Delta Spanks Servicemen!

[CaptJax]

ATA "Ups Ante" On Bag Fees

From USA Today 6/10/11

U.S. airlines appear to be scrambling to increase their bag limits for active duty military members.

Presumably, they're doing so in the hopes of heading off controversies like the one Delta had to deal with after soldiers posted a YouTube video that criticized the airline for charging their group fees for extra bags.

The group says it was charged nearly $3,000 because some soldiers -- returning home from Afghanistan -- checked a fourth bag.

At the time of Monday's incident, Delta had allowed only three free checked bags for active duty military. It quickly upped that limit to four following the high-profile flap that ensued.

In the midst of that fallout, other airlines quickly raised their own bag limits for members of the military.

WXIA Channel 11: AirTran ups ante, waives all baggage fees for military

USA TODAY reports "United Continental said late Wednesday that it is following Delta Air Lines' lead in letting military personnel check a fourth bag for free. American said it will allow a fifth bag to fly free."

WXIA Channel 11 of Atlanta picks up on the story from there, saying "after (the) national outcry …, AirTran has one-upped Delta Air Lines, and other airlines, by … waiving all baggage fees for military members traveling on duty."

WXIA adds AirTran made the announcement late last night.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes AirTran's new policy -- which had been three free bags for military members -- brings it in line with the policy at Southwest, which closed its acquisition of AirTran this year.

"We make an exception to our checked baggage policy for members of the military who are traveling on active duty orders. As long as each piece of baggage does not exceed 100 pounds in weight and 80 inches in size, [military members] will be exempt from baggage charges, and will not be subject to excess, oversized, or overweight baggage charges," AirTran says in a statement quoted by the Journal-Constitution.

 

[miles otoole]

So, if it's over 100 pounds per bag, then they will be charged? They then say they won't be subject to overweight bags. I've seen some seabags that look well over 100 pounds. Can't wait to see the YouTube from a poed soldier saying they charged him for his 120 pound bag or his 25 bags.

 

[N1atEcon]

In Feb of 1990 I was leaving SeaTac for Seoul for a year of fun in Tague. I had my Gov. issue duffle, a huge backpack and another soft sided bag all stuffed to the gills. The agent informed me it would be an extra $50.00 for the third bag. I said "it would be tough to live out of two bags for a year so I had to pack three and I would pay the fee." She said it was ok and she "would wave it as NWA likes to help out the troops." Kudos to NWA for doing the right thing 21 years ago.

 

[CaptJax]

Politico Jumps Into Baggage Flap

Boxer Calls for Industry-Wide Policy on Military Baggage Fees After Delta Flap

Published June 10, 2011

FoxNews.com

Sen. Barbara Boxer is calling for an industry-wide policy to address baggage fees for active-duty military, after a unit returning from Afghanistan was charged thousands of dollars for their luggage.

Delta Airlines, which had charged the veterans as much as $2,800 in extra fees, has already announced a change in policy, a move welcomed by the U.S. Army. But Boxer, D-Calif., called the entire incident disturbing and said it reinforces the need for an across-the-board policy.

"It is troubling that the welcome home for these soldiers after an overseas deployment consisted of confusion at the Delta ticket counter followed by a $200 charge -- a fee that is truly a hardship for our military men and women and their families," she wrote in a letter to Nicholas Calio, CEO of the Air Transport Association of America. "This incident serves as a reminder of the need for a clearly defined and consistent approach across all air carriers for baggage checked by active duty military personnel on travel orders."

Boxer said the "last thing" returning service members should face after long deployments is "excessive baggage fees and a lack of clarity in an airline's checked bag policy."

She did not specify what the blanket policy should look like.

The soldiers returning on Delta from Afghanistan were allowed three bags free of charge, but had to pay extra for the fourth. Delta afterward announced that it would allow American troops to check four bags free of charge.

 

[ivauir]

What's sw's policy on excess bags for military? Is there a limit or is it unlimited?

Unlimited.

Southwest Airlines has long made an exception for its active military Customers by waiving any fees for overweight, oversize, and excess baggage checked while on assignment. Southwest supported that tradition by making it a formal policy in January 2008.

http://www.blogsouthwest.com/news/southwest-airlines-re-states-policy-military-check-baggage

 

[ivauir]

I have stood in the snow while we provided an honor guard for remains returning home. I have told the passengers to remain seated so that he could deplane first. ....In ATL, we have a dedicated baggage cart painted and segregated and secured only for our Troop remains, blessed by all denominations and sanctioned by the Chaplian command to return these heroes home with DIGNITY. People did this on their own time and yet we are the bad guys.
.

Bill.

As a former service member, as a guy whose friends might be in those caskets.

Thanks.

 

[Jim]

Senator Boxer? A known idiot who thinks that handing out welfare checks brings more money back into the government than it costs? Who has never truely researched a fact in her life? Who my dead dog is smarter than? That Senator Boxer?

Just another politician making a feel goood PR statement.

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Bill.

As a former service member, as a guy whose friends might be in those caskets.

Thanks.

Godspeed to them......and all who have left this earth in our service.

 

[waveflyer]

Senator Boxer? A known idiot who thinks that handing out welfare checks brings more money back into the government than it costs? Who has never truely researched a fact in her life? Who my dead dog is smarter than? That Senator Boxer?

Just another politician making a feel goood PR statement.

I'm sure you're a better basketball player than Lebron too, right? Way to stay on topic.... Partisan hack comment dude. Would it be alright if a republican called for it.
:-/

For what it's worth, I disagree- let the market correct this one - and all the bad PR and lumberg moonwalking that goes with these idiots doing the wrong thing for a short term profit.
Just drives customers to us, "...and for the continued idiocy, we thank you."

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Hey wave....Really classy.....market? Moonwalking?

Your just another punk-a$$ who never served....just a waste of good graftable skin.

$hithead

 

[waveflyer]

Hey wave....Really classy.....market? Moonwalking?

Your just another punk-a$$ who never served....just a waste of good graftable skin.

$hithead

Billy! What's going on?! You've changed your post now three times?
Went from ATC giving us preference to classy comments to now assumptions about my service-

Whatever gets you spooled up man. Grasp! Grasp at an argument you think you can win-

But here's the deal ->in all those things- ATC included-I work at a company that understands PEOPLE better than any other airline. SWA goes out of it's way to build relationships and empowers our people on the ground to do the right thing before the wrong thing is done and the press gets a hold of it. Doesn't stop every bad PR event from happening but it does make us a LOT better than delta. Which when I'm talking to you is all I care about(!)
;-)
I will give YOU credit for when you've taken care of our military- they deserve it, and I wish we had a first class seat to give them.

Now shouldn't you be giving away more flying to skywest for an extra $1 for the widebody capts?? It takes a lot of effort to sell out the junior in just the right way to really screw them- can't be distracted by these kinds of topics Billy.

 

[KCPilot]

The video I did not see since it has been removed, but I'm sure there is more to the story we are not being told.

As for DAL and servicemen, don't forget about this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2aHPEGS-3w

Here is more on the honor guard http://www.mycountypaper.com/henrynews/headlines/87301067.html

Plus during the holidays, DAL at ATL, MSP and I think DTW have an area where traveling service members and their families can go to wait for their flights, get free food and drinks and watch some TV. It's not a lot, but it is something.

Also, as someone who is on mil leave from Delta, they are a great employer when it come it mil leave and have always worked with me.

As for other airlines and mil baggage fees, in the past I've flown on UAL and SWA on a mil ticket a couple of different times with chem gear, pro gear, etc and was charged a fee since it was over 50 lbs, filed it on the voucher and got the money back. One time SWA let me slide since it was 2 lbs over the limit. As was said in this forum it is a business and all the airlines cannot fly 1000's of lbs of heavy bags for free!

Finally, I hate that all the airlines (but SWA) nickle and dime the pax for bags under 50 lbs and most charge you for food on the longer haul flights. I hear so many pax complain about it and they would rather have it lumped into the price of the ticket. But I guess we have all these travel search engines to blame for that!

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Wave....

Once again the Jackhole comes out of ya.....Skywest and widebody Captain pay discussion during a thread about servicemen?? Really? Seriously?

Tool

 

[waveflyer]

Nice try Billy- but every thread with the word Military isn't sacred. THIS thread is about Delta moonwalking from some bad PR when caught making an easy buck off the troops and govt.

 

[Jim]

Nice try Billy- but every thread with the word Military isn't sacred. THIS thread is about Delta moonwalking from some bad PR when caught making an easy buck off the troops and govt.

Delta made a buck off the government, not off the troops. The troops will be reimbursed when they file their travel claims. The government should pay just the same as any other customer. This is a non-event made into a story for the sake of sensationalism and you've bought into it hook, line and sinker. I won't say you're stupid but you are ignorant.

And yes, I would say any Republican Senator making the comments Boxer did would be just as wrong and just as much a sensationalist looking for a sound bite. I condemn stupidity no matter what their political affiliation.