Shame That Fees Were Levied At All

The military is always on the move, whether deployed as a group, or as an individual traveling from one duty station to another. But recently, some young soldiers shared an unpleasant experience while simply following orders.

The soldiers were returning from Afghanistan and traveling on a Delta Airlines flight when they discovered they would have to pay an extra $2,800 altogether in order to take all of their gear with them. Since the complications of not taking their gear along were great (and the military tends to frown on leaving it behind in an airport), the young soldiers ponied up the extra money. Then someone decided to take the situation to the Internet and uploaded a video chronicling the incident to YouTube.

In the video, the soldiers described the extra baggage charges they paid when checking in for their flight from Baltimore Washington International Airport to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. That little video ignited major news coverage, as well as outrage from both the military and civilian communities.

Then Delta Airlines officials did the right thing: They took a look at the unique needs of the military and wisely revised their policy.

The soldiers were also promised refunds. It's a good reflection of a corporation taking a harder look at its policies and adjusting them to fit real life situations. It's also a shining example of how consumers can use the power of social media to resolve conflicts and change the practices and habits of corporate America.

There is a culture of "rules are rules" that sometimes prevails in this country to the detriment of common sense, and this was one of those situations in which common sense was subordinated to the rule. Often the public finds itself mired hip-deep in corporate policies that foster nothing but poor customer service and frustration. It's not the most productive way to run a business, and Delta not only understands that, but also quickly righted the problem.

In an era when the customer is rarely considered right anymore, it's nice to see a corporation "get it." Not only have they made a decision that makes sense, but they're also honoring this nation's fighting men and women while doing it.

REPRINTED FROM THE JACKSONVILLE DAILY NEWS

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