Military Families
Cargo/ Space A flights (Marines if it makes a difference)
Is anybody familiar with these? My husband is trying to get to come home from Japan. I've heard many people mention these types of flights, but can never seem to find helpful info about them. I'm better off trying to find the info myself as my husband isn't the kind to do the research and stuff. I think saving hundreds of dollars would be worth it though.
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Re: Cargo/ Space A flights (Marines if it makes a difference)
Do you know where I can find info about the flights?
Here is a personal experience about flying Space-A from Japan (I've done it twice)
They have a program called the Patriot Express. It is a dedicated flight that goes round-trip from Japan/South Korea, to the Seattle-Tacoma Airport in Washington state. Because it is Space-A, it goes by priority seating.
The first time we used it, we had taken a ship from Korea to Japan, did our vacation in Japan, and wanted to finish out our leave in the states. We went to Yokota Air Base (but they fly out of marine bases as well), added outselves to the Space-A list (Cat 3, active duty on leave status) and caught a flight from Japan to SeaTac, then flew to our home in California. Pretty straight forward.
The second time we (attempted) to use it, we were stationed at McChord, and wanted to vacation in Japan. We went to SeaTac, waited for about 3 hours, but they didn't even finish calling out the Cat-2 folks before they filled up. We chose the WORST time to take a hop: PCS season.
See, Cat-1 folks are military on Emergency Leave, and PCS orders. So everyone and their family were PCS'ing to either Korea or Japan, and leaving that day. We caught a different hop to Japan (via Alaska), and on our way back we decided to try our hand again...we almost made it, but there was 2 of us, and only 1 seat available.
I would suggest to your husband to watch his commanders channel, or call the Yokota MAC terminal daily (https://www.yokota.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9136) to hear about their departing flights.
Also keep in mind that your husband will have to be on leave before he can sign up for Space-A. Here is more info than you'll ever want or need about Space-A, starting with an article about the patriot express:
https://www.pacaf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123190011
https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=425064710222&topic=14043
https://www.amc.af.mil/amctravel/index.asp
https://www.spacea.net/
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v247/indie_chixor2/?action=view
This site has a plethora of information, both on how to use SPACE A and the assessability of the flights at every AMC (all services) to the day.
https://www.pepperd.com/vb/forum.php
This is what I use when I fly back to the states.
However, please remember that this truly an "available' benefit. If you have to be somewhere at a specific date; to include returning back to base at the end of leave, it is better to buy a ticket.
Also, space during the summer season (DODDS teachers almost always have priority over anyone not on orders) or major holidays are limited.
Plus look at any uptempo in troop or equipment movements. That limits the space on the cargo planes.
I have been overseas for just over a year and have used Space A three times - twice as Cat V and once as CAT III. I only missed flying back once (one day). And we only took a cargo plane once. I liked the cargo plane for the baby, since she could move around and lay out. But it is loud.
https://spacea.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=OCONUS_Pacific_Space-A_Locations
^That is the website we use.
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