MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Patriot Express is slated to continue service here into the next fiscal year with minor changes effective Thursday.
The Patriot Express is now scheduled to arrive here Mondays at 3:45 p.m. and depart Tuesdays at 6:30 a.m. Space Available travelers or service members traveling without orders aboard the Patriot Express are required to be at the air terminal here Tuesdays no later than 2:30 a.m.
Space Required travelers or service members traveling on orders will need to be at the air terminal, no later than 3:30 a.m.
Gunnery Sgt. Joaquin Navarro, air transportation division staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge here, said the station was so successful in filling seats aboard the Patriot Express last year that they were able to continue service here with some minor modifications.
“In some way or another, these changes will affect anyone who plans to utilize the Patriot Express in the future,” said Navarro. “We’re very fortunate and pleased with having the opportunity to once again offer air transportation to the United States for our Iwakuni residents.”
Also, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, will no longer be on the same leg as Iwakuni. Instead, Misawa, Japan, has been added to the route.
The Patriot Express will route from Seattle to Anchorage, Misawa, Yokota, to here.
After staying overnight here, it will continue its journey back to Seattle, following the same route in reverse.
Service to these destinations will be provided by a new Boeing 757 aircraft replacing the older McDonnell Douglas DC-10.
The B-757 is outfitted with approximately 190 economy seats with 45 seats reserved for the station.
“It should be a little more comfortable than the DC-10,” said Navarro.
Outbound service members processing out to their next duty station will be able to book their flights aboard the Patriot Express through the Installation Personnel Administration Center as they receive their orders.
Space Available travelers can contact the air terminal for more information.
“Another plus to the Patriot Express is the convenience of flying into MCA S Iwakuni,” said Navarro. “No more unnecessary stress with coordinating transportation to and from the airports or even getting lost in them,” Navarro added.
A station shuttle bus will continue to provide transportation to the air terminal for Patriot Express patrons from three different locations every Tuesday.
It will arrive at the Nishiki Lodge at 2 a.m., the Kintai Inn at 2:18 a.m. and the Monzen Lodge at 2:36 a.m. to arrive at the air terminal at 3 a.m.