Are there any service fights going into Italy these days?

[Michael OLeary]

I'm looking at options to get cheap transport into Italy to do a battlefield tour recce in the Ortona area.  Are there any service fights going into Italy these days?  Any other options or suggestions also welcome.

Thanks

Mike

 

[SupersonicMax]

I'm on my personal computer right now, but the service flight schedule is on the DIN, on the Trenton site.  I'm not sure of the exact address, but I can look it up for you tomorrow.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Max, thanks.  I'll be at the BOR tomorrow morning, so if you find anything you can fire it at my DIN address.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Wilco

 

[Haggis]

Michael, I was on TD in Italy last month.  I enquired about service flights but found none available.  Ended up going CAL booked through AMEX.  All things considered, the price wasn't too bad.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Haggis, thanks.

 

[dapaterson]

Anywhere you've got the combination of soldiers and alcohol you can find service fights.

Service flights, on the other hand, are few and far between nowdays - I recall in early 2002? the support flights in and out for 3 VP were cunningly planned to leave Trenton on Thursday night, stop mid-day Friday in Greece, come back through Greece on Sunday afternoon, and return to Trenton early Monday.  So, for a few days of leave, a service member could get a weekend in Greece... a pretty jammy go for those who pulled it off.

There are still some flights; from what I recall most stop in the UK.  As Supersonic Max said, there should be a link on the Trenton DIN page.


(Then there was the mis-directed email I got one February, detailing the plans and flight itineraries for the small unit exchange in Hawaii.  I cursed and forwarded it to the intended recipient.)

 

[Gramps]

If you go to the 8 Wing home page, then 2 Air Mov Sqn, somewhere in there should be a link or a number for NPSC. They should be able to tell you where you can go on Svc Air. Anything anyone else tells you is either speculation or possibly out of date info. Not much of anything gong to Italy these days but there are other destinations that arent too far away by train or rental car.

 

[PMedMoe]

Here's a link:

2 Air Mov Sqn Non-duty travel

I miss the good old days when you could hop on a service flight to Europe or wherever.  I used to work at the AMS in Greenwood.  We had a lot of good flights from there, Bermuda, Scotland......

As far as fights, dataperson is probably right, alcohol + soldiers = fights 

 

[dapaterson]

Flight listing is at: http://airforce.mil.ca/cffi/index_e.htm  (DIN only)

However, last updates were 2005 (Scheduled flights) and 2006 (Unscheduled flights) so I'd take it with a large grain of salt.

 

[PMedMoe]

so I'd take it with a large grain of salt.

That's a big Margarita!!  :nod:

 

[Michael OLeary]

Well, after a few calls, I can confirm that there are no service flights going into Italy these days.

On to Plan "B".

Thanks to all who offered advice and leads.

Mike

 

[GaryM12]

Michael:
the CANOSCOM Operational Airflow forecast can be found on the DIN. I had a quick look and there are flights going to the sandbox that stop in places like Geilenkichen and Bonn......Its a start towards getting you to Italy.
I can PM you the link if you want.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Gary, thanks but no need.  With an airheads at that distance the added TD, class A wages and travel time start to cancel out the flight costs savings. As much I would enjoy the adventure, the DCO's budgetary common sense is a real life consideration. 

Mike