Action Line 81206 - Online ticketing

  • Published
  • By Anonymous
  • 39th Air Base Wing public affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Complaint:
I recently went to the Viking Travel office to buy my tickets for my upcoming TDY. Curiously, I looked up the price on orbitz.com and Travelocity.com, matching the exact travel dates and airports. I was shocked to see that the price on Orbitz.com and Travelocity.com were half the price the Viking Office gave.

Are we required to purchase our official travel tickets through SATO/Viking even if finding the tickets somewhere else can be much cheaper?

Response:
Thank you for bringing to light a very popular question. Yes, we are required to purchase our official travel tickets through SATO/Viking even if you can find cheaper tickets elsewhere.

Per our travel regulations, it is mandatory that travelers make official travel arrangements through the Traffic Management Flight/Commercial Ticket Office. The rates obtained are negotiated by contract with the airlines.

And you're right: most government fares are more expensive, but please keep in mind that government fares are 100% changeable and restriction free. This allows travelers to make changes to their itineraries and travel plans without penalties or fees. The online tickets do not allow unrestricted changes. This policy helps protect you and other travelers against potential losses due to changing travel arrangements.

Thanks for the call.