Travel Out of Iraq
I have been in Iraq with my new employer now for 4 months and this last week it was time to put in my request for vacation. As I did so, I had a lot of questions about how I was going to get of the country and back home.
When I was in Afghanistan it was easy. I put in my vacation request per company policy. Once my request was approved, I booked my travel online or through a local representative of Safi Airways for travel between Kabul and Dubai. When purchasing lodging and air fare out of Dubai I used Orbitz, Travelocity, Kayak, Priceline or Hotwire. The morning I was to leave Kabul, I met a PSD team outside the FOB headquarters building, received a convoy brief and was dropped off at the Kabul International Airport for onward movement to Dubai. Total time: 2 hours.
In Iraq, I found this process to be a more difficult multi-day ordeal.
After I received approval for vacation, I found I had to take the local Rhino run from FOB Union III to VBC. Once at VBC I am looking at staying overnight at the Stryker Stables (a rudimentary tent village). The next morning, a company Liaison Officer will drop me off at BIAP proper. Flying out of BIAP you have 2 options. You can fly MILAIR or you can take Gryphon Airlines.
If you take MILAIR out of Baghdad into Kuwait, you will save the $1,200 round trip air fare but you may be delayed several days if you keep getting bumped. (Contractors leaving out of Iraq on vacation have a low priority) If you are delayed you may want to start looking for your next overseas contract at Danger Zone Jobs or Hello I’m Logistics . When you arrive at Ali Al Salem Airbase you will need track down transportation (whether government or contractor provided) to Kuwait International Airport.
If you choose Gryphon Airlines, it will be more expense but you will able to have more flexibility in your travel plans while arriving at Kuwait International Airport. Gryphon operates between BIAP and Kuwait on Wednesdays, Friday and Sundays. When traveling with Gryphon ensure you have a current Letter of Authorization (LOA). A LOA is proof of authorization to enter Iraq. If not in possession of a LOA, then a CAC card or USF-I badge will be mandatory.
Please be advised that when entering the Gryphon/ Sather AB Security Check Point (ECP), the military can detain any passenger in order to verify their LOA, company contact information, or passport against the LOA. This is in addition to CAC card or USF-I badge scanning.
Traveling out of Kuwait you have two options. The first option is to fly directly from Kuwait to the United States. Expect a 4 hour delay. However, if you have a longer layover, than you can purchase a visa for $15-$30 and stay in a hotel for the night. Expect to pay $145 – $240 for a night’s stay. The second option is to travel on to Dubai where you will have more choice in carriers, more competitive prices and greater variety in flight times.
Example a flight out of Kuwait costs $2,200 but by traveling from Kuwait to Dubai then onto Dallas, the flight home would cost $1,400 for a savings of $800. As a side note, remember to factor in the potential costs of ground transportation, hotel, dining and entertainment when deciding to go the Dubai route.
If you decide you do not want to go back to the United States then I would recommend two vacation experience sites. The sites are called Jetsetter (owned by Gilt Groupe) and Wanderfly. Each site not only helps you book air fare and luxury accommodations but also recommends activities you might enjoy doing.
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