Delta Airlines Forgets Where They Are From

Tuesday, Delta Airlines decided it was a good idea to charge soldiers returning from Afghanistan an extra two hundred dollars a piece for their fourth piece of luggage. Really? So, how many things do you find wrong with this scenario?

In my humble opinion, these soldiers should not have been charged anything to fly home to begin with. They should fly first class and be given special treatment for FREE simply because of their service to our country. Friends, this is a no brainer. Which lends itself to the question, what was Delta Airlines thinking? Apparently they weren't.

As CNN reported; "

Stung by online comments calling it "disgusting" and "un-American," Delta Air Lines on Wednesday announced it will allow U.S. military personnel traveling on orders to check more bags for free.

The policy change, which is effective immediately, came a day after U.S. Army soldiers returning from Afghanistan complained that they were charged almost $3,000 in bag fees by the carrier.

"We regret that this experience caused these soldiers to feel anything but welcome on their return home," wrote Rachael Rensink, manager of Delta Social Media, in an updated post on the carrier's blog.

The incident sparked outrage online after the servicemen spoke out about their experience in a video posted on YouTube.

In the clip -- which the men say was recorded on board a Delta flight from Baltimore to Atlanta on Tuesday, a day after they returned from Afghanistan -- the soldiers explain they had "a little issue with the bags."

CNN affiliate WXIA in Atlanta identified the soldiers as U.S. Army Staff Sgts. Fred Hilliker and Robert O'Hair.

The men, who were bound for Fort Polk, Louisiana, said their military travel orders allowed them to carry up to four bags, but when they arrived at the airport in Baltimore, Delta told them it allows military personnel to check only three bags for free.

Members of the unit who were traveling with four bags ended up paying out of pocket for their extra luggage, the soldiers said in the video. They were charged $200 per extra bag, so the 34-member unit ended up paying more than $2,800 in bag fees, the soldiers added.

Any extra bag fees charged by an airline will be reimbursed by the government, a military spokeswoman told CNN affiliate WGCL in Atlanta.

One of the soldiers in the video said the bag he had to pay for was a weapons case that contained "the tools that I used to protect myself and Afghan citizens while I was deployed in the country."

The other man then looked into the camera, exasperated.

The airline apologized for "any miscommunication" about its bag allowances, but reiterated that its policy for U.S. military personnel allowed them to check up to four bags in First/Business class and three bags in coach for free.

Other airlines, like United and US Airways, have similar rules.

On Wednesday, Delta changed its policy and said U.S. military personnel traveling on orders would now be allowed to check up to four bags for free in coach and up to five bags at no charge in First and Business Class.

The carrier said it deeply respects and admires men and women in uniform and added that it has worked hard to ensure that U.S. military personnel get "additional flexibility" when they travel on the carrier.

The carrier said it's "continuing to work with the soldiers individually to make this situation right for each of them."

The soldiers may have been misinformed about how many bags traveling active duty military personnel can check for free, Stars and Stripes reported." (end of CNN report)

So, after all is said and done, Delta Airlines blames the military. Wow.

They say there is no such thing as bad press. What do you think?