Annals of (almost) outrageAirlines change bag policy after soldiers' video goes viral
Delta Airlines charged U.S. military personnel for check in additional bags on a returning from a tour in Afghanistan, sparking outrage and leading three airlines to change their baggage fee policies for service members; Delta forced thirty-six reservists from Oklahoma to spend a total of more than $2,800 to check in their fourth bags; video of the incident quickly went viral and veterans sharply criticized Delta for charging the service members; Pentagon official played down the incident, saying soldiers’ travel orders stipulate that the government would reimburse soldiers for all excess bag fees
No additional baggage charge for miltary members // Source: opposingviews.com
An online video of U.S. military personnel being charged to check in additional bags on a return flight from Afghanistan, has sparked outrage and led to three airlines changing their baggage fee policies for service members.
On Tuesday, two soldiers posted a video on YouTube complaining that Delta Airlines had forced thirty-six reservists from Oklahoma to spend a total of more than $2,800 to check in their fourth bags.
Two Army soldiers, Staff Sergeants Robert O’Hair and Fred Hilliker recorded the video while en route to Fort Polk in Louisiana. In the video, Hilliker sarcastically states, “Good business model, Delta, thank you. … Not happy. Not happy at all.”
The video quickly went viral and veterans sharply criticized Delta on its Web site for charging the service members. Representative Bruce Braley (D- Iowa) joined the attack on Delta and demanded that the airline reimburse the soldiers.
Delta was quick to apologize, pledged that it would reimburse the soldiers, and announced that it had changed its policy late Wednesday. The video was also taken down and is no longer online.
Delta’s new policy allows military personnel to check four free bags in coach class and five if they are flying in first or business class.
United-Continental and American Airlines also followed suit and announced similar changes to their checked bag policy for the service members. United-Continental will allow four checked bags for free and American will allow five free bags in any seating class.
The incident may not have been as outrageous as initially thought, though. According to Paul Boyce, a spokesman for the Army, the reservists would have been compensated by the government as their travelling orders stated that all excess bag fees would be reimbursed.
