Sigonella - Rota -the air- Rota -stuc...

Author Message   Earl Senior Member Username: Myramstein Post Number: 584 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 99.205.15.114 Posted on Friday, January 22, 2010 - 10:55 pm:    Rob, you did not say if you tried getting back from Moron? I was "stuck" at Rota once. Called Moron. They had flights...so I rode the commissary run bus to Moron from Rota. Got out. Not saying that will work every time..but may be a option for some people. Last time I was in Rota (July/Aug), I called Moron for the heck of it. Looked like no flights were moving during the time I wanted to get back. Luck was with me, when I showed up at Rota from Seville got on flight the same night!   Alicia W. Intermediate Member Username: Lilyfrog67 Post Number: 149 Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 70.161.143.146 Posted on Friday, January 22, 2010 - 10:20 pm:    Wow!!! I can relate to your experience!! When I was stuck in Rota...a few times...we took the mattresses out of the cribs and slept on them...but I did have kids with me. I feel your pain!! Hopefully your wife got back to Norfolk...I had a nice time chatting with your daughter at MAC Terminal this morning!!!   Rob-N-sig Advanced Member Username: Robnsig Post Number: 226 Registered: 12-2008 Posted From: 88.45.223.138 Posted on Friday, January 22, 2010 - 05:47 pm:    UK, This is the answer. CAT V: Unaccompanied Command Sponsored and Non-Command Sponsored Dependents of Active Duty, Permissive TDY (Non house Hunting), Students   JEB Senior Member Username: Wingrider Post Number: 455 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 70.156.46.43 Posted on Friday, January 22, 2010 - 03:38 pm:    I know some are just simply going to tell me that rules HAVE to be followed...regardless. But some of them just don't make sense, like running you out of the kids room when no one else was present. A couple of years ago my wife and I got stuck overnight at Travis. We tried for an on base room but none was available so we had to spend a miserable night in the terminal. I was sitting upright in a chair, NOT laying, NOT sprawled on the floor, not covered up, just sitting with my eyes closed, hoping to get a few minutes of rest and sleep. One of the PAX workers came over and shook me and told me I wasn't allowed to sleep in there. I really never could figure out why sitting upright with your eyes closed so so much worse than sitting upright with your eyes open. Maybe I was supposed to be keeping a vigil for terrorist or something! Good report, THANKS for taking the time to write it up. I guess sooner or later we'll all get burned at least once. But in my case, my successes sure outnumber my failures.   D.B.M UK Senior Member Username: Overlandrover Post Number: 5588 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 88.108.6.156 Posted on Friday, January 22, 2010 - 06:59 am:    Rob, glad to see you gave it a go. You head to Norfolk more than I think about it. I have one question though,(I know others are thinking it)how could you get your wife on the plane by her self, or is she active duty   Sandor Ketzis Intermediate Member Username: Siamk Post Number: 107 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 74.107.89.126 Posted on Friday, January 22, 2010 - 02:58 am:    Rob, if you had been playing with the toys, they might have let you stay. So, next time, gather up some little planes and trucks, and sit on the floor. On the other hand, they might have found a way to get you out quickly.   Earl Senior Member Username: Myramstein Post Number: 582 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 70.11.107.94 Posted on Thursday, January 21, 2010 - 08:22 pm:    Rob, where are you at now? Still in Rota?   Lee Russler Intermediate Member Username: Lrusslerjr Post Number: 80 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 66.59.117.245 Posted on Thursday, January 21, 2010 - 07:35 pm:    With all that, you are allowed a little rant time!! Hope you're feeling better.   Rob-N-sig Advanced Member Username: Robnsig Post Number: 222 Registered: 12-2008 Posted From: 88.45.223.138 Posted on Thursday, January 21, 2010 - 07:15 pm:    First off, let me say I am complaining for no good reason other than letting this trip go. When it comes to Space-A travel I am spoiled and blessed to never run into any travel troubles but that changed this week. I left Sigonella on a empty C-40 to Rota Monday, 18 Jan in the morning. If everything went right my wife and I would land in Rota, jump a 1530 roll-call for a C-5 heading to Dover. While Norfolk is where we wanted to be, the kids are old enough to drive up and get these parents now. Everything was great, great I tell you, the Rota staff, the other folks waiting to catch various flight everything. But the words C-5 keep coming to me. We get on the plane, we settle in for the flight, we take off. The wife has fallen asleep. I was smiling because I had to be back in Sigonella Thursday morning and the plan was in action. You know the plan were the man takes care of the woman because she expects so much more from him and he has to do it or she will be disappointed....yea that plan. About 30-40 minutes in to the flight the crew member said there was a problem and we were turning back. A light came on and went off but it stayed on a little too long. Getting back to Rota before 2200, we were told around midnight we would get an update. The wife and I didn't mind. At 0440 there was a roll call for a C-5 to Norfolk. Midnight came and went, update pushed to 0200. At 0400 we told the staff that we wanted to switch over to the Norfolk flight....the plan was back on. We got tickets, they took the bags. Then came the word that the plane was overweight and we could not go...plus they were having C-5 issues....the same issues we had been told were fixed yesterday. The updates came and went but nothing was flying...oh I forgot a C17 left Rota and was going to over flying Dover for Charleston SC....arriving around 0100 in the AM. I made the decision to let it go....wondering what I would do in the middle of the night waiting for the civilian airport to open. If the computers in the terminal were working I could have checked flight information but that is another topic. If there was Wi-Fi in the terminal then I could check it on my own computer but that is another topic. It is now Tuesday afternoonish and the wife and I decide to get a room. Really we decided because a room finally came open. We rent a car, 46.99 a day at the mac-terminal. Head to the Navy Lodge and enjoy unpacking the bags. While we were deciding what to do, something told me to head back to the terminal and ask if they would take the wife without me or the bags....crazy as that sounds the crew said yes. I hustle back to get her. I am sweating like the fat guy I have become. We get there and the plane is on another 2 hour delay. Something happens, my wife tells me we are suppose to be together and she doesn't want to go. Did I mention that I had to be back to work the 21st AM....planning to catch the Tuesday night 1700 Norfolk time 767 to Rota Sigonella with 68 open space-A seats? Now I am wonder what is going on. So off to see Rota from outside the gate. As we drive around we see a Chinese place and order allot of food. We head back to the base, relax, go to sleep and it happens. I am not sure what they cooked me but I was not holding it down any longer. Wed morning, 0620 roll-call comes and we go and get on the 767 back to Sigonella. We arrive, everything is great if I can get over the food. Today at 1600 local I take her to the mac-terminal to get on the plane back to Norfolk where the 4-month old granddaughter needs my wife...I swear the wife said that to me. The 767 has 4 open space-A seats taken by the first family. Here they offer everyone a ride to Rota to catch the same C-5 to Norfolk that has been sitting there since last Friday....needless to say the wife took a pass today. Readers, thank you all for letting me vent. I know some hardliners will tell me to suck it up...I will. Other will add their 2-cents, I look forward to it....but I feel better today typing this trip report....and I didn't even mention the Rota staff kicking me out of the kids room when no kids where in the entire terminal and I wanted to watch TV other than the news channel. I wasn't even playing with the toys yet :>