Okay, so the FAA's pulling some strings, right? Slashing flights at Orlando and Tampa because… government shutdown. Again. And now Lakeland Linder, that little airport trying to be all grown up, is hoping to snag some extra Avelo action? Give me a break.
Hallstrand, the airport director at Lakeland Linder, is all smiles, talking about "mitigating the impact" and being an "alternative airport." Alternative to what, exactly? The soul-crushing lines at MCO? The overpriced everything at TPA? Yeah, okay.
Avelo’s website says they’ll "carefully assess" the situation. Translation: they'll see how much they can squeeze out of this mess before the whole thing blows over. And let's be real, it will blow over. This government shutdown theater happens like clockwork.
But here’s the kicker: Lakeland’s air traffic control is handled by some contractor, RVA Robinson Aviation. So they're still getting paid. Meanwhile, the TSA folks at Lakeland, who apparently operate out of Tampa (how does that even work?), are working for free. "They have kept a smile on their face," Hallstrand says. Oh, bless their hearts. That's some serious dedication to a system that clearly doesn't give a damn about them.
And what about the passengers? Are they supposed to feel safer knowing the people checking their bags haven't been paid in weeks? I mean, seriously?
It's always the same damn story. The people who actually keep things running get shafted while the suits pat themselves on the back. And what's the solution? Shuffle some flights around so Avelo can make a few extra bucks?
The article states that none of Avelo's current Lakeland routes are to the impacted airports. So, where exactly is the upside here? Are they planning to just add more flights to the same destinations? Or are they going to start flying to, like, Des Moines? Offcourse, I'm being sarcastic, but still...
And Thanksgiving? Is that going to be a complete travel nightmare? Probably. Will anyone in Washington actually care? Doubtful.
Here's a thought – maybe, just maybe, instead of rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, we could actually fix the damn ship? Nah, too logical.
This whole thing is just a temporary band-aid on a gaping wound. The FAA's scrambling, Avelo's opportunistic, and Lakeland is just hoping to catch a few crumbs. The real losers? The TSA workers, the passengers stuck in the middle, and anyone dumb enough to think this is anything other than a complete farce.
