Patriot Express to resume flights

[unhappycamper]

Patriot Express to resume flights
By Bryce S. Dubee, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, April 16, 2008

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Northwest Airlines will begin operating the military’s Patriot Express passenger service in the Pacific starting Thursday, Air Force officials said.

The weekly roundtrip flight, which flies from Seattle to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa with a stop at Yokota, was suspended less than two weeks ago after the previous provider, ATA Airlines, declared bankruptcy and ceased all operations.

U.S. Transportation Command has advised that Northwest would begin operating the Patriot Express this week with the same stops, Lt. Col. Scott Graham, Yokota’s 730th Air Mobility Squadron deputy commander, said Monday.

Although flights will still hit the same bases, he said, the mission “will essentially operate in reverse.” Flights to Seattle from Kadena and Yokota will leave on Thursdays. Flights from Seattle will arrive at those bases on Fridays. In the past, flights from Seattle arrived at the bases on Fridays and departed for the States on Saturdays.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54059