Lakeland Linder will receive $1 million

LAKELAND | The inaugural Direct Air commercial flight from Myrtle Beach, S.C., ended at 5:53 p.m. today, more than three hours late.

LAKELAND | The first regular passenger service from Lakeland in 23 years started its day smoothly enough, but the return home has sit some snags.

As of 4 p.m., the plane was already 1 1/4 hours late, and it wasn't expected to touch down in Lakeland until after 5 p.m. A series of problems began in Hagerstown, Md., when a news conference and some airport issues delayed the takeoff for the leg to Myrtle Beach, S.C., said Pat Small, the airline's director of stations.

The day started on a much more optimistic note, with the MD-88 taking flight at 7:10 a.m., just a few minutes late, with 62 passengers aboard.

Karre Revelle of Apollo Beach was the first passenger to walk through the new Transportation Security Administration screening area.

She arrived at the airport at 3:30 a.m. after a 40-minute drive. Revelle sat in the parking lot for more than an hour, then walked into the new wing of the airport.

Garrett Heidel was able to spend his 13th birthday in the air. The six-member Heidel family of Lakeland were heading to Hagerstown and planned to rent a car and drive to Washington, D.C.

The Heidels, Revelle and other passengers walked up the ramp to load passengers. By 7 a.m., the expected departure, every passenger was on board.

More than 2,000 square feet of additional space has been added for the new commercial air service. Workers have installed a new ticket counter, a checked baggage carousel, a concession stand and a screening area for the Transportation Security Administration.

Lakeland Linder will receive $1 million for infrastructure projects from the Federal Aviation Administration if 10,000 people leave the airport this year. Already, more 14,000 people have bought round-trip tickets through Lakeland.

On Friday, the airline begins flights to Springfield, Ill., and Niagara Falls, N.Y. Conrad said. Both flights are nearly full, he said.

Conrad arrived at the airport about 5 a.m. to find that the air conditioning wasn't working. The thermostat was set but there wasn't any air.

The Sullivans had planned to drive 10 hours for a family reunion this weekend but they opted for a 1 1/2 hour flight when they learned about Direct Air.