Air Choice One

Air Choice One
IATA ICAO Callsign
3E WBR WEBER
Founded 1979 (as Multi-Aero Corporation)
Commenced operations 2010
AOC # MUIA594G
Hubs
Secondary hubs
Fleet size 13
Destinations 10
Company slogan "In The Service Of Others"
Parent company Multi-Aero, Inc.
Headquarters St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Key people Shane Storz (CEO)
Darnea Wood (CFO)
Website www.airchoiceone.com

Multi-Aero, Inc., doing business as Air Choice One, is an American airline with its headquarters in Concord, Missouri within the Greater St. Louis area.[1] It operates as a regional airline offering commuter flights from St. Louis Lambert International Airport, O'Hare International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport to smaller regional airports, subsidized under the Essential Air Service program.[2]. Air Choice One's callsign, 'Weber', is in honor of Mike Weber, the airlines first Chief Pilot.

History

Multi-Aero was founded in 1979 under the name Multi-Aero Corporation.[3] In October 2009 Air Choice One won the EAS contract to serve Decatur, Illinois[4] and Burlington, Iowa.[5]

In December 2011, Air Choice One was awarded a one-year EAS contract to replace[6] SeaPort Airlines in Jonesboro, Arkansas with the date to begin service set at February 13, 2012.[7]

In January 2013 the DOT granted Air Choice One a three-year contract extension for both Decatur, Illinois[8] and Burlington, Iowa.[9] As a stipulation for obtaining both extensions Air Choice One implemented systems for electronic ticketing and baggage agreements via WorldSpan (a part of the global distribution system, or GDS) in December 2012.[8] This allows passengers to book tickets with connections to and from other major airlines on popular travel websites in a "one-click" process, as opposed to buying tickets at one airline and then having to book tickets with another on two separate confirmations.

In February 2014 Air Choice One was awarded by the DOT a four-year extension on its EAS contract to serve Jonesboro, Arkansas.[10] In the same month, there were three proposals sent out by them to the following cities for EAS service: Ironwood, Michigan,[11] Fort Dodge, Iowa[12] and Mason City, Iowa.[13]

In March 2014 Muscle Shoals, Alabama city and airport leaders visited the Air Choice One headquarters to consider its EAS contract bid for Northwest Alabama Regional Airport,[14] however the contract was awarded to SeaPort Airlines and later Boutique Air to begin service in 2016.[15][16] Previously in 2011, Air Choice One submitted a proposal to the US DOT to serve Muscle Shoals with flights to either Atlanta, Nashville or Memphis. Pending acceptance of the proposal, the airline was planning to begin flights in as little as 30 days.[17] The airline never commenced service to Muscle Shoals.

On April 18, 2014 the DOT awarded Air Choice One a two-year contract to serve Ironwood, Michigan with service to and from Chicago, Illinois. It began service in the summer of 2014.[18]

On August 19, 2014, Air Choice One was awarded a two-year contract from the DOT to serve Mason City, Iowa with service to and from Chicago, Illinois. It began service on November 17, 2014.[19]

On December 21, 2017 Air Choice One was granted a four year contract extension in Burlington, Iowa and was not selected for another term in Decatur, Illinois, marking the end of Air Choice One's nearly eight years of service to Decatur Airport.[20]

On January 18, 2018 Air Choice One was approved by the DOT to begin service to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport from Jackson, Tennessee for a term beginning on March 1, 2018 until May 31, 2021.[21]

On March 14, 2018 the airline passed the FAA mandated proving runs with its Beechcraft 1900C, meaning that the aircraft is now approved to be used in daily line operations. Air Choice One began operating the aircraft between Fort Dodge, Iowa and both Minneapolis and St. Louis in May of 2018 and continues to bid other essential air service routes proposing to use the Beechcraft 1900.

Destinations

City State Airport Notes
Atlanta Georgia Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport Secondary hub
Burlington Iowa Southeast Iowa Regional Airport
Chicago Illinois O'Hare International Airport Secondary hub
Fort Dodge Iowa Fort Dodge Regional Airport
Ironwood Michigan Gogebic-Iron County Airport
Jackson Tennessee McKellar–Sipes Regional Airport
Jonesboro Arkansas Jonesboro Municipal Airport
Mason City Iowa Mason City Municipal Airport Base
Minneapolis Minnesota Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Secondary hub
St. Louis Missouri St. Louis Lambert International Airport Hub and main base

Codeshare agreements

Air Choice One does not participate in any major global airline alliances, nor does it have any codeshare agreements.[22]

Fleet

Air Choice One Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX
Three Air Choice One aircraft on their hangar's ramp at STL

Air Choice One operates the following aircraft:

Air Choice One Airlines fleet
Aircraft In Fleet Orders Passengers Notes
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan 8 0 8
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX 4 0 8
Beechcraft 1900C 1 1 9 Currently configured for 9 with intent for 19 upon FAA approval
Total 13 1

References

  1. ↑ "Facebook - Info.". Retrieved on July 19, 2011. "12300 Old Tesson Road Suite 200-F St. Louis 63128"
  2. ↑ "Air Choice One begins offering flights to St. Louis". Kirksville Daily Express. 2008-08-01. Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  3. ↑ "About Air Choice One - The Company". Air Choice One. Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  4. ↑ Freeman, Huey. Decatur a step closer to restoring air service to O'Hare, Herald & Review, October 23, 2009, Retrieved 2009-10-23
  5. ↑ Crippes, Christina Regional airport gets choice of new carrier, The Hawk Eye, October 23, 2009, Retrieved 2009-10-27
  6. ↑ "Air Choice One to fly into Jonesboro as new EAS carrier". HarrisonDaily.com. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
  7. ↑ "Air Choice One JBR Flight Schedule" (PDF). Air Choice One. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-30. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
  8. 1 2 Voyles, Ryan Way cleared for Air Choice One to serve Decatur for three more years, Herald Review, January 8, 2013, Retrieved 2013-02-24
  9. ↑ Air Choice One has been granted a three-year extension to its current Department of Transportation Essential Air Service Contract which provides air service for the community of Burlington, Fort Madison Daily Democrat, January 11, 2013, Retrieved 2013-02-24
  10. ↑ "DOT extends Air Choice One EAS contract in Jonesboro AR. by four years". Air Choice One website. 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
  11. ↑ "Can airport set agreement with airline?". Your Daily Globe. 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
  12. ↑ "Great Lakes, Air Choice One Airlines Submit Fort Dodge Proposals". Your Fort Dodge. 2014-02-19. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
  13. ↑ "Two proposals received for air service to Mason City". GlobeGazette. 2014-02-28. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
  14. ↑ "2 carriers show interest in Shoals airport". WAAF-TV. 2014-03-12. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  15. ↑ "SeaPort calling it quits after less than a year". TimesDaily. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
  16. ↑ "Boutique Air secures Muscle Shoals, AL EAS contract". ch-aviation. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
  17. ↑ McLaughlin, Budd (October 14, 2011). "Missouri air carrier proposes serving Northwest Alabama Regional Airport". The Huntsville Times.
  18. ↑ "DOT Awards EAS Contract for Ironwood, MI to Air Choice One". Air Choice One. 2014-04-18. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  19. ↑ Skipper, John (September 12, 2014). "Air Choice One to start service Nov. 17; $59 flight to Chicago". Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  20. ↑ https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOT-OST-2001-8731-0123
  21. ↑ https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOT-OST-2000-7857-0270
  22. ↑ http://www.airchoiceone.com
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