New Haven Airport and fly back to Lakeland.
Who’s Avelo?What you need to know about the low-cost airline coming to Lakeland Linder
“We just wanted to be passengers on the first commercial flight out of Lakeland in a while and thought it would be a cool way to spend a Thursday. I like to find cheap flights and do day trips,” said Grace McDonald, who said she’s a licensed airplane pilot.
To get aboard the Avelo flight, the McDonalds had to wait for the flight from New Haven to come in. At approximately 10:30 a.m., it did, taxiing into its airport bay under a “water-cannon salute” stream of water provided by airport fire engines. Once parked, 139 passengers disembarked down an outdoor ramp and onto the airport apron. There, Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz shook hands and personally greeted each – from young to old – with “Welcome to Lakeland.”

“When you think about the opportunities that we have for being able to ease the way we get to a plane and fly out of the area where we live, Avelo is it,” Mutz said. “I am so grateful on behalf of the city for the partnerships that have taken place that have made this day possible.”
In addition to Mutz, among airport and city leaders were Polk County Commissioner Martha Santiago and Lakeland City Commissioner Bill Read.

The modern advent of commercial passenger flights from LAL is important because it will eventually connect the area to more similarly sized airports nationwide as Avelo expands, said Jim Olson, Avelo head of brand and communications.
“This airport is the kind we like flying out of. It’s small, it’s fast, it’s simple and it’s friendly,” he said. “That’s exactly what our customers tell us they like about Avelo.”