Sep 01 2008
US Soldiers Going to War Pay Excess Baggage Fees?!
You’ve got to be kidding me! Well this is a new one to me and a very stupid one at that.
American Airlines (AA) is charging excess baggage fees for troops going to war in Iraq. It’s a fact that only recently two soldiers from Texas were charged $100 and $300 for their extra duffel bags.
They are eligible to receive reimbursement from the military but not until they fill out forms and the forms are processed. In the mean time, the expense for the soldiers has come out of pocket. And yes, that’s what they need to be doing in Iraq -filling out forms - not worrying about the war.
Really, you would think it would be standard airline procedure, within limits, or at the very least that the US military would have some of program in place where excess charges would be paid on invoice but not initially by the soldier at the check-in counter.
According to an army spokesperson, “when soldiers receive their travel orders, they should make sure that excess baggage is authorized.” Okay, like they have nothing else more important to do before they leave?!
This is a ‘what-ever’ moment if I’ve ever seen one. Written one. What-ever!!
