Delta Stings Returning Soldiers for Baggage Fees

Troops returning from Afghanistan told to pay up
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 8, 2011 3:46 AM CDT

A unit of soldiers on their way home had to shell out nearly $3000 of their own money in excess baggage fees to Delta Airlines. The troops, whose orders stated that they could check in up to four bags free of charge, had to pay $200 for every fourth bag after the airline told them that service members not traveling in first class are limited to three bags, CBS News reports. "Anything over three bags you have to pay for," one soldier says. "Even though there's a contract between the US Government and Delta Airlines."

"Not happy, not happy at all," one soldier says in a video posted on YouTube. "We had a little issue with the bags this morning." Another soldier explained what he had in his fourth bag: "It was a weapons case holding my grenade launcher and a 9 millimeter, the tools that I used to protect myself and the Afghan citizens while I was deployed in the country." A military spokeswoman says the troops will be reimbursed for the extra baggage fees. (More US military stories.)

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