Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) commended the airline industry’s decision to grant a $100 fee exemption to service members for a third piece of luggage on flights Friday.

Webb sent an August 15 letter to the President and CEO of the Air Transport Association of America strongly endorsing the initial request for excess baggage fee exemptions from the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

“I am pleased that after hearing concerns from service members across the country, the VFW and my office, the airline industry has agreed to waive its excess baggage fees for all military personnel,” says Webb. “By granting this baggage fee exemption, the industry has demonstrated its appreciation for the over 200,000 men and women in uniform deployed overseas, including combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

In a letter to Webb on behalf of the Air Transport Association of America, President and CEO James C. May affirmed that all member airlines have announced plans to waive excess baggage fees for military personnel.

“Our member airlines and the ATA have a long and proud history of supporting our nation’s military men and women. We remain steadfast in that commitment,” says May.

U.S. armed services personnel total less than one percent of all passengers carried by U.S. airlines annually.