Article published September 29, 2007
Airport taxis out a rewards plan
Toledo Express hopes gift card program will land more travelers
By DAVID PATCH
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Air travelers who book flights out of Toledo Express Airport using the www.flytoledoexpress.com Web site now are eligible for gift cards redeemable for gift certificates at several area businesses.
Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority officials hope the Express Rewards program will spur local travelers to at least consider booking flights from Toledo Express rather than checking only for travel from Detroit Metropolitan-Wayne County Airport or other alternatives.
"Our research has shown airport loyalty programs can substantially assist airports in attracting new passengers by adding value for our travelers," Airport Director Eric Frankl said in announcing the program.
For their first Express Rewards round-trip flights, travelers registered on the port authority Web site will receive gift certificates valid for a large one-topping Marco's Pizza. The first-trip reward is valid only for trips on Continental Connection, Delta Connection, Northwest Airlink, or American Eagle flights.
After that, participants may accumulate travel valid for gift cards of rising value - starting at $25 for three round-trips and peaking at $300 for 20 round-trips - that may be redeemed for gift certificates at Marco's, Mancy's restaurants, The Andersons, or the Town Center at Levis Commons.
The port authority's booking engine, managed by Atlas World Travel in Sylvania Township, went online April 30.Initially, the only direct benefit it offered users was a $10 discount off the first ticket bought, along with e-mail alerts about fare sales.
"We wanted to launch the Web site first, but we always knew there would be a rewards program," Mr. Frankl said, adding that other premiums, like travel awards or airport parking discounts, could be added.
For now, only flights booked using www.flytoledoexpress.com or through Atlas as a travel agent are eligible for Express Rewards. Mr. Frankl said that may change if the logistics of doing so can be worked out.
"We have to figure out how to mechanically do that," he said. "Right now, we have no way of collecting the information we'd need."
Flights using other airports may be booked using the port authority site, but port officials hope users will check Toledo schedules and fares first.
Passenger business at Toledo Express has fallen sharply in recent years as airlines cut routes and frequency in response to rapidly rising fuel prices.
The 226,563 passengers who got on or off planes at the local airport between January and August was 16.9 percent fewer than during the same eight months of 2006, and 45.5 percent fewer than the comparable part of 2004, when the airport had a peak year.
But for August alone, the airport posted a 1.35 percent increase, and Mr. Frankl believes its tailspin has reached its end.
"We're hopeful that we've stabilized," he said. "We don't expect a whole lot to change this year, but we've got to start building capacity back up again."
Among the encouragements airport officials have received is Allegiant Air's recent announcement of its winter schedule, which between mid-February and April 29 will feature four flights a week in each direction between Toledo and Orlando/Sanford International Airport in central Florida.
Kris Nichter, the port authority's director of marketing, business development, and community affairs, said the revised schedule provides Toledo with more convenient travel days overall, which reflects Allegiant's overall satisfaction with its Toledo routes' performance.
Besides Sanford, Allegiant flies several times a week between Toledo and St. Petersburg, Fla.
Contact David Patch at:
dpatch@theblade.com
or 419-724-6094.
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