Indulgence Flights
 

Has anyone had any experience lately of taking indulgence flights out to the Falklands and Ascension? (Not the worlds most obvious holiday destinations I know) How hard they are to get, and how often do people get kicked off at the last moment?

I gave the defence reservations chaps a call, but they weren't all that helpful other than saying I needed to send the forms down to the FI rather than to them.

Speak to the Senior Air Movements Officer at Brize Norton.
He's got a list of costs etc, and will be the ideal man to ask with regards to the possibilities of getting kicked off at the last moment.

I enquired as to the possibility of indulging (with Mrs in tow) to the FI about 5 years back. I was told that I would need to prove that I had the money in the bank to pay for a civvy ticket back, x2, via Chile/USA in the event that I was kicked off the flight penguin side.

I decided not to bother in the end as the tickets back are a grand and a half a piece. The day I have that sort of cash floating in my current account is the day I don't need to indulge anymore!

(By the way, cost to indulge was, back then, about £150.)

Hope that helps.

Indulging to FI
 

I believe indulgence to both FI and Asi is controlled by those locations and you need to be sponsored (certainly in the case of Asi) by somebody on the island, who obtains permission from the Stn Cdr for you to go there.

Last time I indulged to Asi (3/4 years ago) cost was about £36 one way. Well worth the trouble getting there!

If I remeber correctly its £54 each way to indulge to the Falklands. The 747 is very rarely at max payload and I can't remember anyone being bumped off since the charter has been operating. Cyprus is a different matter, You will probably find yourself on a waiting list and due to the various aircraft types they use for example if the trooper is a VC10, it will probably be full of duty pax. Don't forget a sponsor for the South Atlantic !
As stated though have a back up plan to get home or an understanding line manager. Try speaking to the movers at Brize for anymore info...

Can anyone provide a list of current fees for indulgence flights?

As a member of the US armed forces, or retired member, or dependant of a member, or retired member, you could travel Space A - which is almost free (apart from some taxes in some places), and go just about anywhere in the world. Naturally, the UK forces don't get the same consideration from our government.

However, there are times when we can travel Space A too - look here for the regs:

http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/c...4/p451513r.pdf

As it happens not everything is better in the US Armed Forces. I seem to remember that if, for some peculiar reason, one wanted to holiday at an RAF station other than one's own, one could book a room, pay the appropriate cheap rate and stay as long as required without any aggro. I tried this at Hickam AFB, Hawaiaiaiaiaiaia (sp?) for a few days while exchanging some moons ago but had to check out every morning and queue to find out if I could get a bed for that night. Maybe it was a supply and demand thing but it was a real pain.

"As it happens not everything is better in the US Armed Forces"

Only true on the return leg. Reach will always get you too some far flung destination....then tell you you will be bumped on the return. I was burned on this down in Oz. Had to pay my way back as I wasn't going to get on. Spent as much money as a civvie on vacation. Those one way tickets purchased last minute are reeeaallyy expensive.