Space-A travel

File:Spaceabook.jpg

Promotional material (by a private publisher) for Space-A Travel

Space-A Travel or Department of Defense Military Space-Available Travel is a means by which uniformed members of United States services, reservists and retirees, United States Department of Defense civilian personnel (under certain circumstances), and each of these groups' dependents are permitted to travel on aircraft under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense when excess capability allows for it.

Background

Space available travel is an administrative privilege that derives, in part, from United States Code, title 10, section 4744, which states, "officers and members of the Military Departments, and their families, when space is available, may be transported on vessels operated by any military transport agency of the Department of Defense". Space available travel is defined as "travel aboard DoD owned or controlled aircraft and occurs when aircraft are not fully booked with passengers traveling under orders".

It is a privilege offered to United States Uniformed Services members as an avenue of respite from the rigors of Uniformed Services duty. Retired members are given the privilege in recognition of a career of such rigorous duty and because they are eligible for recall to active duty. The underlying criteria for extending the privilege to other categories of passengers is their support to the mission being performed by Uniformed Services members and to the enhancement of active duty Service members' quality of life.

Application

The branches of service who receive this are:

• United States Navy
• United States Marine Corps
• United States Army
• United States Air Force
• United States Coast Guard
• United States Public Health Service
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Guidelines

There are a myriad of rules and guidelines which apply to such travel. While authorizations and procedures have evolved over time, some underlying rules form the basis for this privilege. Uniformed personnel may only travel Space-A while on leave or pass for the full duration of their Space A trip, and Space-A travel can not be used in conjunction with travel required by the service. Space A travel may not be used for personal financial gain or in connection with business enterprises or employment. Other nations' laws and policies, as well as U.S. foreign policy, may limit the ability to travel using Space-A.

Aside from members of the United States Marine Corps, travelers do not have to be in uniform for their flights, and are instead permitted to wear approved civilian attire.

Basic Process

Passengers wanting to travel using DoD military space available travel are required to sign up with a military installation and are then placed on a locally-managed Space A register. The registration process varies depending on the installation, but most installations allow signups via electronic mail, fax, or postal mail. Some installations have created their own web-based sign-up forms. There is also a private (at time of writing: free) website which enables signing up at multiple installations.

Each installation's passenger service center maintains the Space-A register. Each person signing up is placed on this register using two factors: category of travel, and signup date.

Based on status (active duty military, retired military, emergency traveler, etc.), Space-A Travel applicants are assigned a category of travel from 1 to 6, which categorizes their priority of movement, 1 being the highest priority. Thus, an applicant with priority 1 will gain a place on an available aircraft over an applicant with priority 4, for example.

Just prior to time-of-flight, the numbers of available seats is determined. After sorting the signup register by priority of travel and signup date, the passenger terminal personnel follow a selection procedure. If there is sufficient seating for everyone desiring a seat, then everyone boards; otherwise, a cutoff point is determined.

Aircraft Generally Allowing for DoD Space-A Travel

C-5 Galaxy
C-12 Huron	based on the Beechcraft Super King Air business aircraft
C-17 Globemaster III
C-20 Gulfstream III	based on the Gulfstream III and Gulfstream IV business jets
C-21 Learjet	based on the Learjet 35A business jet
C-22B	based on the Boeing 727 passenger jet
VC-25A	based on the Boeing 747-200 passenger jet
C-32	based on the Boeing 757 passenger jet; used as Air Force Two
UC-35 Citation V	based on the Cessna Citation V business jet
C-37 Gulfstream V	based on the Gulfstream V business jet
C-38 Courier	based on the IAI Astra business jet
C-40 Clipper	based on the Boeing 737 passenger jet
C-130 Hercules
C-135 Stratolifter	derived from Boeing 367-80 prototype jet (the basis for the Boeing 707 passenger jet)

Space-Required vs. Space-Available: Space-Required Wins

Space A travel is not without its pitfalls. Unlike traditional commercial air traffic, military flights are not always assigned predictable or firm takeoff times. Many factors go into planning a military flight, with space-required cargo and passengers forming the basis of planning. There is no consideration given to potential Space-A travelers during the planning process.

A Cottage Industry Supporting Space-A

The Space A traveler is well-advised to prepare as best as possible for unusual, abrupt, sometimes even in-flight changes in travel. This need for pre-planning has given rise to a cottage industry surrounding Space available travel. A number of non-governmental enterprises (for the most part, publishers) produce various products, primarily books and maps, which serve to provide potential travelers information relation to their Space A benefit. There are also Internet forums where users exchange Space-A travel tips. One forum's members, few of whom have met each other, even go so far as to wear a common bandana on their luggage while Space-Aing, in order to identify each other easily.

See also

• Zonal Employee Discount
• Interline travel
• Interlining

Sources

• DoD policy - Air Transportation Eligibility retrieved on November 27 2007

External links

• CONUS Space-A Travel Location Listing Private list of CONUS Space-A Terminals - retrieved on March 16 2008 (Current)
• Europe Space-A Travel Location Listing Private list of European Region Space-A Terminals - retrieved on March 16 2008 (Current)
• Pacific Space-A Travel Location Listing Private list of Pacific Region Space-A Terminals - retrieved on March 16 2008 (Current)
• Pepperd.com - Private Space A discussion bulletin board - retrieved on November 27 2007 (Current)
• Takeahop.com/.org/.net - Private, non-commercial method for Space A registration - retrieved on November 27 2007 (Current)
• About.com - Military Space A Travel Information and Resources - retrieved on August 28 2007 (Contains partially outdated references)
• SpaceAtravel.com Commercial Publishers of Space-A Material - retrieved on March 16 2008
• SpaceA.info Commercial Publishers of Space-A Materials - retrieved on August 28 2007
• MilitaryHops.com - Private website with Space A references - retrieved on November 5 2007 (Current)

Further Reading

• SpaceA.net John D’s Military Space-A Travel Pages - Private, Non-commercial Space A information source] - retrieved on November 27 2007 (Current)