California and back east

Author Message   Mary Broussard New member Username: Twomarinefamily Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 74.141.243.164 Posted on Thursday, February 25, 2010 - 02:19 am:    We have flown out of Mirimar twice in the last six months and have found that the pax terminal personnel go out of their way to help SPATS get a seat. In one instance, we were told there was an unscheduled flight coming in that would depart for Andrews the following day much earlier than the scheduled medevac. We were told to check with the terminal at 2000. When we called, we were told they were not taking any passengers. We always try to arrive much earlier than the show time and in this case, we lucked out. One of the civilian PAX guys on duty talked to someone and told them there were only two people waiting and they said to hurry up and get us out there. When we arrived there on the same trip, one of the PAX agents gave my husband a ride to pick up a rental car on base. We do appreciate the privilege of flying and the many personnel who make it possible - and always an adventure!   John R Garrison Senior Member Username: Majorg Post Number: 1625 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 208.81.157.86 Posted on Monday, July 06, 2009 - 03:39 pm:    Cheryl/Robert: Thanks for taking the time to write up your (separate) adventures! You are so right about meeting the Best folks in the SpaceA world...either SPATS or crew members. Thanks for two more stories about some great folks. Happy travels, John   Robert Fields Member Username: Bandsfields Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2007 Posted From: 66.153.140.125 Posted on Monday, July 06, 2009 - 01:32 pm:    About a month ago we were returning from a vacation out west. We had flown commercial one-way to California to visit our new granddaughter in LA. My wife and I decided to fly space-A back to the east coast. Like you we took Amtrak to get to San Diego. We stayed in a hotel in SD and took a taxi over to North Island for a 7 AM showtime for a flight to Norfolk. When we got there we found that the flight was now going to go to McGuire. I went up to the terminal agent and asked to verify that my name was listed, but he told me that there was no problem since everyone would be getting on the flight. They had 32 seats available. We were all given bag-tags to fill out and NOK forms. Everything look good. However, when it was time to board the agent announced that they were now only taking 11. That left about 16 of us Cat 6s without a flight. About 45 minutes earlier had met another retired Navy man who was traveling with his wife, son and daughter. They were heading to Greece. While my wife and I were trying to figure out our next move, this Navy guy informs me that he had found a flight going out of Miramar later that afternoon which was also going to McGuire. This family could not have been more gracious. They invited us over to their home to "chill-out", They lived just out side the front gate. We were treated like long lost cousins and we enjoyed visiting their home. About 1 PM the six of us loaded up his SUV and drove up to Miramar. Again, it looked good for us to catch the C-17 to McGuire. We filled out the NOK forms and bag-tags and waited. There were 13 of us Cat 6s ready to go. And again they announced that they were only taking 11. My wife and I were 12 and 13. We thanked our new friends and wished them well and were trying to figure on how to get back down to North Island for a flight tomorrow that was scheduled for Columbia, SC. We were offered a ride to the front gate or to billeting by one of the marines that was at the terminal. We retrieved our bags and were waiting for him when another terminal agent came in and said that the load master had decided to fit us on the flight. Came to find out later that the Navy friend was looking out for us and had asked the load master if he could not find two more seats. We got to McGuire at 2AM and spent the night in the terminal before catching a hop to BWI and rentng a car to drive home to Myrtle Beach. YOU MEET THE BEST PEOPLE FLYING SPACE A!!!!!!!!!!!   Phil Doubleman Senior Member Username: Phil Post Number: 1211 Registered: 08-2005 Posted From: 76.113.46.164 Posted on Sunday, July 05, 2009 - 09:38 pm:    Great trip report. Shows a lot of adventurism and ingenuity. I envy your expertise. Those air crews are great guys/gals, aren't they? They almost always come through in a pinch. Hooray for them.   Cheryl A Rinder Member Username: Cher Post Number: 10 Registered: 07-2008 Posted From: 75.69.68.234 Posted on Sunday, July 05, 2009 - 07:22 pm:    My husband and I decided to make a quick trip out to California to visit my sister and her husband who has just had some serious medical issues. We left VT and headed to McGuire hoping to catch SOMETHING heading in that direction. There was a flight listed to Charleston, and one from Charleston to March AFB which is pretty close to where my sister is. We spent the night in lodging at McGuire which was fine except for fire alarm going off for about half hour 11pm ish...But no fire and we were able to get back into bed and sleep. When we checked on flights in am, the charleston flight was still on, but the one to March from Charleston was cancelled...so we drove down to Andrews and tried to get a flight to Travis from there. Didn't get on that flight, but managed to catch a C17 to Nellis next day. When we arrived at Nellis, we walked over to the PX where the Enterprise desk was, and found that they do not allow drop off at another place - or at least our of state. So we trekked out to the main drag, got on a bus to Las Vegas (took about an hour) then a bus from Las Vegas to the Las Vegas airport. We were with a mother and her two teenaged girls who had been on the flight with us and were going to LA. We ended up renting a car together and driving. We got dropped off in Yorba Linda at my sister's house, and they went on into LA to family and dropped the car off next day. They were lovely and it was fun to spend some time with them! We stayed at my sister's house from Weds night till Sunday am. We had kept checking flights going back, and finally opted to try for one out of North Island. We took an Amtrak train from Anaheim Sunday midday _ a lovely ride! When we got off in downtown San Diego, we walked over to the waterfront and took a ferry to Coronado (about $3.25 each I think) This was also a lovely little ride. We arrived Coronado and got onto a city bus, transferred to another city bus which dropped us off at the Base gate. We walked from there to the lodging office and got a very nice ground floor suite for $37. We walked all over the base, got a sandwich for supper. Spent the next day going to gym, then walking a lot; lunch at the golf course, saw the beautiful beach there, though only got our feet in (water is COLD!) Now comes the tricky part. We had been opting for a flight to Willow Grove which was posted for Tuesday morning...not ideal - it would have meant renting a car, driving down to Andrews, dropping off car and picking up our car, then driving back to VT. BUT, it was a listed flight and they were pretty convincing that we could get on. THEN, we saw a flight listed from Miramar to Andrews - also show time of Tuesday - midday. We broke the cardinal rule of Space A travel, and left North Island early Tues am to travel but city buses (great public transportation in San Diego) to Miramar. Got off bus at Miramar Road and Black Mountain Rd (i think..) and walked from there onto base and to terminal - pretty long walk but we're in good shape :-) So, we arrive there early - and we've been signed up for travel out of there for almost a month - but gradually folks are coming in and in the end there were 26 of us wanting this flight. It was a medivac and had come from Travis so we started to worry that we'd made a poor decision...when it finally arrived and there was a count done, we were among the 6 people who were told to come get out luggage back....we were not getting on! We were kicking oursleves for leaving North Island and not taking the Willow Grove Flight. My husband went out side to catch another couple who weren't going to be able to get on, and see if they'd give us a ride back to NI in their rental car (who's keys they nad not dropped of till they were sure they were on.) I was inside organizing my backpack when suddenly the person from the desk came in and said "Never mind - they're putting a few extra seats on so they'll take all of you!" I ran out and told my husband and the other coule that we were good to go again. We were (ARE) very grateful to the crew of that C17 for doing that. What a great thing this travel is! We got back to Andrews around 11pm, and there was no room to be had, so we got into our car and drove up to McGuire and got a bed there for the rest of the night. Got back to Vermont next evening, safe and sound. All in all a fun and good adventure, and as always we are abundantly grateful for this opportunity. oh, and by the way, i had my red bandanas on our backpacks, ...but nobody ever commented on them.. Cheers. Cher