I do believe in capitalism. I also believe that greed is inevitable in any economic modality. What I have a hard time believing is that in this day of cell phones with video recorders and YouTube, your policy to charge $2800.00 to returning soldiers for bringing their equipment home with them isn't a public relations nightmare for you, one well worth avoiding by allowing the soldiers to check the bags. Did you think the government wouldn't make it? It's not like we pay our soldiers enough money that they have an extra $2800.oo in their pockets. You couldn't have sent a bill to Uncle Sam?
08 June 2011
Pssst! Delta, What Were You Thinking?
So it's been all over the news today. Delta Airlines charged some US soldiers $2800.00 in fees for their baggage. Google it. The news services and blogs are ablaze. According to Good Morning America, Delta Airlines issued a statement saying they were sorry about any miscommunication. I don't recall hearing that they were going to refund the soldiers their money, though. Don't worry, Delta, the tax payers don't mind paying to get our soldiers and their equipment home, at least this citizen doesn't. What I do mind is rewarding companies doing business like this by giving them my money. Pssst, Delta..... Southwest Airlines flies where I want to go. In fact, the last Southwest Airline flight I took the passengers waited to let the soldiers riding with us deplane first... and the captain of the flight shook their hands instead of shaking them down at the ticket counter.
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2 comments:
If you check the 'Stars and Stripes' site you will find many helpful comments by military folks and travel issues.
For example, one comment states:
"While I agree and can understand a lot of the post here I feel the need to educate to a certain extent. As a 26 year military member who will be retiring soon, I must say the media has once again blown this way out of proportion. I've deployed to the middle east 9 times since 1991 and 4 times since 9-11 and have had excessive baggage each and every time. I also need to mention that on our way there and on our way back each and every airline was different. Some waived the extra fees, some didn't. Regardless if they did or didn't the result is the same. The issue with these Staff Sergeants and the rest of their team is this: They should have a government credit card to be utilized for these situations. If they don't it is due to recklessness (poor credit due to their doings) and will have to use their own form of payment. Regardless of how the bill gets paid all they have to do is keep the receipt(s) and claim those charges on their travel voucher. Why they decided to do what they did is beyond me."
Mark,
I guess the media is picking up the frustration that older folks like me are feeling. There are some things that are sacrosanct and soldiers coming home from war are among those things. We also remember what real customer service was and how to treat folks with respect and decorum. That said, I am fairly certain the guys who decided to vent on video and post it to YouTube are going to have a piece of their backsides taken out by their superiors.
I don't like what we have become culturally as far as etiquette and social expectations. It really chaps my hide to pay so much more for things and get so little service in return. I pretty much detest the media and most journalists but I am beginning to think I like most of the public even less. Meagan Broussard, who was complicit in the Weiner scandal, couldn't even spit the gum out of her mouth during her interview with Chris Cuomo. I am not advocating anyone get their 15 minutes of fame by being a hoochie mama on social media sites, but if that's the best you can do, at least spit your gum out while you're on camera.
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