Lakeland travelers have new option for getting to and from airport

Lakeland travelers will have another option to consider when getting a ride to and from Lakeland Linder airport.

City officials unanimously approved a contract with Raiser LLC, a subsidiary of Uber, allowing the rideshare service to pick up and drop off customers at the airport starting Sept. 8.

“As we are adding more flights and more destinations, there’s a higher demand fore ride-share services,” Adam Lunn, LAL’s interim airport director, told Lakeland city commissioners.

Lunn said when Lyft began operating at the airport, the company was providing 1,200 rides a month. That’s grown closer to 3,000 rides per month.

“That’s a pretty significant increase for us,” he said.

Under city law, rideshare companies must have a signed contractual agreement in order to pick up or drop off customers at the airport.

Under the three-year agreement with Raiser and Uber, all of its drivers must undergo criminal background checks every three years. The rideshare company will pay the municipal-owned airport $1.75 for each trip ― a pick-up or a drop-off ― every month.

Growing demand at Lakeland Linder

Lakeland Linder airport is seeing an increasing demand for both rideshare operations and rental cars, according to Lunn.

“The rental business is exceeding all forecasts, and we anticipate that to continue to grow,” he told commissioners at the Sept. 8 meeting. “There are efforts to bring in another rental car operator as well.”

The airport’s first rental car company, Avis, struck an operating agreement with the city n February 2024.

Avelo Airlines began offering commercial passenger service out of Lakeland Linder in June 2024, and currently offers flight service to 10 destinations. Popular routes include service to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Rochester, New York.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland travelers have new option for getting to and from airport