Soldiers Return from Afghanistan on Delta Airlines and Pay $2,800 for so-called extra bags

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Run time: 02:58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_borufk9RTc   Posted on YouTube: June 07, 2011 By YouTube Member: spcrobohair Views on YouTube: 2374   Posted on DU: June 08, 2011 By DU Member: Amerigo Vespucci Views on DU: 2112

 

[teknomanzer]

1. I love the last shot of the barf bag...

this makes me sick too...

[Badsam]

2. Stay classy Delta

Welcome home soldiers, some of us do appreciate what you have sacrificed for our freedom. I salute you all

[nilram]

3. k&r

[Scuba]

4. Chew 'em up, spit 'em out. Fuck 'em when they come back....

...the way we treat our service people is despicable.

How about we quit sending them to fight in illegal, immoral wars in the first place?

[James48]

5. Solution

They should have just decided not to check the baggage and carried on their M-4's, M-203's and 9mm instead.

I'm good with that. :-)

[avebury]

6. How about a write in campaign to Delta?

That is so unbelieveable for Delta to do that. Do soldiers now have to travel with a copy of the US Military/Delat contract with the appropriate section highlighted?

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

12. I actually had to do that,

When I worked for a major retailer our employee travel contract more of less said we could check a pallet of cinder blocks if we really wanted to and our bags would never be bumped, finding a peon at the airport who was either aware of this arrangement or believed it existed was another matter. Our merchandisers would basically travel with entire store displays stuffed in several suitcases.

[avebury]

7. If Delta has done this once they have probably done this a lot

of other times. If they are in violation of a contract with the US Govt., I would love to see a lawyer take this issue on pro bono to see if there are enough cases to warrant a class action lawsuit against Delta. If for no other reason, maybe the bad publicity might cause the airline to cease and desist this poor treatment of our military.

[grahamhgreen]

8. Back in the day, the military flew on military planes, it prevented this kind of privateering.

[avebury]

9. Delta Airline changes it checked baggage policy eff 6/8/11

I emailed Delta Airlines and got the follwoing response:


Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We realize there may be concerns
regarding members of the United States military traveling with us on
active duty and we want to take this opportunity to address some of
their issues.

We want our customers to know how deeply Delta respects and admires the
men and women who fight every day for our country. As a company, we
have very strong ties to the armed forces, with countless employees,
family, friends, and loved ones serving actively or on reserve, and many
more who are retired from military service. Delta understands what it
takes to travel as an active duty member of the military which is why we
work hard to ensure our policies allow active duty military personnel
traveling with us additional flexibility.

Effective June 8, 2011, Delta Air Lines will increase its baggage
allowance for Active duty U.S. military personnel traveling on orders to
or from duty stations to four (4) checked bags in Economy Class and up
to five (5) checked bags in First and Business Class on Delta and Delta
Connection carriers at no charge. This change is also applicable to
dependents traveling with active military on orders. Previously the
allowance included three (3) checked bags in Economy Class and four (4)
in First and Business Class. Weight restrictions will still allow these
bags to 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). Because of weight, balance and space
constraints, Delta Connection carriers will accept up to four bags at no
charge.

As an enhancement to these policies, active military presenting military
id will be allowed two free checked bags during personal travel.

Our military men and women deserve a high level of flexibility in their
travel and we hope that this clarification will support our efforts to
provide them with a travel experience reflective of our appreciation for
their service.

[Badsam]

10. They are still missing the point!!!!!!!!!!!!

If our soldiers are carrying it, Delta better be flying it. 1 bag, 3 bags, who gives a rat's azz, these soldiers are on duty and you have a contract with our Government. Do your @#$%ing job you have been paid for Delta

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

11. Always, always use the self check-in kiosk, talking to airline employees is futile

There is a button for "Flying on Orders" that allows the correct baggage allowance as negotiated with the pentagon.

This is the same Delta that insisted I board a flight to France after their gate moron dropped my passport into their little podium thingy and retrieve it from the lost and found on my return.

[PavePusher]

13. FOR THE LOVE OF FUCK, EVERYONE LISTEN UP FOR A MINUTE!!!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/08/delta-troops-a...

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.)"




Jesus Christ, I've been dealing with this shit at Huff'n'Puff all fucking day, thought people here might be a little more sensible. I was wrong.