That didn't take long. A little nationwide coverage and American Airlines re-evaluated their policy:
American gives in, waives 3rd-bag fee for military | Business | Star-Telegram.com
American gives in, waives 3rd-bag fee for military
By Trebor Banstetter
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH, Texas — Facing a public-relations nightmare, American Airlines said it would waive fees on excess baggage checked by soldiers traveling on duty, after being excoriated online and in the media as unpatriotic and hostile to U.S. troops.
American had been criticized for weeks in often-incorrect reports on blogs and Internet forums that it had begun slapping fees on Iraq-bound soldiers for checking extra bags of military gear. This week, the story hit the mainstream, with reports in national media outlets such as CNN.