MAC flights - Travel, Leisure & Vacations

petsparkle · 10-29-2007, 11:26 AM

Has anyone flown overseas using MAC flights? Our CMC told me that even though I'm Navy, I can fly MAC. I can't fly NALO because the Navy doesn't allow unaccompanied spouses to fly.

I'm trying to save a ton of money on my trip to England. I'm just wondering what a MAC flight is like? I wouldn't care for me, but DD is so young I want to make sure it's okay for her.

rosebud* · 10-29-2007, 12:12 PM

A friend of mine tried to MAC flight it to Las Vegas with her daughter, she couldn't because the AD member wasn't with her. best bet would be to call the air terminal in Whidbey to see what they require.

petsparkle · 10-29-2007, 12:16 PM

Whidbey won't let me do it because I'm not flying with my DH. BUT the Air Force (McChord AFB) will let me so long as I am going directly overseas. I can't fly CONUS, but I can fly OCONUS. I did just talk to the guy there and he said the chances of me getting an OCONUS flight from here are very minimal, and they'd only get me to Germany. So that won't work. He suggested commerical to Charleston AFB or Dover AFB and then MAC overseas because they fly a lot more over there.

I think I'm going to have to suck up the commercial prices. Yikes!

But, the good news is that the Navy is going to let dependents fly Space A unaccompanied starting in about 6-8 months. So maybe I'll be able to use that for my trip home for my sister's wedding. Fingers crossed!

Dani · 10-29-2007, 12:28 PM

You can always call the airline and try to get a military discount. Or your DH can call and book the flight for you and get the discount as well.

petsparkle · 10-29-2007, 12:30 PM

Really? I've never done that. I'll have to try it!

Thanks for the advice!!

s. rosa · 10-29-2007, 02:19 PM

ummm what's mac and nalo? never heard of that???

petsparkle · 10-29-2007, 03:27 PM

MAC is Air Force, NALO is Navy. It's all Space A (i.e. Space Available) travel but it's just a different name for who runs it. I thought they were all called MAC flights until the guy at the airport here on base told me they call it NALO.

MAC is Military Airlift Command
NALO is Naval Air Logistics Office (I think). For some reason I used to think it stood for Naval Air Lift Operation, but I guess that was wrong.

harrislj · 10-29-2007, 03:46 PM

I've flown MAC from Okinawa, Japan to Osan, Korea. We had the typical flight delays than cancellations.. all that, but we planned for that so it turned out alright. Also, we my mother and I flew Mac from Okinawa to Los Angeles because my great-grandmother was very ill. The red cross gave us priority, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to go.

The Korea ones were with my father - who was my sponsor. The Los Angeles one was without, but once again was only possible because of the Red Cross

10-29-2007, 04:24 PM

yeah im flying military discount with 2 of my other friends....506 each into Heathrow,and then we catch transfer to another plane to Ireland.

So excitied it was that cheap...but we bought in August for November.

Casey · 10-29-2007, 05:35 PM

I have flown about 5 MAC flights. 4 C130's and 1 C120. The first one was crazy. Its this HUGE plane with a TON of cargo on it and your luggage is strapped down in front of you. And it is incredibly uncomfortable cuz you sit on cots and have like nets behind you to lean against. Flying from Hawaii to San diego on a commercial flight takes about 5 hours, but going on a MAC flight take about 8-9 hours! After the first one though, its a lot easier to get everything set and get on the plane.

It can be hard because it isnt gauranteed. I remember having to come back a couple of times before I finally got a flight! But I mean its free, so I dont mind the wait as long as I am able to get to where I want!

The C120 flight was sooo much better though! It was like a normal commercial plane just much much smaller (even smaller than the little connector flight planes) but it was air conditioned and had real seats and was just comfy.

10-29-2007, 11:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
petsparkle Survived 8 deployments... Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,115 Classifieds: (5) Activity: 1% Longevity: 35%	MAC flights Has anyone flown overseas using MAC flights? Our CMC told me that even though I'm Navy, I can fly MAC. I can't fly NALO because the Navy doesn't allow unaccompanied spouses to fly. I'm trying to save a ton of money on my trip to England. I'm just wondering what a MAC flight is like? I wouldn't care for me, but DD is so young I want to make sure it's okay for her. __________________ "If you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them."

10-29-2007, 12:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
rosebud* rosebud*<3 Brittany Jo && <3 thekels9 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: [wherever his heart is] Posts: 32,651 Blog Entries: 2 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 49% Longevity: 67%	A friend of mine tried to MAC flight it to Las Vegas with her daughter, she couldn't because the AD member wasn't with her. best bet would be to call the air terminal in Whidbey to see what they require. __________________

10-29-2007, 12:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
petsparkle Survived 8 deployments... Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,115 Classifieds: (5) Activity: 1% Longevity: 35%	Whidbey won't let me do it because I'm not flying with my DH. BUT the Air Force (McChord AFB) will let me so long as I am going directly overseas. I can't fly CONUS, but I can fly OCONUS. I did just talk to the guy there and he said the chances of me getting an OCONUS flight from here are very minimal, and they'd only get me to Germany. So that won't work. He suggested commerical to Charleston AFB or Dover AFB and then MAC overseas because they fly a lot more over there. I think I'm going to have to suck up the commercial prices. Yikes! But, the good news is that the Navy is going to let dependents fly Space A unaccompanied starting in about 6-8 months. So maybe I'll be able to use that for my trip home for my sister's wedding. Fingers crossed! __________________ "If you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them."

10-29-2007, 12:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
Dani Navy Wife Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 4,958 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 41%	You can always call the airline and try to get a military discount. Or your DH can call and book the flight for you and get the discount as well. __________________

10-29-2007, 12:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
petsparkle Survived 8 deployments... Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,115 Classifieds: (5) Activity: 1% Longevity: 35%	Really? I've never done that. I'll have to try it! Thanks for the advice!! __________________ "If you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them."

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10-29-2007, 02:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
s. rosa MilitarySOS Jewel Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fort Lewis WA Posts: 3,514 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 33% Longevity: 57%	ummm what's mac and nalo? never heard of that??? __________________

10-29-2007, 03:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
petsparkle Survived 8 deployments... Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,115 Classifieds: (5) Activity: 1% Longevity: 35%	MAC is Air Force, NALO is Navy. It's all Space A (i.e. Space Available) travel but it's just a different name for who runs it. I thought they were all called MAC flights until the guy at the airport here on base told me they call it NALO. MAC is Military Airlift Command NALO is Naval Air Logistics Office (I think). For some reason I used to think it stood for Naval Air Lift Operation, but I guess that was wrong. __________________ "If you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them."

10-29-2007, 03:46 PM	#8 (permalink)
harrislj Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: I'm In Virginia. He's In Iraq. Posts: 255 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 36%	I've flown MAC from Okinawa, Japan to Osan, Korea. We had the typical flight delays than cancellations.. all that, but we planned for that so it turned out alright. Also, we my mother and I flew Mac from Okinawa to Los Angeles because my great-grandmother was very ill. The red cross gave us priority, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to go. The Korea ones were with my father - who was my sponsor. The Los Angeles one was without, but once again was only possible because of the Red Cross __________________ My Prince Charming Wears Combat Boots

10-29-2007, 04:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
riffrandallxo Guest Posts: n/a Activity: 0% Longevity: 0%	yeah im flying military discount with 2 of my other friends....506 each into Heathrow,and then we catch transfer to another plane to Ireland. So excitied it was that cheap...but we bought in August for November.

10-29-2007, 05:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
Casey trying to keep my head above water.... Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,714 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 52%	I have flown about 5 MAC flights. 4 C130's and 1 C120. The first one was crazy. Its this HUGE plane with a TON of cargo on it and your luggage is strapped down in front of you. And it is incredibly uncomfortable cuz you sit on cots and have like nets behind you to lean against. Flying from Hawaii to San diego on a commercial flight takes about 5 hours, but going on a MAC flight take about 8-9 hours! After the first one though, its a lot easier to get everything set and get on the plane. It can be hard because it isnt gauranteed. I remember having to come back a couple of times before I finally got a flight! But I mean its free, so I dont mind the wait as long as I am able to get to where I want! The C120 flight was sooo much better though! It was like a normal commercial plane just much much smaller (even smaller than the little connector flight planes) but it was air conditioned and had real seats and was just comfy. __________________ Wife to my Navy Vet Toby (11/4/04) Mommy to my Buggah Butt Elizabeth (11/20/06) Thanks Brentscrystal! I it!