European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 4, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Sato on Post airline ticket offices by Linda White travel editor Hether you Are flying Home on Kwh vol going toy or taking a european vacation. Sato can help you. You can walk into an of face Wilh your official orators or your Independent i Ravel plans and walk out Wilh your Anline tickets in your hand. Sato is Short for scan dated airlines traffic office and in operates at s3 . Military installations in Europe. On Post or on base offices have been opened or Are scheduled to open in Germany Italy Greece the Netherlands Belgium and Britain. The network extends worldwide. Sato offers a convenient alternative to buying your ticket from a commercial Ravel Agency or an individual airline there in l any difference As far As the Price of a military larilr1 ticket for Independent travel is concerned. Those on base Sato outlets Are administered by he air transport association which is he Trade association of us airlines sat offices in each country Are a cooperative venture of american carriers operating in that country. The offices Are set up under an impartial ticketing system. Our mandate irom the department of defense is to get the quickest and Best connections for the passenger at the Best said Robert l Dupote. General manager of Sato overseas Europe. The offices Are computerized so that an itinerary can be set up and a reservations both Domestic and International made at once. No one can sell airline tickets better than the air Tinas Dubois said. Sato can make reservations on virtually any airline in the the employees Are trained and paid by he a troies travellers on toy must use . Carriers h no . Plane lies the route then the Best available fight is booked. However All rates Are calculated Irr dollars. The airlines make a Dolar Exchange rate calculation every said Dubois. It is a fixed projection Lor the month and foes not fluctuate daily with the Market. Sato pays 3 percent commission on Independent Cravei sales each month to the military mar Lund individual airlines pay much higher commissions to commercial agencies for Oach ticket sold. To guarantee impartiality in Sato ticketing the offices Are shared out by the airlines. For example one Airone will provide the manager and computer system for a particular office Complex main Oft tee branches and courier service. However the Slaff members will come irom other Akines. Chosen in alphabetical order. Office costs Are shared by the Antinea and the airlines serve As a Check on each other. The impartial ticketing can cause some confusion to the customers so Start members explain the tickets when they Are purchased. For example an office managed by Northwest airlines will use Northwest ticket Stock but can Book a Light on pan am Delta american. Twa or any other airline. The traveler should note which airline a is Hying on ral Ter than ire name on the ticket folder. Payment can be made by credit card american express. Diners Dob visa Mastercard by personal Check or in Cash. Most Sato offices Are open weekdays 7 30 am to 4-30 . Locations vary from Community to Community. In some places they Are in the transportation office the Erma Bombeck u co eve re a
