Having been on the receiving end of 'All VC10s go to Brize' in my brief time on fighters, when I eventually had the opportunity to do so, if we were bringing back FJ aircrew from a detachment in the VC10K Super FunBus, I'd ask the AARC if we could be re-tasked to land at their bases instead. Amenable AARCs such as TT would usually agree, so we'd land, have a quick customs clearance, then do the 30-45 min back to Brize. Which beat the heck out of the 32 seat coach journeys I remember with much loathing!
Of course there'd be the odd know-it-all ex-AT Air Engineer who'd try to screw things up, such as 'Caring Ken the Airman's Friend', who once tried to tell me that we couldn't bring the FJ mates' LSJs with us as they were 'Dangerous Air Cargo'...
So I invited him to look under his desk at his own LSJ, which was just as much DAC as the ones double wrapped in poly bags lashed down in the tank bay...
Another delightful habit of some FJ stations was their refusal to send MT to collect their chaps until they'd been told that the aircraft had landed at Brize. Bringing some F-4 crews back from ASI once (we didn't have the fuel for their destination and back to Brize), I asked what their onward travel arrangements were "The buggers at will probably send us a bus when we've landed", they told me. Great - after the usual Movs faff, they'd have to sit and wait hours until a bus arrived to drive them to Wattisham? No problemo though; just off the sticky-out bit of Africa..."Architect, Architect, this is RAFAIR nnnn on 11s upper, request phone patch with Wattisham extension nnn....." "Hello, MT Control" "Good day, just to let you know that the pax are just landing at Brize, so could you send the bus please?" "OK - they must be early, but we'll send it now...."
And lo and behold, just as they emerged from customs, their coach arrived - I love it when a plan comes together!