Incirlik offering additional Space-A seats in July

  • Published
  • By Capt. Christopher M. Jacobson
  • 728th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Are you thinking about taking a European vacation or a trip back to the U.S. this month?

The Incirlik Passenger Terminal will see an influx of space-available, or Space-A, seats on flights throughout Europe and to the U.S. during the month of July.

Flying on Space-A status is a benefit that allows military members, dependents and retirees to use empty seats aboard military aircraft. Many of the scheduled military flights have open seats. The best part is, most Airmen, family members and Department of Defense civilians at Incirlik can take advantage of these flights for little to no cost.

While many flights do, not all military aircraft will have room for Space-A passengers. Some flights depart without passengers for various operational reasons, so it's important for passengers to remember the flights cost next to nothing for the traveler and remain flexible.

Passengers are selected based on their travel category. Air Mobility Command passenger terminals use a six-tier travel category. Traveling from Incirlik, it is often easiest for members to use their Space-A benefit in conjunction with their Environmental and Morale Leave, if possible. Doing so places an active-duty member in Category 2 and an unaccompanied dependent in Category 4. Unaccompanied dependents can fly without their sponsor if more than 18 years old and carrying a Command Sponsor Letter.
The Patriot Express flies weekly to Ramstein, Germany, and proceeds to Baltimore, M.D. If no seats are vacant on the Patriot Express, passengers may attempt to utilize other flights such as military aircraft traveling to other air force bases around the world.

Passengers traveling in a category below Category 2 during the summer months are encouraged to plan on traveling on a flight other than the Patriot Express as Space-A travel is busiest during the Department of Defense Dependents Schools' summer break.

Passenger terminal professionals can provide up-to-the-minute information on these missions.

To sign up for Space-A at any AMC passenger terminal, active-duty members must be on leave status and present a valid common access card and leave forms. Unaccompanied dependents can sign up using a travel authorization letter. These letters are normally in the form of a Command Sponsor Letter, or a Non-Command Sponsor Letter. Members can sign-up using different methods, including in-person, email, fax, mail, and some terminals have websites.

For more information, members can visit the passenger terminal, peruse the Incirlik Passenger Terminal Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/728AMSTROP, or view the passenger terminal web page at http://www.incirlik.af.mil/728thairmobilitysquadron.asp. A passenger terminal representative is also available by calling DSN 676-6425 or emailing spacea@incirlik.af.mil.