Anti-Union Delta Charges $2800 In Baggage Fees To Returning Afghanistan Troops

Source: Think Progress Economy

Delta Airlines was caught this week charging troops returning from Afghanistan an extra $200 each to bring a fourth bag home, forcing one unit to pay more than $2,800 in baggage fees. Evidently, Delta’s policy is to allow troops only three free checked bags, while the soldiers said that their military orders allow them to carry up to four bags free of charge. In a video, Staff Sergeant Robert O’Hair explained what occurred...


Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/06/08/239537/delta-charges-troops-baggage-fees/

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Story at Think Progress Economy.

The update indicates that Delta has immediately changed their policy to allow miltary persons four free checked items.

allowed 4 bags at no charge. Those flying coach are allowed 3 bags.

I am thinking that officers and Generals who order the troops into battle and into indefensible outposts get the perk.

And the men doing the actual fighting with multiple deployments who get wounded and brain damage and stressed into suicide are the targets by Delta and possibly other commercial airlines for bigger profits.

Profiteering at its finest.

'Merica - Fuck Yea

Some evidence would be nice considering what current policy is.

That includes civilians and military

GSA could insist on upgrades and unlimited bags for service personnel - but they don't.

Since these flights involved transporting weapons - that means they were returning to their posts on duty status - and that means that all baggage costs are reimbursable on their travel vouchers.

In other words, there is no out of pocket charge for the troops - just for the taxpayers.

Now Obama's GSA - how about negotiating a better deal for the troops? You have already waited too long.

If not, and the excess is purely personnal items, the cost falls on the service member.

It appears that these soldiers did not follow correct procedures, or their chain of command did not prep them properly. Either way, this does not appear to be Delta's fault, and they seem to be leaning over backwards to present a good image.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/08/delta-troops-afghanistan-baggage-fees_n_873027.html

My main reply:

"Your article is egregiously in error. This situation is almost certainly not Delta's fault. All traveling military members are supposed to have a government issued travel credit card. This is a DoD regulation. If they are required to transport more than three bags, due to the amount of gear they must haul, the excess baggage authorization should be reflected in their printed orders.

When they check in to the airline, they should pay the excess baggage fee with the government card (their ticket costs will have already been charged this way). When they complete their travel, they will file a voucher at their base finance office (usually done on-line now), claiming all costs for the travel (including the authorized baggage fees). The government reimburses them, paying the travel costs to the card company, and any left-over allowances directly to the member.

If the member was not authorized excess baggage, either their chain of command made an error, or the member did, not Delta.

Either way, Delta was following established procedures and the soldiers here were not. In addition, instead of waiting to address this issue with their chain of command, they blabbed it on the 'net, proving themselves fools not once, but twice. I'm sure their chain of command will have some sharp words for them upon their reporting in.

As claimed U.S. Army Staff Sergeants (E-6's), they should certainly know the correct procedures. If they didn't there are some training issues that need to be addressed within their unit.

Delta does not appear to be at fault here, and is bending over backwards to present a good face due to the actions of some military idiots. Please go talk to some military travel/finance people and get some more background on this issue.

For the record, I am my units' mobility/travel manager and have deployed numerous times myself, so I know what I'm talking about."

Along with this:

"P.S. Representa­tives Braley and Courtney are also in error and need to contact the nearest military travel office to learn how this is supposed to work. They are going to look rather foolish if they go off half-cocke­d. (And no, that's NOT a Weiner joke... sigh.)"