One of the biggest fringe benefits, dollar-wise, for uniformed services personnel and their family members is Space-A air travel on U.S. military owned and operated aircraft. While there are some old pros who know all the ropes, having learned the hard way by flying Space-A, there are those who are a bit afraid to jump into the unknown. This appendix is for those who want to know as much as they can about Space-A air travel. Answers are based on information available to us at press time. Because policies can change or be interpreted differently, these general answers must be regarded only as guides - not rules. Specific questions, particularly those dealing with changes in policy, should be directed to military officials who are the final authority on the subject. We have divided the questions and answers into general functional categories. We hope that this appendix will aid readers in locating questions and answers in which they have a special interest.
GENERAL INFORMATION
01. Is Space-A air travel a reasonable substitute for travel on a commercial airline? The answer depends on you! If your travel schedule is flexible and your finances permit for a stay (sometimes in a “high-cost” area), while awaiting movement, space-available travel is a good travel choice. While some travelers sign up and travel the same day, many factors could come together to make buying a commercial ticket your best or only option. Remember, Space-A travel success depends on flexibility, patience and good timing.
02. What facilities are available at military terminals (nursery, BX, snack bar)? Facilities at most military terminals are generally the same as commercial facilities. Facilities include exchanges, hair care, snack bars, pay television (free television lounge in some military terminals), traveler assistance, baggage lockers or rooms, United Service Organizations (USO) lounges, and nurseries (at major terminals). The type of facilities available will vary according to the terminal size, passenger volume, location and military mission.
03. What documents are required for traveling Space-A? All travelers require a uniformed services ID card. Dependent family members and Retirees require a passport in most cases. Visas or visitor cards may be required for passport holders traveling to some destinations. In some cases immunization records are required. See Appendix R: Personnel Entrance Requirements for detailed requirements.
04. Will Space-A travel cost much? In general, no. Some terminals must collect a federal departure tax and/or a federal inspection fee from Space-A passengers on commercial contract missions. Meals may be purchased at a nominal fee out of most air terminals while traveling on military aircraft. Meal service on AMC Category B commercial flights full plane load charters is complimentary.
05. What fees will Space-A passengers be required to pay? All passengers departing CONUS, Alaska or Hawaii on a commercial aircraft from a commercial airport must pay a $7.30 Airport Departure Tax that goes toward airport improvements. Also, all Space-A passengers departing on commercial contract mission inbound to the United States must pay a $11.30 Head Tax and an $12.50 Federal Inspection Fee. Some foreign departure terminals may also collect a departure tax, e.g., A.U.$33 when leaving Australia.
06. What are the trends in the availability of Space-A travel? Does it seem as if there will be more or less Space-A travel in the coming years? Although AMC has lead efforts to improve Space-A travel in the past few years, movement still remains a result of unused seats. Present DoD personnel and budget trends are effecting Space-A movement opportunity. AMC is dedicated to putting a passenger in every available seat.
07. How can I find where my name is on the Space-A register? Each terminal maintains a Space-A register (organized by priority and the date and time of registration for travel) that is updated daily. The register is conveniently located in the terminal and directly accessible to you. Travelers may call the terminal directly to find where they stand travel wise.
08. As a Reservist, where can I fly? Reserve members with DD Form 2 identification and DD Form 1853 may fly to, from, and between Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and CONUS. Additionally, when on active duty (for 30 days or more), members may fly anywhere overseas that the Armed Services has flights operating.
09. As a Retiree, where can I fly? Retired members with DD Form 2 (Blue; the old form is gray) identification card may fly anywhere AMC has flights operating including CONUS, with the exception of occasional restricted areas such as Vietnam and Diego Garcia which have been restricted for many years. Some areas require special permission to enter, such as Egypt.
10. Can I have family members travel with another military member if given power of attorney, other releases, or authority? No, with the exception of Category IV EML Leave and Category V, command-sponsored dependents may only travel when accompanied by their sponsor.
11. Who determines eligibility to fly Space-A? The four services jointly establish Space-A eligibility which is published in DoD 4515.13-R “Air Transportation Eligibility.” AMC's first responsibility is airlifting official DoD traffic. Space-A passengers are accommodated only after official duty passengers and cargo.
12. How long does my name stay on the Space-A list? All travelers remain on the register for 60 days after registration, for the duration of their travel orders authorization, or until they are selected for travel, whichever occurs first. Revalidation has been eliminated.
13. What is country sign-up and how does it affect me? Under this program, you may sign up for five different countries rather than five different destinations. You are also eligible for the “ALL” sign-up which makes you eligible for all other destinations served. The applicant can sign up for four countries and “all” as the fifth destination. This gives you a greater selection of destinations from which to choose.
14. What is remote sign-up? Remote sign-up allows passengers to enter the backlog (apply for Space-A travel) by telefaxing copies of proper service documentation along with desired country destinations and family members' first names to the aerial port of departure. The telefax data header will establish date/time of sign-up; therefore, Active Duty personnel must ensure the telefax is sent no earlier than the effective date of leave. Mail and e-mail entries are also permitted. The original date and time of sign-up shall be documented and stay with the passenger until his or her destination is reached. Also at any time the passenger may sign up for space-available travel to return to home station. NOTE: If applicable, a statement that all required border clearance documents are current is required.
15. What is self sign-up? Self sign-up is a program that allows passengers to sign up at a terminal without waiting in line. Most locations now provide self sign-up counters with easy to follow instructions for registration.
BAGGAGE
16. How much baggage can Space-A passengers check? Each Space-A passenger (regardless of age) can check two pieces of baggage totaling 140 pounds. Air Mobility Command (AMC) limits the size of each item to 62 linear inches. This measurement is obtained by adding together the item's length, width and height. The rules permit some exceptions to the 62 linear inches size limitation. For Active Duty personnel, all duffel bags, sea bags, Air Force issue B-4 bags and civilian-origin versions that have the same approximate dimensions can be checked. Similarly, the size restrictions do not apply to golf bags with golf clubs, snow skis, folding bicycles, fishing equipment, musical instruments and rucksacks. Any one of these oversized items listed above may be checked if it is the only piece checked and meets weight requirements of 140 pounds total.
17. We have heard that families and other groups can “pool” their baggage authorization. What's the story? Space-A passengers traveling together as a group (that is, listed on a single Military Transportation Authorization or AMC Form 140 (Space Available Travel Request)) may pool their baggage authorization so long as the total number of checked pieces does not exceed the number of travelers times 140 pounds, i.e., a five-person family travel group could not exceed 700 pounds (5 x 140 pounds = 700 pounds) and 10 pieces (5x2=10).
18. How much baggage can I carry with me into the passenger cabins? All passengers boarding the aircraft can carry on one or more pieces so long as they fit under the passenger's seat, in the overhead compartment or other approved storage area, e.g., closets for hang-up garment bags. If available storage space is important to your baggage-carrying needs, inquire at the terminal regarding storage areas for carry-on baggage before checking your baggage for a particular flight. As a guideline carry-on bags should not exceed 45 linear inches (length + width + height = 45 inches). Passengers traveling with infants can also carry on child safety seats regardless of any other baggage. The requirement for child safety seats on AMC and commercial carriers was eliminated 12/04/01.
19. Is the baggage limit the same for all aircraft? No. The baggage limit for smaller executive aircraft is considerably less. On small two-engine executive and operational support aircraft, the baggage limit for Space-A passengers is 30 pounds.
20. As a Space-A passenger, may I pay for excess checked baggage over 140 pounds or two pieces? No. Only duty status passengers may pay for excess baggage.
ELIGIBILITY
21. May all Active Duty and Retired members of all the Uniformed Services fly Space-A? Yes. All Active Duty and Retired members (as well as their eligible family members) of all seven uniformed services (U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Public Health Service Officer Corps, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Officer Corps and U.S. Air Force) may fly Space-A as provided for in DoDD 4515.13-R as revised.
Note: Department of Defense officials announced a one-year test to expand Space-A travel privileges to family members of Active Duty and Retirees traveling with their sponsor within the CONUS spanning from 1 April 03 to 31 March 04. As of 26 February 04, this expansion will be implemented on a permanent basis.
22. May National Guard and Reservists fly Space-A? National Guard members and Reservists in an Active paid status may fly anywhere in CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Guard and Reserve members cannot fly Space-A to a foreign country. Guard and Reserve members must have the ID Card, DD Form 2, and DD Form 1853, Authentication of Reserve Status for Travel Eligibility (authenticated by the Unit Commander within the last six months). The same is true of Guard and Reserve personnel who have received official notification of retirement eligibility but have not reached retirement age (60). This “gray area” retirement eligible group must present their ID cards (Red) and retirement eligibility notices (letters) or possess a red DD Form 2 which has been generated from the DEERS database.
23. When may National Guard and Reservist eligible family members fly Space-A? When the sponsor retires and receives retired pay and full benefits at age 60, eligible family members may then fly Space-A. Family members must be accompanied by their sponsor when flying Space-A.
24. Is there any difference in Space-A rules regarding eligibility for Active Duty versus Retired service members? Yes. First of all, Active Duty sponsors personnel have priority (Categories I Emergency Leave (retirees may be added to this category when approved under special circumstances), II EML, III Ordinary Leave, IV Unaccompanied Dependents on EML and V Permissive TDY) on Space-A flights at all times. Other differences include the fact that Active Duty personnel may take their “dependent” mothers and fathers (who have ID Cards DD Form 1173), with them on Space-A trips. Dependent in-laws are NOT included in this privilege. Retired members do not have this privilege, and Retired members and their families travel in Category VI.
25. I am a 100% disabled American veteran (DAV). I've heard that some of us can fly Space-A and some can't. Could you give me more information on 100% DAVs and Space-A? Disabled American veterans must be RETIRED from a uniformed service to qualify for Space-A travel. Those members who were separated in lieu of being retired are not eligible. Here's an easy way to check your eligibility. If your monthly retired check is paid by a uniformed services finance center, e.g., Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Cleveland Center, and your ID card is DD Form 2 (old cards are gray in color; new cards are blue), you can fly Space-A. If you are paid by the Veterans Administration and your ID card is a DD Form 1173 (butterscotch in color) or the more recently issued DD Form 2765, you cannot fly Space-A. The color of ID cards and their form numbers are the key to being allowed to sign up for a Space-A flight. The DD Form 1173 is the same ID form used by dependents. In any case, dependents are not generally allowed to fly Space-A without their sponsors, so this butterscotch color card is a red flag alerting the officials at the Space-A desk that the carrier of the DD Form 1173 is not eligible to fly Space-A unaccompanied.
26. I am Retired military and disabled and carry a blue ID card. Can I have a brother, sister, or friend accompany me to help me? The only persons permitted to accompany you are your dependents or other persons eligible for Space-A travel. Every effort shall be made to transport passengers with disabilities who are otherwise eligible to travel. Passenger service personnel and crew members shall provide assistance in boarding, seating, and deplaning passengers with special needs.
Please see note at #21 above.
27. May a Retired service member, who relies on a guide dog because of vision deficiency, travel with the animal aboard military aircraft Space-A? Yes. This is allowed when the dog is properly harnessed and muzzled and the animal does not obstruct the aisle. Also, the dog may not occupy a seat in the aircraft, it must sit at the feet of the service member.
28. Who may fly on National Guard and Reserve flights of the Military Services? All uniformed services personnel and their eligible dependents may fly on most National Guard and Reserve flights depending upon the mission. The National Guard and Reserve have some of the best flights available. The catch is that many are not scheduled flights. Many different types of flight missions are given to National Guard and Reserve units; therefore, one can often find some very special flights to places not normally seen on flight schedules. Most National Guard and Reserve departure locations are listed in this book, Military Space-A Air Travel Guide.
29. Are Active Duty personnel in a leave or pass status traveling Space-A, always required to wear the service uniform? No. All Active Duty members (except USMC personnel flying on USMC aircraft) in a leave or pass status traveling Space-A on military department owned and operated aircraft are not required to wear the class A or B uniform of their service.
30. May an Active Duty service member use Space-A to take dependents to his/her unaccompanied duty station overseas or back from overseas to CONUS after the unaccompanied duty tour is completed? No. Family members may use Space-A only when they are with the sponsor on an accompanied tour (on service orders) overseas. The Space-A privilege is intended only for a visit to an overseas or CONUS area on a round-trip basis with the sponsor. Also unaccompanied dependents with a command authorization letter may travel in category V to Korea. Space-A cannot be used to establish a home for dependents overseas or in CONUS.
31. May an Active Duty service member sign out on leave, sign up (register) for Space-A and if there is a wait for the flight, go back to work to avoid loss of leave time? When registering for Space-A travel, either by fax, mail/courier or in person, the member must have an approved leave or pass authorization effective on or before the date of registration for Space-A travel. You must show your approved leave with an effective date on or before your sign-up date. If a member registers for Space-A travel but voluntarily returns to work during the intervening days before the actual flight departure, leave will be charged for those days. You must be on leave throughout your entire Space-A leave travel period.
32. What does it mean to be “bumped?” The mission needs of space-required passengers or cargo may require the removal of Space-A passengers at any point. If removed after being manifested (approved for a particular flight) on a flight or en route, you may re-register with the date and time adjusted to reflect the date and time of registration at the point of origin. The Space-A passengers will be placed no higher than the bottom of the category I on the Space-A register. Space-A passengers cannot be bumped by other Space-A passengers.
33. What can service families do if they become extremely ill while overseas and need to return to the United States? Air medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) through AMC is available to Active Duty, Retired and their eligible family members. Space-A travelers should get in touch with a U.S. military medical facility, preferably a hospital, or the American Embassy or Consulate to be considered for this service. In a change of military regulations, the remains of a retiree who died overseas may be returned on AMC aircraft to the U.S. for burial.
34. What is “show time?” “Show time” is the time when a roll call of prospective space-required and Space-A passengers, who are waiting for a specific flight, is made. The total available seats are allocated to travelers based on priority category and date/time of sign-up. Failure to make “show time” may result in not making the flight and “show times” can be changed without notice depending on operational requirements.
35. Why can't passengers arriving at the terminal after “show time” for a flight be processed for that flight? Passengers should realize that many tasks are performed before a flight departs. Every possible effort will be made to process passengers arriving after “show time” if it doesn't jeopardize the aircraft's departure time or mission safety.
36. Are there special eligibility requirements for pregnant women and infants? Yes. Children must be older than six weeks to fly on military aircraft. If the infant is younger than six weeks old, there must be written permission from a physician to fly for mother and child. Pregnant women may fly without approval until their 34th week of pregnancy. In a medical emergency, a pregnant woman of more than 34 weeks or a child younger than six weeks and the mother will be flown on a medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) flight as patients.
37. What is the scope of the DoD student travel program? Dependent students who attend school in the United States are authorized one round-trip Category V classification travel per fiscal year from the school location to the parents' duty station overseas, including U.S. possessions. The student travel program began in 1984 as a quality of life initiative for service members stationed overseas who had children attending secondary or undergraduate school in the United States. The plan has fluctuated over the years. The rule for the travel program applies to service members permanently assigned outside CONUS authorized to have family members reside with them. The student dependent must be unmarried, under age 23, pursuing a secondary or undergraduate education and possess a valid DD Form 1173 ID card.
38. What is the Environmental and Morale Leave (EML) Program? This program is designed to provide environmental relief from a duty station which has some “drawbacks” and to offer a source of affordable recreation otherwise not available. In simple terms, it boils down to allowing Active Duty military personnel and their dependents to fly Space-A on military aircraft. There are, however, a couple of big differences in EML leave and regular Space-A leave. First, dependents are permitted to travel accompanied or UNACCOMPANIED by their sponsor. They may utilize “suitably equipped DoD logistic-type aircraft” as well as AMC channel and contract aircraft. Secondly, EML has a Category II classification (for sponsors and their dependents traveling together) which is higher than regular Active Duty, Category III and Retired Space-A classification (Category VI). Dependents traveling on EML leave orders alone are in Category IV. Military sponsors and/or dependents on EML revert to ordinary leave status when they arrive in CONUS. They regain their EML status only when they depart CONUS for their EML program area. A good bit of EML travel is utilized in the Middle and Far East areas. This means that fewer flights may be available from this area for lower category personnel. The EML program is a tremendous morale booster to those assigned in far-off places and is very popular in these areas.
39. My husband was killed in Vietnam and is buried in the Punch Bowl (National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific) in Hawaii. The children and I would like to take a trip to Hawaii to visit his grave. Can we fly in a Space-A status? No. Sorry, but widow/ers are not afforded the privilege of Space-A air travel. The rules state that family members must be accompanied by their military sponsor, so naturally this is impossible. There have been proposals advanced, namely by the National Association of Uniformed Services/Society of Military Widows (NAUS/SMW) (Tel: 1-800-842-3451) and others, to support a change to the DoD Space-A Directive which does not provide for widow/ers of uniformed personnel from using overseas (and any other) Space-A travel.
40. May I register (sign-up) by fax, e-mail, letter/courier or in person at the same departure terminal more than one time for five different foreign countries in order to improve my chances for selection to a particular country? Space-A passengers may have only one registration (sign-up) record at a passenger terminal specifying a maximum of five countries (the fifth country may be “ALL” in order to allow the widest opportunity for Space-A air travel). This record may be changed at any time to include adding or deleting countries to which a passenger desire to travel, but the Julian date and time will be adjusted to the date of the latest change. No passenger may have two or more records with separate information; however, you may sign up at several departure terminals in order to improve your chances for selection for air travel. This may change in the near future if “round-trip sign-up or one-time sign up” is approved. For example, in the Mid-Atlantic States Area you can sign up at McGuire AFB, Baltimore/Washington IAP, Andrews AFB and Dover AFB for air travel to Central Europe and the Near East Area.
41. What happens to your sign-up records at a departure location when you fly from that station? Note carefully that once passengers are selected for a flight, their name will be removed from the station standby register for all destinations.
42. May pets be transported Space-A? Not by Space-A passengers. Active Duty personnel may move pets Space-A on military contract flights when the sponsor is traveling on a permanent change of station.
43. I am retired. When I was on active duty, my personnel officer issued me travel and leave orders which specified travel documents and other requirements for visiting foreign countries. Where can I now get that information? Appendix R: Personnel Entrance Requirements in this book. You may also check the personnel entrance requirements to foreign countries and the latest changes to the DoD Foreign Clearance Guides at local personnel offices, AMC Space-A counters or most other air departure locations.
44. As a Space-A passenger, will I be subjected to security screening prior to boarding a flight? Yes. In most cases you and your baggage will receive electronic and/or personal security screening prior to boarding the flight or entering a secure area for aircraft boarding.
45. May adult family members who are dependent children because of a handicap or a permanent disability, and who have a valid DD Form 1173 military ID card, travel with their sponsor regardless of age? Yes. They may travel on the same basis as any other dependent. Documentation of the dependent's permanent disability may be required.
Please see note at #21 above.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES
46. Is food served to Space-A passengers on the flight? Food and soft drinks are free on AMC contract flights. Space-A passengers, like duty passengers, may purchase beer and wine on AMC contract flights. There is a charge if Space-A passengers want to eat on other (military) flights. You can purchase healthy heart menus from the in-flight kitchen. The small meal, at $1.95, includes sandwich, salad or vegetables, fruit and milk or soft drink. The breakfast menu, at $1.95, includes cereal or bagel, fruit, danish and milk or juice. The large meal, at $3.55, includes sandwich, fruit, vegetable or salad, snack or dessert, milk, juice or soft drink. These meals are served at the appropriate time in the flight. Reservations for meals are made at the time of seat assignment or other times in the flight processing. You may bring your own snacks (food) aboard (no alcoholic beverages). New meal prices are established on 1 October each year.
47. Are specialized meals available to Space-A passengers? Specialized meals are made available for duty passengers only for medical or religious reasons. If you need special food, we suggest you bring your own to maintain flexibility. Check with the Air Passenger Terminals regarding any restrictions on carrying food aboard as this can differ from place to place. While you can make your requirements known to passenger processing personnel at the time of flight processing, the chance of having additional specialized meals available at the last minute for passengers might be slim.
48. How are alcoholic beverages handled? Alcoholic beverages are not served on military aircraft. All open (seals broken) containers of alcoholic beverages will be confiscated if on your person or in your carry-on baggage. In many cases, sealed alcoholic containers may be checked. Check with the Air Passenger Terminal for more information. You may not consume alcoholic beverages from your own supply on a military aircraft. The AMC commercial contract flights, which frequently carry Space-A passengers, offer alcoholic beverages to everyone of legal age. Beer and wine are $4.00 and mixed drinks are $5.00 (prices can vary per airline).
49. How is food service handled on USN, USMC, USCG, USAF (USAFR, USAG) and other non-AMC flights? Most departure terminals have food service for crews and passengers. If the flight duration is more than approximately four hours, you will be notified in time to obtain your own box of food and drinks. Most flights have coffee and tea and all flights have drinking water on board.
CHANCES OF FLYING SPACE-A
50. How about Space-A availability? Space-A air opportunities change daily and, in fact, even hourly. There are more than 287 active locations at which uniformed personnel, their eligible family members, and others may fly Space-A. There are also many other less active locations which offer some Space-A air opportunities. We estimate that more than 800,000 Space-A flights (all services) are taken every year. Availability is subject to time of the year, air mission, needs of the military services, quantity of flights, frequency of flights and the number of people attempting to fly Space-A. This large number of interactive variables which impact Space-A Air Opportunities makes it very difficult to precisely predict the availability of Space-A seats to a particular destination at a precise time.
51. What is the best time of the year to travel Space-A? The best time is a function of departure locations, arrival locations, space-required needs and the number of people waiting for Space-A transportation. Generally the best times to travel Space-A are autumn, late winter, early spring and after 15 July. It is best to avoid travel between 1-5 January, 15 May-15 July, 15-30 November and 15-25 December when traffic is heaviest.
52. Who flies Space-A the most - enlisted personnel, officers, Retired members or dependents? Enlisted members travel Space-A more than all other groups (of course there are more Active Duty enlisted members than any other group).
53. Which uniformed service uses Space-A more than the others? Air Force members travel Space-A more than members from any other service followed by the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.
PRIORITY FOR SPACE-A TRAVEL
54. Who has priority on Space-A flights? The DoD has established a priority system for allocating Space-A air travel. This system is described in detail and their travel priorities are as follows:
in Appendix G, which is taken from Chapter 6, Space Available Travel, DoD 4515.13-R. The general categories:
Category I: Emergency Leave, Unfunded Travel.
Category II: Environmental and Morale Leave (EML).
Category III: Ordinary Leave, Close Blood or Affinitive Relatives, House Hunting Permissive TDY, Medal of Honor Holders, Cadets and Midshipmen of the U.S. Service Academies and Others.
Category IV: Unaccompanied Dependents on EML and DoDDS Teachers on EML During Summer.
Category V: Permissive TDY (Non-House Hunting), Foreign Military, Students, Dependents and Others.
Category VI: Retired, Dependents, Reserve, ROTC, NUPOC and CEC. Note: More details concerning each category is available in Chapter 6, DoD 4515.13-R in this book.
55. May any eligible passenger make reservations for Space-A travel? No. Space-A passengers may not make reservations and are not guaranteed seats. The application for Space-A travel is not a reservation. The DoD is not obligated to continue Space-A passengers’ travel or to return them to their point of origin.
56. Does rank/grade have anything to do with who gets a Space-A flight? No. Travel opportunities are available on a first-in first-out basis within DoD established categories. Travel is afforded on an equitable basis to officers, enlisted personnel, DoD, other civilian employees and their dependents without regard to rank or grade, military or civilian or branch of service.
57. Are there any circumstances under which a Retired service member in Category VI may be upgraded to a higher category? You bet there are. If you are traveling Space-A overseas and an emergency occurs at home, you may be upgraded to Category I, Emergency Leave, Unfunded Travel, by the installation commander or his representative under par 7-C, Chapter 6, DoDD 4515.13-R. However, you should have the emergency verified, in writing, by the American Red Cross before attempting to obtain an upgrade.
TEMPORARY DUTY AND SPACE-A TRAVEL
58. May uniformed services personnel on official temporary duty orders (TDY) elect to travel Space-A to the TDY point (station)? No. Uniformed services personnel on official TDY orders must travel in a duty status from their permanent duty station to the TDY point and return to their permanent duty station.
59. Is there any way family members can travel Space-A to their sponsor's TDY point? No. Family members are not authorized Space-A to and from a sponsor's TDY point. TDY personnel may not travel Space-A between their duty station and TDY point as a means to have their dependents travel with them.
60. Can the service member take leave and travel Space-A from the TDY point? Upon arrival at the TDY point, personnel must conduct their business in a TDY status. They may then take ordinary leave while at the TDY point and travel Space-A from the TDY point to another location, but leave must be terminated prior to return travel from the TDY point of origin to the service member's duty station or next TDY location.
61. May family members travel Space-A when the sponsor takes leave at the TDY point? Family members may join the sponsor at the TDY point (at their own expense) in order to travel Space-A with the sponsor while the sponsor is on leave.
62. May the service member and dependents travel Space-A between CONUS and overseas? When the service member's permanent duty station and TDY location are within CONUS, Space-A travel to an overseas area and return is authorized. Also, when the service member's duty station and TDY location are overseas, Space-A travel to CONUS and return is authorized. Please see note at #21 above.
63. When the service member's duty station and TDY location are in different countries overseas, and the service member travels Space-A to CONUS, may they return Space-A to their duty station? No. The service member must return Space-A from CONUS to the overseas TDY point or to a location other than the permanent duty station. He must return to the TDY point (at personal expense, if necessary, if Space-A travel is not possible to the TDY point) in order to complete travel to the permanent duty station in a TDY status.
64. What is a simple summary of the above complex guidelines? The bottom line is that service members must always travel between their permanent duty station and a TDY point or between two TDY points in a TDY status.
OTHER
65. May Space-A eligible passengers take Space-A air transportation around the world? No. There are insufficient Space-A flights to circumnavigate the earth north to south or south to north. There are adequate flights to travel around the earth east to west or west to east. However, there is one choke point, Diego Garcia Atoll (NKW/KJDG), Chagos Archipelago, IO, through which you are not authorized to travel Space-A. The Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) has limited access to Diego Garcia to mission-essential personnel. Space-A travel through Diego Garcia, including circuitous travel for personnel on official orders, is not authorized. This prohibition is found in SECDEF message 250439Z JAN 1986 and the DoD Foreign Clearance Guides. Commercial facilities at this British territory in the Indian Ocean are extremely limited to nonexistent. The Diego Garcia Naval Base does not have lodging, messing and other support facilities for non-mission essential travelers.
66. Should I expect to find more than one Space-A roster on a base? No. Only one Space-A roster shall be maintained on a base, installation or post. The maintenance of such a roster is the responsibility of the AMC passenger or terminal service activity. If there is no AMC transportation activity, then the base, installation or post commander designates the agency responsible for maintaining the Space-A roster. You may find an exception at locations where a second service has a separate facility such as Andrews AFB and the Washington NAF.
67. Can people travel Space-A to Alaska or South America? Yes. Travelers may obtain Space-A travel to Alaska, South America, and other interesting locations; i.e., Australia, New Zealand, etc. Travel to Alaska is relatively easy when departing from the West Coast (Travis AFB, CA, and McChord AFB, WA). Travel to South America and other remote areas is more difficult. Infrequent flights to remote areas are primarily cargo missions and have few seats available for passenger movement. Expect long waiting periods for movement.
68. I am retired and am traveling on a passport and my flight originated overseas. Where in the CONUS can I fly into? When traveling on a passport, (family members, Retired Uniform Service, Reserve, etc.,) you may return to CONUS only through authorized ports of entry where customs and immigration clearance is available. While you may depart CONUS literally from any military airfield, reentry locations for passport holders are limited. Terminals in CONUS which have immigrations and customs clearance capabilities for passport holders are indicated in this book. Active Duty passengers who do not require immigration clearance have more reentry options open.
69. Is it easier to go to some destinations? Space-available travel occurs year round. However, travelers will find it is much more difficult to travel during the summer months (June-August) and the November-December holiday periods. It is particularly important that passengers be prepared to make alternate arrangements if they are only able to travel during these times.
70. Some very big people cannot buckle their seatbelts in many of the military aircraft with conventional airline seats, such as the C-005, C-017, C-141 and most of the smaller executive military aircraft. Can these passengers bring their own seatbelt extenders? If a person is too large to fit the seat belt supplied on the C-005, C-017, C-141 they may have to try to obtain travel on another military aircraft i. e. C-130, travelers can utilize the web seats or in a C-017, travelers can sit in plastic side seats, which have a little longer seat belt. Travelers are not authorized to supply their own “extenders” and no such extender has yet been certified for use on the C-005 or any other military aircraft.
71. Are alcoholic drinks available on Space-A flights? How much do they cost? Beer and Wine are offered on all commercial contract missions. For the commercial contract flights that land in Saudi Arabia, alcoholic drinks are generally not served once the aircraft enters Saudi Arabia airspace, or sooner as determined by the contracted air carrier. The current charge for beer and wine is $4.00 and mixed drinks are $5.00 (prices can differ per airline).
72. What can you tell me about Airport Head Tax and Federal Inspection Fees? The current Airport Head Tax is $12.50 and the Federal Inspection Fee (FIS) is $11.00. If the passenger is originating at a commercial airport overseas en route to the CONUS, or originating at a military port overseas en route to the CONUS, the Airport Head Tax and Federal Inspection Fee are both charged. If you are originating at a commercial airport in the CONUS en route to overseas, there is a $7.30 Airport Departure Tax.
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