Military Flight Options - HOP

[ari 0]

Just trying to weigh my options and a buddy of mine had mention the US military has a HOP system which will allow vetrans a cheaper fair to the destinations they travel. Does anyone have experience with this mode of travel? I was thinking even if they didn't fly into Thialand, maybe a closer destination would off set the cost from the USA. Any advice?

[upena 2]

used military hops looooong time ago and hopped from Hawaii to Thailand via Guam, Philippines, and Okinawa. Wasnt too bad if you dont mind flying in cargo planes, sitting backwards or on the side of the plane like a paratrooper, box lunches, one window the size of a small porthole, no alcohol, and no flight attendants (other than the supply/maintenance crew). Not sure about now, but you were only guaranteed on leg at a time and had to rush off the plane and re-register at each and every new airbase. If you are travelling with someone else - one may get on and the other may not.

 

On the return we got bumped in the PI and had to buy a ticket from Manila to Honolulu.

 

A good adventure overall and I had plenty of time and little money. I was about 22 at the time and in the military. Now it is the opposite....little time and decent money...so - unless you can handle possibly sitting around for days waiting for a ride...pay the airfare.

[EDP 0]

They still offer HOPS but I have found myself using all my vacation time waiting for connecting flights etc or in Bumb F..k Egypt.

If your retired and have time on your hands then its no problem but if time can be limited stay away..

Good luck Im sure youll get more posts

ED

[rb 20]

not a reliable option for LOS

Japan or Quam are an option AMC flights, but you better have pretty high priortiy or a lot of time

otherwise check out n

"space-a" website

i personally go commerical

chers

rb

[python 27]

My advice would be to lend yourself a few $$$ and buy a ticket like the rest of us.

 

Regards to all.

[ari 0]

I appreciate the advice and I don't mean to sound cheap. I'm consider taking a few months off this fall and just travelling, Pattaya would definitely be a preffered destination but I wouldn't be opposed to checking out Hawaii, Guam or Japan prior and then buying a ticket from there. Time won't be my issue and although I like to save a buck like anyone else, I can see springing for the tickets when I need to. Any additional advice is always appreciated.

[redwood13 56]

Asked a friend of mine about this as I know he's taken hops from the States several times.

 

The short version:

 

"Basically, the high points are that there are regular flights departing Travis AFB, CA destined for Yokota Air Base, Japan and onward. Once at Yokota, there are flights to Singapore 2 - 4 times a week. Once in Singapore you can fly or take a train to Thailand.

 

As I mention below, the most desirable ride is on the KC-10 that goes direct to Yokota and, after 16 hour ground time, proceeds on to Paya Labar Air Base in Singapore.

 

There are also flights to and from Kadena Air Base (Okinawa), Japan that go direct to and from Bangkok. But these flights are so infrequent, it would be very easy to get "stranded" at Kadena. Also, Kadena is so big and spread out, it is a difficult destination unless you have "wheels."

 

As a retiree, we are at the bottom of the Space-A food chain. It is very wise to do a "remote sign up" 60 days prior for each stop (each base you will be transiting). Keep a printed copy of the Space-A signup sheet as proof of your signup!!!"

 

http://www.spacea.info/signup/index.html

 

Here's details of his trip back to Thailand last December:

 

"I just arrived back in Pattaya from the US this Sunday. It took me about 5 days to travel from Travis AFB, California to Thailand. I flew "space available" with the US Air Force. Here is my blow by blow account of my recent "space A" adventure...

 

My most desirable choice, the Sunday KC-10 direct to Japan and then Singapore, cancelled. So I elected to take the C-5 on Monday that was destined for Japan via Elmendorf AFB (near Anchorage, Alaska). Flight time to Alaska was about 3 hours.

 

I am sad to report that the C-5's reputation for maintenance problems remains intact. After spending five hours on the ground in Alaska for refueling and de-icing we took off for Japan. Ten minutes after take-off from Elmendorf, we air-aborted back to the airfield. The announcement from the loadmaster was "due to a flap problem we are going back to Elmendorf. Sorry for the bad news."

 

This was very disturbing news, as I can tell you from experience, C-5 flap issues are notorious and can take DAYS to fix. On top of that, it was about 21 degrees (-6 Celsius) and with about 12 inches (30 cm) of snow on the ground there. With the exception of a heavy sweater and lightweight jacket, I was dressed for the tropics.

 

On the plus side, I had met a guy who was traveling to Thailand as well. "Nic" and I hit it off right away. Nic is a retired Marine /Postmaster from Vermont. Coming from the east coast, Nic had already been on the road for about a week when we met at the Space-A counter at Travis.

 

Once on the ground and back safely in the Elmendorf Air Terminal, Nic and I, along with the other passengers started making phone calls for lodging for the night. Elmendorf billeting, our first logical choice, was full. Luckily, all 19 of us were able to obtain lodging at Fort Richardson, the Army Base just adjacent to Elmendorf. Nic and I split the cab fare to Fort Rich, $30 USD each way, and the hotel suite was just $57 USD for a nice, two-bedroom suite.

 

The next day (Tuesday), after arriving the air terminal, we learned that our plane was repaired. I was skeptical of the news but soon we were on our way (again) to Japan. Yippee! Get me out of this cold weather!

 

Flying for 7 hours and crossing the dateline, we landed at Yokota Air Base on Wednesday evening. The weather was decent. Cold nights but warm, sunny days. Yokota is familiar stomping grounds for me as I had spent a lot of time there in my Air Force days.

 

At Yokota, we learned that there weren't any planes heading to Singapore until Saturday. Nic and I secured lodging in the Yokota Air Base billeting for 3 days. We stayed in building 120, near the main office. I was on the second floor, Nic on the third. Nice rooms for $28 USD per night.

 

Saturday arrived and a C-17 (from McChord AFB in Washington) flew us, along with 17 other fortunate souls to Singapore. It was my first time to fly on the newest cargo plane in the Air Force inventory. The comfort of reclining airline seats that are standard equipment on the C-5 and KC-10, were replaced by sideways facing, nylon web seats, on a metal frame for the C-17. Ouch! At least the plane was warm and it was only a 7 hour flight to Singapore. I could do THAT standing on my head if I had to! We landed at Paya Labar, the military airfield in Singapore.

 

Nic and I quickly caught a taxi over to Changi Airport. We walked up to the Air Asia flight counter and purchased a ticket for a flight to Bangkok that was leaving in just one hour. The assurance and swiftness of that flight cost us dearly though. Previously, I had purchased a round-trip tickets on the same route for $80 USD. Those tickets were bought weeks in advance. This walk-up, one-way ticket set me back $140 USD plus $60 USD for excess my baggage. Oh my Buddha!

 

My alternatives were to spend $50 USD on a hotel room and book a cheaper fare for the next day. Or, I could take a two-day train journey from Singapore to Bangkok. Neither plans appealed to me at this point. After just 5 days on the road, humping my luggage all over God's green earth, I was ready to unpack my bags and take a rest.

 

Throughout the journey, I was fortunate to obtain on-base lodging and was able to split cab fares with Nic. Expenses in that regard were kept to a minimum. I accomplished the whole trip back to Thailand for under $350 USD. As previously stated, $200 of that was spent on the last leg from Singapore to Bangkok."

 

-redwood

[cnkbud 0]

Have a retired military friend of mine who live just outside Travis AFB, he takes a hop to Japan and then on the Singapore coupla of times per year and has very seldom encountered any long delays, maybe he's just been lucky but like I say he's been doing it for years and by going Space A he saves enough to almost pay for his 10 day trips to the good old LOS, and of course, his GF there is always glad to see hime. Some of my friends are very jealous of the fact that he can travel this way as very low cost but the way I look at it, more power to him as he more than earned it. Have a good one and enjoy. Old Bud