Cat 6 to Europe

Author Message   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 6446 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 71.163.18.160 Posted on Saturday, June 12, 2010 - 11:20 am:    Krystyna, to reply, no, Charleston AFB is not a particularly good place from which to get a direct flight to Mildenhall. There are fewer flights to Britain than used to be the case, and normally there are none from CHS. However, it could work from there if you are willing to fly to Ramstein and then take your chances on getting a space-a flight to Mildenhall (many are on the 30#-baggage-limit smaller aircraft) or else go via commercial air (also may have strict baggage limits) or ground (combination of bus &/or train plus ferry). There are 3 rather far-flung US bases that currently have "regular" flights to Mildenhall (usually every week or two -- check the Flight Schedules forum). They are Fairchild WA, McConnell KS, and MacDill FL. If Charleston is a preferred departure point for you, then MacDill might be a reasonable substitute? Of course, space-required pax or cargo can fill any of these, and then you are stuck there without any more flights to your hoped-for destination for another week or two. This is why many now recommend going to Mildenhall "via" Ramstein. Of course, patterns can change in the blink of an eye, but what I have written above is, I think, the current situation. (Always subject to correction from others...) (I hope you have read the post that started this thread, and will NOT attempt your trip until well into September!)   dinotars Senior Member Username: Dinotars Post Number: 6788 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 81.144.189.36 Posted on Saturday, June 12, 2010 - 06:04 am:    We Cat VIs are eligible like all.It just depends on how many lower Cats are ahead of us. With a C40 chances are good.Sign up and stay at the terminal until take off.   ROGER HEITHAUS New member Username: Rajah Post Number: 2 Registered: 01-2007 Posted From: 72.208.44.123 Posted on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 10:12 pm:    first time caller we see a lot of c-40 flights from north island to the east coast and how hard is it for cat 6s to get a ride   Krystyna G. New member Username: Krystyna Post Number: 1 Registered: 06-2010 Posted From: 65.9.189.27 Posted on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 09:04 pm:    Haven't used Cat VI for years..would like to fly to RAF Mildenhall (Aug-Sept) is Charleston SC still the best route?   April DeLaRosa Member Username: Delarosacalm Post Number: 10 Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 62.153.212.23 Posted on Thursday, June 10, 2010 - 06:16 pm:    You will start seeing a lot of Cat III thru CAT V 's flying from Europe next week as the schools are getting ready to release for summer vacation over here. I am planning on flying stateside myself with 2 teens in August and I have started to monitor the traffic going through Spang and Ramstein so I can purchase commercial in advance if need be. I flew from Ramstein to BWI in May and took a commercial down south to pick up my daughter from college and we returned from Charleston a few weeks later with relatively no problem except a small delay. This was my first space A trip and I was very pleased with the outcome!   Geoffrey William McCarthy Member Username: Geffmccarthy Post Number: 22 Registered: 05-2010 Posted From: 98.246.146.137 Posted on Thursday, June 10, 2010 - 03:23 pm:    I have been tracking flights from Ramstein and Spang to CONUS. It is easy for CAt VI, particularly from Spang.   xLoadmaster,M.Lewis Advanced Member Username: Cblmelga Post Number: 162 Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 76.17.91.102 Posted on Wednesday, June 09, 2010 - 12:37 am:    geting back to the US is the hard part.   Geoffrey William McCarthy Member Username: Geffmccarthy Post Number: 14 Registered: 05-2010 Posted From: 98.246.146.137 Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 - 10:52 pm:    I have been closely monitoring e coast departures to Europe for the last 2w, with several phone calls to agents. It is not unusual for all CatVI to get on a flight to Europe. However BWI is the worst. I have decided not to try from BWI. Will post data in 2-3d.   Richard Seriani Member Username: Richard_seriani Post Number: 7 Registered: 05-2009 Posted From: 70.161.198.85 Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 - 05:49 pm:    Is this all simply a matter of luck, or is there more to it? Just a few posts earlier (Norfolk to Naples), Mr. Sheedy managed to get out on what I'm thinking was a PatEx flight ($$) on 1Jun. Seemingly, the flight was far from from full. I've only taken one space-a flight, so I curiously read nearly every post. I've still got a lot to learn. Richard   Ray Clifford Advanced Member Username: Mrsas Post Number: 356 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 67.216.146.134 Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 - 12:21 am:    Add up the $$$ spend while waiting and time wasted it is not worth the effort for cat VI to try in the summer. Try one way from N.Y.to Frankfurt and then to England in June and then fly back Space A in Sept.   xLoadmaster,M.Lewis Advanced Member Username: Cblmelga Post Number: 161 Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 76.17.91.102 Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 06:16 pm:    There is nothing worse than getting stuck on the wrong side of the big pond.   John D. Moderator Username: John_d Post Number: 4625 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 95.208.80.143 Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 03:45 am:    Sometimes the cards are really stacked against you. They may have made it over but might have had a similar experience getting home.   Dakota Ray Senior Member Username: Rhammer Post Number: 462 Registered: 05-2007 Posted From: 69.62.147.217 Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 02:18 am:    Mr Standage, Thanks for passing the info because it is real. Hopefully real experiences make more sense to some people. I love space A but people need to be realistic and expenses for lodging, meals, transportation do count up. X Loadmaster also has a good point about getting home. Can Cat VI travel in the summer--certainly--but the percentage and probability certainly go down. It also goes down for other Cats. Thanks for posting.   Carole G Advanced Member Username: Greengal Post Number: 232 Registered: 01-2010 Posted From: 68.205.151.181 Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 02:09 am:    Perfect example of summer disaster for Cat VI. Sorry they were not able to make any of those flights, but this board states the facts daily to anyone that asks.   John R Garrison Senior Member Username: Majorg Post Number: 2706 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 208.81.157.86 Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 02:07 am:    Bill: Thanks for relaying the info....I've been preaching 15 May for two years now and have been ridiculed for not telling folks that the Summer rush started later. I've also seen folks giving encouragement to others to travel in the "lull season"...of July. They just don't realize that the Summer Rush really is an extended and full season of 15 May thru 15 Sep...there is no Summer Lull! Thanks for letting me vent. Happy Travels, John   xLoadmaster,M.Lewis Advanced Member Username: Cblmelga Post Number: 159 Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 76.17.91.102 Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 02:05 am:    if you get on the flgt. on 7 Jun to Mildenhall, how will you get back from Mildenhall to Co. Summer is a big no no for cat 6   William Standage Senior Member Username: Charlie13 Post Number: 1134 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 75.172.61.101 Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 01:44 am:    With their permission, I'm posting a cautionary tale received via email from retired friends who live in Colorado Springs. To date, they have been unsuccessful in catching a space-a hop to anywhere in Europe for the last three weeks. Their goal was to eventually get to Mildenhall, but were willing to take anything going to Europe. They made two attempts at McConnell then drove to the East Coast to try BWI, Andrews, Dover and McGuire. They had a well seasoned signup date but it expired on 30 May! This story highlights the difficulties of attempting to travel overseas during the traditional Summer rush which usually starts mid May each year, and runs through mid Sep. The lesson applies to anyone trying to travel in categories 4 - 6! I've been coaching these guys with suggestions, but they have struck out everwhere they've gone. Unless they catch a lucky break at McConnell AFB tomorrow, they will bag the attempt for the time being. I believe their main problem was starting this attempt about a week too late. Cut and pasted message follows: "Hi all. This morning I woke up at 4 AM and could not go back to sleep, thinking about all the numerous times since mid May that we've tried to get a military HOP to Europe, from McConnell AFB, from Andrews AFB, from Dover AFB, and from Baltimore. That certainly hasn't worked for us so far. I had intended to drive to McGuire AFB (New Jersey)today and see if we could get on either of the 2 flights going tonight. BUT, after thinking about the hassle of driving the 4 hours up to McGuire from the DC area, the late roll calls, trying to find a hotel if we didn't make it (it's double drill weekend at McGuire this weekend and no rooms on base), the fact that the long term parking is over a mile from the terminal with no bus service, the heat and humidity, I DECIDED TO START DRIVING WEST TOWARD COLORADO. Tonight, we are in Grayson, KY, about 25 miles West of Huntington, West VA. It was a beautiful drive thru upper MD and West VA. We plan to drive to Olatha, KS tomorrow (if we can get that far) and spend the night with family. On Sunday 6 June, we will drive to McConnell AFB in Wichita, KS (I have a BOQ room reserved for Sun night) and will try for one last HOP from McConnell to Mildenhall on Monday, 7 June. There are currently 10 seats open for that flight. Of course, my original sign up for McConnell has expired, and I only signed up for the flight today, so that doesn't help our chances. ON TUES, 8 JUNE WE WILL EITHER SLEEP IN A BED IN ENGLAND OR SLEEP IN OUR OWN BED IN COLORADO SPRINGS. I now have learned NOT TO TRY TO TAKE A MILITARY HOP IN THE SUMMER! I guess I had to see it with my own eyes. We have taken several summer hops in former years, but the rules and military missions have changed so much since our last hop 6 years ago. There were very limited numbers of dependents flying without spouses then; now there are literally thousands of spouses and babies and children hopping without sponsors. It really was a sight to behold. If there were 50 open seats, 150 showed up, if there were 100 open seats, over 250 showed up. NOT ONCE DID THEY EVER GET PAST CATEGORY 3, so those of us in Cat 6 were never even in contention. Even so, we have had a lot of fun, visiting friends, meeting lots of other retirees trying without success to get to Europe, helping quite a few with transportation as much as we could. AND MAYBE, WE JUST MIGHT GET ON THAT FLIGHT TO MILDENHALL ON 7 JUNE. All for now..."