MY SON WAS HOME ON LEAVE AND FLEW OUT TO NORFOLK ON 09-11-12. HE'S ON LPD-17, BY THE WAY, IN CASE THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE. THERE IS A GROUP FOR THAT SHIP ON THIS SITE (2 MEMBERS). CONTINUING...
HE FLEW OUT ON DELTA AIRLINES - ON ORDERS - AND WAS CHARGED $200 FOR OVERWEIGHT BAGGAGE, WHICH I ASSUME WAS HIS SEA BAG. FOR SOME REASON, I FIGURED THAT ON-DUTY MILITARY WITH ORDERS WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THESE CHARGES. I WAS WRONG. ON 9/11 NO LESS. SERIOUSLY! CHARGING THOSE WHO WOULD RISK THEIR OWN LIVES CONTROLLING THOSE WHO WOULD SEEK TO DISRUPT AIR TRAVEL.
ANYWAY, I WILL BE WRITING MY US REPRESENTATIVE REGRDING THIS ISSUE - AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THE SAME IF YOU FEEL SO-COMPELLED. I REALIZE THE AIRLINES ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING MONEY (I'M ALL FOR CAPITALISM) BUT AM I THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE THAT THINKS THERE SHOULD SOME EXEMPTION FOR REQUIRED MILITARY TRAVEL?
I RESEARCHED THE TOPIC TO MAKE SURE THE TICKET AGENT FOLLOWED PROTOCOL. (SHE SAID WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED ONE ACCESS PASS TO THE GATE WITH OUR SON, WHICH WAS WRONG, AND I HAD TO CLEAR THAT UP WITH A DELTA SUPERVISOR.)
DELTA'S BAGGAGE POLICY FOR MILITARY TRAVEL IS: 4 BAGS FREE (UP TO 70LBS)
IN CHECKING OTHER AIRLINE MILITARY BAGGAGE FEES (MOSTLY THROUGH INDEPENDENTTRAVELER.COM, I FOUND THE FOLLOWING:
MOST FRIENDLY:
FRONTIER - NO RESTRICTIONS
SOUTHWEST - NO BAG LIMIT UP TO 100LBS
AIRTRAN - NO BAG LIMIT UP TO 100LBS
AMERICAN - 5 BAGS FREE UP TO 100LBS
US AIRWAYS - 4 BAGS UP TO 100LBS
VIRGIN - 10 BAGS UP TO 70LBS (A DUFFEL OR SEA BAG UP TO 100LBS WILL
COUNT AS 2 OF THOSE 10
LEAST FRIENDLY:
JET BLUE - NO EXEMPTIONS
SPIRIT - NO EXEMPTIONS
OTHERS:
ALASKA - 5 BAGS UP TO 70LBS
UNITED - 4 BAGS UP TO 70LBS
DELTA - 4 BAGS UP TO 70LBS
FEEL FREE TO USE THIS INFORMATION WHEN BOOKING YOUR OWN PERSONAL TRAVEL PLANS. I WILL TELL THE AIRLINE I FLY WITH NEXT TIME THAT I CHOSE THEM SPECIFICALLY FOR THEIR PATRIOTISM.
STEVE B.
Replies
I can't blame you regarding Facebook, however, if you're looking for a place that gets plenty of views and Delta uses frequently for public relations, that would be the place.
As to Facebook, it was cool for the teens until their moms discovered it. Now it's only useful if I want to know what my acquaintences are cooking for dinner or how cute their baby is.
Glad to hear Delta fixed things for you.
THANKS, BRAD. I DON'T DO FACEBOOK. I'M A LOW-TECH GUY. AND FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, THERE'S JUST WAY TOO MUCH DRAMA ON FACEBOOK FOR ME. THERE'S ENOUGH OF THAT ON THIS SITE. I'M ONLY HERE BECAUSE THERE ARE ISSUES DIRECTLY AFFECTING MY SON REGARDING HIS SERVICE IN THE NAVY AND THIS IS A GOOD REPOSITORY FOR EXCHANGING THAT PARTICULAR AND SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
HE'S HIS OWN MAN NOW AND HAS TO DEAL WITH LIFE JACKING HIM AROUND BY HIMSELF. LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE: NOBODY LEARNS ANYTHING IN LIFE FROM THE STUFF GOES RIGHT. THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS IN LIFE ARE THE ONES THAT BITE YOU IN THE BUTT. AS A "GOOD DAD", THOUGH, I TRY TO FOLLOW AT A SAFE DISTANCE IN CASE HE NEEDS A PUSH.
I DID SEND DELTA A MESSAGE REGARDING THIS ISSUE AS A GENERAL INQUIRY. IN ALL FAIRNESS, I HAVE TO COMMEND THEM FOR RESPONDING AND OFFERING TO REFUND THE $200 FEE MY SON WAS CHARGED (EVEN THOUGH I TOLD HIM TO DEAL WITH IT WHEN HE GOT TO HIS BASE.)
IT SOUNDED AS THOUGH DELTA MIGHT REVIEW THEIR POLICY AND PERHAPS ADJUST THE MAX WEIGHT FEE TO 100LBS SO AS TO COVER A SEA BAG OR DUFFEL BAG...
AND, YEAH, I GUESS I SHOULD GET INTO THE 90'S AND CHECK ON THAT FACEBOOK THING, HUH?
I would suggest going onto Delta's Facebook page and telling your story. I had an issue with another airlines and did this and they responded immediately. No company wants to be seen as anti patriotism.
We are friends with 8 pilots, and their families, from Southwest Airlines--all are former military, all are very supportive of troopies, all are good people. The only time we don't fly Southwest is when we travel out of CONUS--otherwise, it's Southwest/Trailways Airlines all the way. . . .
JDad
STEVE B said:
Steve, My congradulations for a great post. we should all follow your example in selecting an Airlines to fly on. Thankx again
Yeah, JDad. All over it brother. Sometimes in life you just FIGURE things are cool 'cause they just OUGHTTA be. Then you find out not everybody's down with your scene.
Not that any of us is going to put JetBlue or Delta out of business, but, like you, I like to take care of the people who take care of the people who take care of us as much as I can.
Steve: We ALWAYS, and I do mean ALWAYS, fly Southwest for domestic travel because of this reason and others as well--for instance, we almost always hear the flight attendants or flight crew give public kudos to the military men and women on board the aircraft and, if my memory serves me correctly, Southwest has a higher proportion of pilots trained by the various branches of the U.S. military, so they are very sensitive to military issues, patriotism, etc. Good on 'ya for cheking into this. . . .
JDad
Good One Steve!