15th AF starts new Space-A travel procedures

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (USTCNS) - It has become a bit less hectic for people checking to see if they've been selected for Space-Available flights at Air Force passenger terminals assigned to 15th Air Force.

That's because Travis Air Force Base, Calif., McChord AFB, Wash., Detachment 1 Seattle-Tacoma Airport and Yokota Air Base, Japan, are currently using a new Space-A processing procedure to track people seeking space-available seating on all flights. Other passenger terminals will make the change later this year.

"This new process does not change the Space-A policy or limit the sign-up process," said Master Sgt. Steven Castro, superintendent of aerial port operations for 15th AF. "It changes the selection process by using the Global Air Transportation Execution Systems for selection prioritizing instead of manually collecting and prioritizing sign-up sheets."

He said under the new procedures, prospective travelers will commit to a specific destination by informing the terminal passenger service agent when they arrive at the passenger terminal for the space-A show time.

"As prospective travelers declare their travel intent, the computer system builds a prioritized listing of those travelers actually in the terminal awaiting travel," Castro said. "This listing gives the passenger agents an
idea of the demand for seats to a destination."

The prioritized list, which contains only the names of passengers competing for seats to a specific destination(s), will be posted an hour before the flight. A revised list will be printed a half-hour later so travelers can see for themselves their chances of getting on a flight.

"Travis began using this procedure last year at its terminal and has proven effective," Castro said. "It's both beneficial to passengers and passenger terminal personnel.
It reduced the roll call process by 50 percent and speeds up the selection process for multiple flights to the same destination." (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND NEWS SERVICE