LAL Airport Director Kris Hallstrand Named to Tampa Bay Business Journal Watchlist
Lakeland Linder International (LAL) Airport Director Kris Hallstrand is the only Polk County person named to the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s prestigious “25 People to Watch” in the 2025 list.
The list includes heavy hitters from the Tampa Bay region, including the CEOs of BayCare and Tampa International Airport, the president of the University of Tampa and the principal owner of the Tampa Bay Rays – all people described in an introduction as those who will make news in 2025. “Decisions are made based on active projects, initiatives and hot-button issues facing the region,” many of which involve growth, the magazine wrote.
Kris Hallstrand, humbled by the inclusion, said: “I wish it were the top 25 teams. I am only good because of the quality of the team I have working with me every day.”
She thinks partnering with Avelo Air to bring commercial air service to Polk County for the first time in decades “made a big splash for Lakeland” and is part of the reason she has been recognized.
“We have a lot of positive things going on at the airport,” Hallstrand said. “The economic impact and the growth of this airport is phenomenal. And there is more to come — we have some exciting things developing. We got the attention of a larger group of people, and we were fortunate to be recognized.”
Lakeland Linder International Airport generates more than $1.5 billion in economic activity annually, according to a recent study.
Partnering With Avelo Air
With eight routes under its belt, Avelo Air, which started commercial service in Lakeland in June 2024, already has announced its ninth destination — Nashville, Tennessee. Service to that city will begin April 3, 2025.
“The community has really homed in on that as a destination they would like to see. I look forward to seeing how this works out for us,” Hallstrand said.
Air service development doesn’t stop when you sign an airline – it gets harder, she said. That’s when you must figure out how best to provide service to the community.
“What does that look like?” she asked. “People will say, ‘I want Atlanta.’ But how many people will use it? Nashville and Puerto Rico specifically were very much talked about as places people want to go. Avelo listened.”
Air Service development has two components – where people in our community want to fly to, and what other communities’ residents want to come here.
“We’re very fortunate – we are running the perfect split,” she said. That’s 60% tourist and 40% local” – or, in other terms, 60% of people flying into Lakeland and 40% of the Central Florida residents flying out of Lakeland. “I was told early on it wasn’t achievable, but since the inaugural flight, we have achieved that split to this day. It’s the sweet spot of success.”
And that, she said, is good for the airport, the community and tourism partners. “It’s a balance of how you serve your community and be an economic engine.”
The top routes from Lakeland so far are:
- Rochester, New York
- Manchester, New Hampshire (serving the Boston area)
- Puerto Rico, which Hallstrand said has been a “huge success.”
- New Haven, Connecticut
“The airline has been a phenomenal partner that truly does want to serve our community.”
Growth of the Airport
There’s much more going on than just commercial service.
“The airport has areas of growth that we need to tap into for its long-term sustainability,” Hallstrand said. “I think we have found a partner who will help us do just that. We are in the nitty-gritty phases of something. I don’t want to jinx it by getting it public yet.”
She thinks “location, location, location is everything.”
“With the population growth and the diversity of businesses in our community that have popped up, the traffic going to Orlando and Tampa continues to worsen, and it only makes sense for Lakeland to shine right now. I think that the opportunity with Avelo, specifically, really highlighted what’s going on here in Central Florida and Polk County. I think our partners, Visit Central Florida and community partners, have been getting our name out there, saying, ‘Come see what we have – we have something special here.’ ”
Hallstrand said there are 1.4 million people closer to LAL than Tampa and Orlando. “Think about that – a lot of folks are traveling around the country to various locations and at various times. There are synergies at the airport. We will make headway moving forward, becoming the place to be for aviation growth, not only in air traffic and cargo, but maintenance and overhaul, which will also provide more high-skill, higher-wage jobs.
“The future looks bright if we keep our eye on the region.”
Future Challenges
The next big challenge is maintaining our identity, Hallstrand said. “We don’t need to be Tampa or Orlando. We just need to be the best Lakeland we can be. What is good for our community is what we need to keep our eye on.”
That includes staying focused as we progress. “What can we do to be better and make life better for others?” she said she focuses on.
If she could blink an eye and change one thing to help the airport, she said it would be improving signage to the airport.
“I would get our wayfinding (signage) improved. It’s an impactful detail. It’s one area I think we could improve.”
This is something she continues to work on.
She’d also like a restaurant to fill the empty space left behind when the former food service provider closed shop. That will happen sooner than later. In fact, the name of the new restaurant- Sora Eatery– was revealed during the city’s agenda study meeting on Dec. 13.
The Philosophy of Kris Hallstrand
Hallstrand said there are many people in the region doing great things, and some deserve this honor more than she does. She continues to strive to be the best, to learn something new every day.
“I work hard, I try hard,” she said. “Every day I put forth the best effort I can. What can I do better today than I did yesterday? How can I provide a better service?”
Right now, for instance, the airport is working on updating the terminal area master plan to identify things like parking and terminal needs, or, as she describes it, “How we will do what we do moving forward.”
The Happiest Airport on Earth
Improving the customer experience is at the forefront of everything, she said. “How are we going to move our customers through the airport. It is not about being the biggest, it’s about being the best. So, if we have 12 gates instead of 16, that’s fine. I think the community feels like we are trying to do our best to make life the best it can be.”
Customers tell her the airport already is doing an outstanding job on customer service, providing mostly positive feedback with some negative comments.
“People are enjoying it,” she said. “It gives me the energy to keep going. Everybody downstairs is smiling – the Transportation Security Administration workers, airport workers, customers. It’s contagious. I asked TSA to be the happiest airport on earth – they have all done it. And our passengers are smiling ear to ear.”
On a recent morning, an 80-year-old woman said she couldn’t believe what a great experience leaving from Lakeland Linder on Avelo was, she said.
“Timing is everything,” Hallstrand said. “Partners are everything. Avelo is outstanding.”
And, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, 2025 is Hallstrand’s time to be watched.
