No More Flights Through Osan
The flights to and from Korea for USFK soldiers stationed on peninsula will end and be replaced by commercial flights from Incheon. This is great news because flying out of Incheon is a lot nicer than flying out of Osan. Apparently the flights that run twice a week out of Osan are much more expensive than regular commercial flights from Incheon.
But in a cost-cutting move, the Defense Department will by 2008 phase out Patriot Express service to all but five locations: Guantanamo Bay, Diego Garcia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Incirlik, Turkey. It may use the Patriot Express to airlift troops into other locations when it needs to, Dutcher said.
“It’s financial,†said Dutcher. “Cost saving to the Department of Defense. Now the Department of Defense is losing approximately $67 million per year over what it would cost to fly by a commercial aircraft.â€
I hope they let Singapore Airlines fly me home when it comes time for me to leave.
I think you've always had the option to fly commercial instead of using the Pat X (DoD-chartered commercial airliners for moving PCS personnel to and from OCONUS).
As a dependent in Germany in the 60's our family went over on such a flight (still called it a "port call" as a heritage of the days when ships moved personnel overseas). At that time they did it out of McGuire AFB NJ and I guess it was mandatory to use it; the locations for the Pat X (and its predecessors) have varied over the years.
In 77 I went over to Germany as a new 2LT using the same system. While outprocessing Finance in 1980 to go back to CONUS, I was surprised to learn from the clerk that I now had the option of making my own travel arrangements. So I flew Delta out of Frankfurt to Atlanta and then Columbus, did it all in one day and was sitting in the Q that evening (had no car to worry about).
I even entertained the fanciful notion of going to Paris or London and flying back on the Concorde, but Uncle Sam would only reimburse me up to a certain amount (I think it was $210). So I decided a $2000 ticket on the Concorde was a little too rich simply for the privilege of being one of the "swells" for a few hours.
So when the time comes, go first class on Singapore airlines and enjoy, just remember that Sam will only reimburse up to a certain limit.
Crap! I guess this means I won't be flying Space-A to Seattle for leave.
I flew commercial into Korea and on a C-17 out (well the out was due to 9/11 but hey I got to come home…:o) ). Flying commercial is nice and if you got the miles or the extra cash, UPGRADE TO FIRST CLASS. On an 18 hour flight it's worth it!
I hope that new Asiana Airline route from Inchoen to Chicago O'Hare will help this out-sourcing out.
Not great news for active duty and retired trying to save money…one less option for hops.
The news I have heard is that the planes are full at the beginning of the month coming into Korea (new arrivals) and full at the end of the month leaving Korea (PCS out). The rest of the flights are not filled to capacity…thus being inefficient.
This will also be a headache for sponsors picking up their troops…however the article did say that bus service will increase. For the folks "down South" at Osan, Kunsan and Camp Humphreys, adding another leg to the journey will not be welcome.