Most flight passengers are all too familiar with making sure that their bag is not only under the required weight but fits the correct dimensions provided by their airline of choice.
But adding up the total dimensions of the bag might be a new one.
One Delta passenger is calling out the airline for suddenly enforcing a policy that she was unfamiliar with. She claims the airline is requiring checked luggage to be under 62 inches when adding the height, width and length.
In a video that has drawn over 829,000 views, content creator and frequent flyer @funkshe says she was told that her bag exceeded the parameters of this policy—even though based on the math involved, it does not.
"Hey Delta Airlines, you have lost two loyal customers because of this new policy that you decided to enforce today, where you will get charged $200 if your checked bag exceeds 62 inches in height, width, length, and they will incorrectly measure it," she says in the video.
She continues, "This woman at the counter says, 'I've never used this ruler before, this is my first time using this measuring tape, ha ha,' because your bag is 20 by 13 by 30 which is 68 inches, which means you are charged $200 because your bag exceeds 62 inches. First of all, that's 63. You did your math completely wrong.”
The TikToker calls the worker “clearly not a trustworthy person” for not doing the math correctly.
She then points out that the real measurements of her luggage are well within the requirements of the airline's rule.
"My bag is 19.5 by 30, by 12.5, which is exactly 62 inches," she says. "Why are we rounding up? You don't know how to correctly measure using measuring tape, and you don't know how to do math.”
The creator says the employee told her she’d “make an exception” for her, but that her SkyMiles account would show she had ann overweight bag.
“What exception? We didn't do anything wrong. Our bag was not over the size limit, she says. “I don't understand."
She says the airline employee told her that they weakly enforced the policy before, but they were now strongly enforcing it. However, @funkshe said one of the most frustrating aspects of the matter is that this does not pair with her higher-end expectations for Delta, as it is not a budget airline.
"If it were about weight, the suitcase wouldn't make it on at all," she says. "This is about $200 that you're trying to extort from your customers.”
The creator continued accusing Delta of extortion and compared it to famously controversial budget airline RyanAir. RyanAir is known for charging extra for any luggage inadequacy.
“This is more expensive than my actual flight,” she concludes.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @funkshe via email and to Delta via contact form regarding the video.
When it comes to Delta's policy for checked luggage, several factors can impact the cost of checking bags, like what kind of credit card you have, or whether you might be active military.
Down to the specifics—the policy referenced to @funkshe is listed as part of the airline's larger baggage policy, right off the bat, per the Delta website.
Baggage checked with Delta cannot exceed 62 inches when adding the height, width and length of the bag's dimensions, per the policy.
Several viewers shared that they had noted the baggage requirement prior to choosing their bags when flying Delta—it was not an entirely new policy. To several of these comments, the poster replied that her baggage was the exact measure allowed by the policy, but the employee had measured it incorrectly.
"Most if not all of the larger luggages are exactly 62," one commenter wrote. "The manufacturers know."
"I fly delta all the time, it’s been 62 inches since I been flying with Delta," another wrote.
"It’s not a new rule, all airlines go by 62” it’s on the websites," another echoed.
@funkshe Delta Airlines please hire people who know how to do math and use a mesauring tape if youre going to charge $200 for a non-oversized bag. Thats some spirit airlines type shi #delta #deltaairlines #airport #rant #airportproblems ♬ original sound - funkshe 芳溪
Others recommended keeping proof of the dimensions of a bag—like a manufacturer's website or the original tag stating the dimensions—around when checking it for a flight, just in case.
"I just keep the original tag when I buy a bag," one commenter wrote. "Leave it in the pocket. The dimensions are clearly printed on it."
"Bring a tape measure and an online description of your luggage," another commenter wrote.
"Show them the dimensions from the factory website," one said.
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The post ‘This is more expensive than my actual flight’: Delta Airlines customer warns new bag policy may cost you $200 appeared first on The Daily Dot.
