Airlines Drop Military Luggage Fees

I previously reported about airlines charging soldiers (going to combat) fees for extra luggage...fees which include their mandatory gear to take into a war zone....

My reaction to such insanity was ????

Thankfully (I would assume under public pressure and hopefully shame) they cut out these ridiculous fees:

All major U.S. carriers were allowing military to check two bags for free, but the $100 industry norm for the third checked bag was hitting young troops directly in their wallets, despite some assurances from the Defense Department that the fee might be reimbursable at a later date. The VFW weighed in by asking the Air Transport Association to work with its member airlines to exempt military personnel traveling on orders from paying baggage fees on a third piece of checked luggage. "A $100 is a huge out-of-pocket expense to someone who doesn't earn very much," said Gardner, "and that's why this luggage fee waiver is so important. Our troops can now properly focus on their mission instead of remembering to complete a travel voucher in a war zone."

ATA president James C. May, the VFW national commander expressed his thanks to the association for facilitating the fee waiver with its member airlines.

You can read his letter here