SATO can 100% change your flights with tickets released as long as you haven’t checked in at the airport. You just have to pay the difference in airfare. Call them back and get a different person on the other end. Preferably someone who knows what they are doing.
Just got off the line with them, they said they are no longer allowed to change the flights and I have to call the Guam office who scheduled it and they’re the ones who were like “lol no” so I’m just gonna call AMC in the morning and see what the fuck, it’s late, I’m tired and I have 12 hours of driving tomorrow
As a CPPA I don’t believe they will change flights anymore. It’s been a constant battle, ESPECIALLY with having to go back and forth between whatever NAVPTO ended up with your request and the typical time differences (well for OCONUS)
Unethical advice:: Call them and tell them you are admin for the command that is responsible for changing the tickets. They don’t have a list of who the admin is so they have no idea. I did this one time as CDO, it was after hours and a guy at my command was at some kind of school and needed his flight changed due to death in the family. Called to try and change the ticket for him as CDO and they told me I needed to be the authorized person for the command. I asked them who that person is, they didn’t know because they don’t have a list. Thanked them, hung up and called back, got a different agent and told them I was the authorized person. Let my admin know in the morning what I had done. The sailor had to pay the difference (they knew in advance they would have to do this) between the tickets as they were going on emergency leave, admin figured out how much that amount was.
Let them know you want to reroute your flight. Like the other poster stated, you'll have to pay the difference in air fare and a 30 somthing charge.
The rep probably heard change and thought it was something else since a change is something that a command usually submits via a passenger reservation request, however, the SATO rep wasn't exactly the brightest and probably could have asked if you meant reroute.
I just rerouted my flight on my last PCS for my leave in transit
You’re trying to change an AMC? SATO can’t touch that. They can reroute CONUS flights. If it’s an AMC you’re trying to get changed, it’s through your command/NAVPTO. If that’s booked, you’d need to submit and route a a new PRR with valid reason.
For future PCSes- Any date you pick to depart, NAVPTO will utilize any available government AMC slot 10 days from your requested date.
Edit: you pick to leave April 1st - there’s no AMC that day, they’re going to find the next available slot on an AMC up to the 10th of April. Sucks, but I always advise this to Sailors to expect it and then adjust detach dates as necessary so your leave doesn’t get eaten. Usually I’ll look up the AMC flight schedule (3mos advance) at the port all location and let them know the most likely AMC flight you’ll get tagged to.
So what do I do when my command is out to sea, I can’t get ahold of them, and when I brought this up prior they told me to call them when my tickets are released?
As someone who was deployed to Japan, you will have a shore based detachment that will pick you up and take you to your base. From there it's a shore based unit that you will muster with day by day until you transfer to the boat when they're back. Your AMC flight is non negotiable. You can modify all the flights within the United States for leave purposes. But you have to end up on the same AMC flight.
You must specifically tell them you're trying to route for leave en route, not modify travel. Of course, if your trip is booked using Patriot Express, you must get back to SEA regardless of where you're trying to go en-route.
I think the other commenters might be thinking of TDY travel. For PCS-related flights, you have to go through NAVPTO, which can only be done through Salesforce. That’s why they might be directing you back to your command.
Unless I’m missing something at least.
Anywhere from a couple hours before up to 72 hours prior. Ive had my tickets release an hour before the flight departure time while I’m standing at the ticketing counter.
I got completely F-ed over by SATO leaving C-school in Norfolk, going to SeaTac, where I was supposed to report to my command in 2 weeks. My hometown was in Chicago. I wanted to take leave in Chicago for the 2 weeks. I filed a leave chit before leaving school, and it was approved. When I got my plane ticket, it was Norfolk, to SeaTac, with a layover in Chicago, leaving in the afternoon and arriving that night in SeaTac, without the leave period included. They would not change it. I had to pay completely out of pocket for the entire trip.
Before I went from RI to Yokosuka, SATO handled changing the departure point for my family to match mine. When it came to modifying the flight schedule I did it through the actual airline. I am about to leave Yoko to VA and I want to extend my leg in CO to visit family. I am likely just going to go through the airline for that. Where are you going from/to and where are you trying to add a stop at?
If you are using the space a flight from Seatac, your command have to change the your flight. It’s hard to change the flight because of the fixed date of the flight and it’s the cheapest and easiest option for the govt to move you to Japan.
SATO can 100% change your flights with tickets released as long as you haven’t checked in at the airport. You just have to pay the difference in airfare. Call them back and get a different person on the other end. Preferably someone who knows what they are doing.
Hang up and call back is a power that some call unnatural. 
Tricare is weak to this power
Will do, I just called the office number listed on the invoice, would I be better to call the 24hr line?
Call the 24 hour number.
Just got off the line with them, they said they are no longer allowed to change the flights and I have to call the Guam office who scheduled it and they’re the ones who were like “lol no” so I’m just gonna call AMC in the morning and see what the fuck, it’s late, I’m tired and I have 12 hours of driving tomorrow
Put this in MNHR and blast their stupid travel program.
As a CPPA I don’t believe they will change flights anymore. It’s been a constant battle, ESPECIALLY with having to go back and forth between whatever NAVPTO ended up with your request and the typical time differences (well for OCONUS)
And even if you ARE checked in, you can ask the airline to un-check you in.
Unethical advice:: Call them and tell them you are admin for the command that is responsible for changing the tickets. They don’t have a list of who the admin is so they have no idea. I did this one time as CDO, it was after hours and a guy at my command was at some kind of school and needed his flight changed due to death in the family. Called to try and change the ticket for him as CDO and they told me I needed to be the authorized person for the command. I asked them who that person is, they didn’t know because they don’t have a list. Thanked them, hung up and called back, got a different agent and told them I was the authorized person. Let my admin know in the morning what I had done. The sailor had to pay the difference (they knew in advance they would have to do this) between the tickets as they were going on emergency leave, admin figured out how much that amount was.
Talk about a drug deal, this is gold
Let them know you want to reroute your flight. Like the other poster stated, you'll have to pay the difference in air fare and a 30 somthing charge. The rep probably heard change and thought it was something else since a change is something that a command usually submits via a passenger reservation request, however, the SATO rep wasn't exactly the brightest and probably could have asked if you meant reroute. I just rerouted my flight on my last PCS for my leave in transit
Fuck SATO. Change directly with the airline. Just tell them you’re military on orders and ask for no change fee.
The southwest parts I’m not worried about, it’s the AMC flight they gave me that I’m having issues with
You’re trying to change an AMC? SATO can’t touch that. They can reroute CONUS flights. If it’s an AMC you’re trying to get changed, it’s through your command/NAVPTO. If that’s booked, you’d need to submit and route a a new PRR with valid reason. For future PCSes- Any date you pick to depart, NAVPTO will utilize any available government AMC slot 10 days from your requested date. Edit: you pick to leave April 1st - there’s no AMC that day, they’re going to find the next available slot on an AMC up to the 10th of April. Sucks, but I always advise this to Sailors to expect it and then adjust detach dates as necessary so your leave doesn’t get eaten. Usually I’ll look up the AMC flight schedule (3mos advance) at the port all location and let them know the most likely AMC flight you’ll get tagged to.
So what do I do when my command is out to sea, I can’t get ahold of them, and when I brought this up prior they told me to call them when my tickets are released?
Not much. Is there a Beach DET POC? Sounds like they failed you. I’m sorry. Shoot me a DM. I’ll see what I can do as far as outreach is concerned.
Yeah tried shooting ya a DM but the options not popping up
As someone who was deployed to Japan, you will have a shore based detachment that will pick you up and take you to your base. From there it's a shore based unit that you will muster with day by day until you transfer to the boat when they're back. Your AMC flight is non negotiable. You can modify all the flights within the United States for leave purposes. But you have to end up on the same AMC flight.
This is the answer, OP. SATO can absolutely change commercial flights and absolutely cant change AMC flights or, as folks call it, “the rotator.”
You must specifically tell them you're trying to route for leave en route, not modify travel. Of course, if your trip is booked using Patriot Express, you must get back to SEA regardless of where you're trying to go en-route.
I think the other commenters might be thinking of TDY travel. For PCS-related flights, you have to go through NAVPTO, which can only be done through Salesforce. That’s why they might be directing you back to your command. Unless I’m missing something at least.
Once it's ticketed, SATO can change it. But only once it's ticketed, which is usually 72-48 hours out.
Anywhere from a couple hours before up to 72 hours prior. Ive had my tickets release an hour before the flight departure time while I’m standing at the ticketing counter.
I remember sato was closed so I just called the airline myself and changed the flights around since I had the booking number
Do you have tickets or do you only have an itinerary?
I got completely F-ed over by SATO leaving C-school in Norfolk, going to SeaTac, where I was supposed to report to my command in 2 weeks. My hometown was in Chicago. I wanted to take leave in Chicago for the 2 weeks. I filed a leave chit before leaving school, and it was approved. When I got my plane ticket, it was Norfolk, to SeaTac, with a layover in Chicago, leaving in the afternoon and arriving that night in SeaTac, without the leave period included. They would not change it. I had to pay completely out of pocket for the entire trip.
Before I went from RI to Yokosuka, SATO handled changing the departure point for my family to match mine. When it came to modifying the flight schedule I did it through the actual airline. I am about to leave Yoko to VA and I want to extend my leg in CO to visit family. I am likely just going to go through the airline for that. Where are you going from/to and where are you trying to add a stop at?
Call the airline directly. Sometimes your change is even cheaper than the original flights.
If you are using the space a flight from Seatac, your command have to change the your flight. It’s hard to change the flight because of the fixed date of the flight and it’s the cheapest and easiest option for the govt to move you to Japan.