Air Choice One, which is the air service for the Fort Dodge Regional Airport, is partnering with Choice Travel Agency to provide customers with a comprehensive itinerary. Both companies are based in St. Louis.

The itinerary through Choice Travel Agency can include air travel, ground transportation, lodging, entertainment and travel insurance.

“This is a full-service travel agency,” said Seannon Nichols, Air Choice One marketing administrator and graphic designer. “If you call into Air Choice One, you can get a full-service travel agent. They can put together a comprehensive itinerary for someone in Fort Dodge for Air Choice One and connecting flights. They can get lodging, entertainment packages, travel insurance. Choice Travel Agency will take care of that.”

Nichols, who was flown from St. Louis to Fort Dodge on Wednesday, said Air Choice One and Choice Travel Agency are not currently charging fees for the travel agency service unless an Air Choice One flight is not used at all.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Shannon Nichols, marketing administrator for Air Choice One, left, and Taylor Wood, marketing specialist, arrive at the Fort Dodge Regional Airport on Wednesday. Nichols and Wood were in Fort Dodge seeking feedback from the community about the service provided by Air Choice One.

“Our current stance is that if you are flying on Air Choice One and you want a connecting flight there’s no charge,” Nichols said. “If you would like Air Choice One to put a travel package together and are not flying Air Choice One, there is a fee, but it depends on work provided by the travel agent.”

In addition, Nichols said the travel insurance provides customers a full refund regardless of potential COVID cancellations.

“All they have to do is make one call,” Nichols said. “The biggest thing for us is people getting their money back. Now with Choice Travel you can be completely covered for your whole trip. Your car rental, your hotel, if you miss your flight, any circumstance.”

And Rhonda Chambers, the airport’s director of aviation, said although Air Choice One doesn’t provide service from Fort Dodge to certain cities, it will work with customers to get them on the appropriate connecting flight.

“A lot of people call and want to go to San Francisco (for instance),” Chambers said. “We don’t fly there, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get on Air Choice One to coordinate a flight to Minneapolis or St. Louis and then get there. This travel agency will book all those tickets for you.”

Chambers said the travel agency’s job is to make traveling as worry-free as possible.

“This is like a one stop phone call,” Chambers said. “This will help them get everything they need in their flight, whether travel or entertainment packages. Passengers want to fly out of here, but sometimes don’t know how to go to St. Louis and then to Texas. This travel agency understands Air Choice One’s flight schedule.”

Taylor Wood, marketing specialist for Air Choice One, visited Fort Dodge with Nichols on Wednesday. He said the partnership was formed with Choice Travel Agency in June 2019, but that the travel agents with them have been employed for dozens of years.

“There’s a lot of experience behind the program,” Wood said. “This has been in the works for a while, we are just now able to roll it out. We think it’s a big value to the customers.”

Nichols said the agency will create packages that will “entice customers not only out of your town, but into it, bringing additional revenue to your community.”

Nichols said the agency, which has contracted travel agents all over the world, is focused on creating the best package possible for customers and being there if something goes wrong.

“They do destination management,” she said. “You have car service ready for you, hotel ready. They will do literally everything you want to do on your vacation for you and if you have a problem they will take care of it.”

Serving Fort Dodge

Air Choice One has served the Fort Dodge Regional Airport for the past six years. Over 72,000 passengers have been serviced during that time.

Air Choice One’s current Essential Air Service contract with the United States Department of Transportation is set to expire Feb. 21, 2021.

Requests for proposals have begun, according to Chambers.

Any airline can bid to serve Fort Dodge.

Nichols said Air Choice One will be bidding to continue its service.

“We love Fort Dodge,” she said.

Proposals are due Sept. 16.

After proposals are received, Chambers said the city of Fort Dodge will send a letter of recommendation for which service Fort Dodge would like to use.

The USDOT makes the final decision on which service is selected for Fort Dodge.

Visiting Fort Dodge

Nichols and Wood visited Fort Dodge to seek feedback on the service provided by Air Choice One.

“We are getting feedback from the community here in Fort Dodge to see how they are feeling about our service or things we can improve upon,” Nichols said.

Nichols invites the public to provide feedback to marketing@airchoiceone.com or submit a query on airchoiceone.com.

Giveaway

To celebrate serving Fort Dodge for the past six years, Air Choice One will be offering a series of ‘Pack Your Bags’ promotions.

Air Choice One is partnering with St. Louis Lambert International Airport to make the trips possible.

The first promotion trip is scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 30 for one winner and three guests.

The package includes travel on Air Choice One from Fort Dodge to St. Louis (nonstop flight.)

It also offers a car service to take the winner and guests to Chaumette Winery and Vineyards located on the outskirts of St. Louis for a three-day two-night stay (two villas — double occupancy). On Nov. 1, car service will pick everyone up from Chaumette and take them to the St. Louis Airport for the trip back home on Air Choice One. In addition, two $100 gift certificates will be given to the winner to use at Chaumette for meals or to purchase souvenirs. The promotion is valued at $2,200.

To learn more, visit airchoiceone.com.

For more information

What: Air Choice One partnership with Choice Travel Agency

Why: To help customers plan their trips

Cost of the service: Free (when using an Air Choice One flight)

Who to contact? Customer service line 866-435-9847