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Delta charging GIs for baggage coming home from war

Just one more reason to hate Delta as if anybody needed one...
 
Just read the article.

What the flying fuck does Delta being anti-union have to do with them charging GIs for their baggage? Talk about trying to shoehorn your own agenda into a completely separate event.
 
Just read the article.

What the flying fuck does Delta being anti-union have to do with them charging GIs for their baggage? Talk about trying to shoehorn your own agenda into a completely separate event.

Agreed. Gotta love this quote where the transition happens:

"Delta is not only willing to charge troops to bring their equipment back from a war zone, but is notoriously anti-union."

Seriously? Nice causal relationship.
 
This is a horrible PR move by Delta, however, the agreement they have with the Pentagon is three bags so some poor schlub was just doing his/her job in charging them.

Furthermore, as I can attest from experience, the soldiers will be reimbursed by the military once they get home. Its not going to come out of the pockets of these soldiers. My wife, who deployed four times in five years, has gone through the same thing so to me this is really a non-story.

That being said, Delta sucks the big one and I shudder every time I have to fly them, which is bad considering they are the only airline that flies in and out of our regional airport.
 
Its why I'm an AirTran man.
 
Hell, their luggage will get lost anyway. Remember, Delta stands for Don't Expect Luggage To Arrive.
 
Delta has changed their policy. They had essentially the same policy that all other airlines had prior to today.

http://blog.delta.com/2011/06/07/military-travel-baggage-policies-our-thoughts/

After careful consideration, effective immediately, U.S. military personnel traveling on orders in First Class and BusinessElite can check up to five bags at no charge and 4 bags in economy class. This change also adds dependents traveling with active military on orders. Each bag may weigh up to 70 lbs. (32 kg) and measure up to 80 linear inches (203 cm), which offers added flexibility over the standard 50 lbs. and 62 linear inches (157 cm) allotment. Because of weight, balance and space constraints, Delta Connection carriers will accept up to four bags at no charge.

Also - just for comparison - Continental's luggage policy for military:
Active U.S. military personnel get their first, second and third checked-bag fees waived
U.S. military dependents traveling with U.S. military personnel on personal travel get their first, second and third checked-bag fees waived
U.S. military dependents traveling on official business (with documentation) get their first, second and third checked-bag fees waived

American Airline's policy:
Military Baggage
Active U.S. Military personnel are allowed to check three pieces of baggage free of charge.
Each checked bag in the free allowance may be up to 62 inches and weigh up to 50 lbs. The size limitation of your luggage is calculated by adding the total outside dimensions of each bag, that is, length + width + height.
Active U.S. Military personnel traveling on orders are allowed one bag in the free allowance up to 100 lbs. and 115 inches. The second and third bags are free of charge up to 50lbs. and 62 inches. Travel orders must be presented when checking the bag.
The 70 lb. maximum bag weight limit for Europe and Asia does not apply for U.S. military baggage if traveling on orders.
Military ID must be presented. Traveling in uniform is not required.

Airtran:
Active U.S. Military personnel will not have to present Orders to have their bag fees waived. When Active Duty ID is presented, these passengers will have their 1st, 2nd and 3rd bag fees waived, in addition to oversize and overweight fees for these three bags. The bags must not exceed 100 pounds or 80 inches. Standard baggage fees apply for all bags checked in excess of three.
 
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I don't know if it's official policy or not, but coming back from Korea, the American counter clerk found out I was military and neither excess baggage nor weight limits were charged. I only had 2 bags but wasn't charged for either one even though I had a bare bones ticket for which they're supposed to charge for luggage.
 
Unreal. Delta's PR VP is on a countdown to adding him/herself to the unemployment number.
 
Most of those baggage policies are for military members traveling on personnel, pcs (changing duty stations) or tdy (temp duty) reasons and in that case the policy is fair and generous. However, traveling back from a combat deployment is a different situation and should have been handled differently by Delta. Usually this is not an issue for most military units because they have enough people to contract out the flight for a flat fee. I'm assuming this unit was a guard or reserve unit that complemented another unit, therefore it wasn't practical to contract the entire flight out.
 
Most of those baggage policies are for military members traveling on personnel, pcs (changing duty stations) or tdy (temp duty) reasons and in that case the policy is fair and generous. However, traveling back from a combat deployment is a different situation and should have been handled differently by Delta. Usually this is not an issue for most military units because they have enough people to contract out the flight for a flat fee. I'm assuming this unit was a guard or reserve unit that complemented another unit, therefore it wasn't practical to contract the entire flight out.

I think ur right, and Delta made a poor play.
 
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