About 6 years ago I started traveling to various canoe clinics to teach FreeStyle Canoeing. Commercial airline flights
were chosen as the means of transportation due to time constraints and actually a more economical way to go. Canoes and paddles
could always be borrowed but kneeling pads were a problem. My personalized homemade pad was almost a necessity. A FreeStyle Canoe
pad is closed-cell foam, one half inch thick and 48 inches on each edge. The answer to this transportation dilemma was a 48 inch
long by 12 inch diameter duffle bag. The pad was simply rolled up around my PFD and sleeping bag and stored in the duffle. In these
last 5 years have included flights from Louisiana to Montana, New York, California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas on various
airlines, many on Continental. Nothing was ever mentioned about the duffle until a recent flight to Cleveland. Continental gladly
accepted my duffle on the first leg from Baton Rouge to Cleveland but when checking it on the return flight the ticket agent, a
middle-aged man asked about the bag's contents. The truthful reply was given. It was apparent that something was up when an almost
indiscernible but triumphant smile appeared on his face. "This bag is oversized and will cost $ 80.00 extra." "Whoa, I no one has
ever mentioned this before, besides this is a return flight and Continental accepted this duffle on the first leg. The time to raise
this issue was then and all the previous years", I replied. A very stern look appeared and he answered, "They all should have told
you then. Just think of me as a policeman who finally caught you." Now, my pad cost about $ 65 to make, so I was about to pay this
individual $15 more dollars than it was worth particularly considering the circumstances, so I tried another approach. " Why don't I
take the pad out, leave it here with you, ship the sleeping bag, and wear the life jacket, although I wonder what the reaction will
be from fellow passengers when I board the plane wearing a life vest", I added. He found this not in the least bit humorous, so I
tried another approach. "Seems to me that I've witnessed other items this size being shipped without this issue being raised", I
ventured. On hearing that, he whipped out, ( this time with apparent triumph ), a tape measure. I couldn't help being reminded of
Barney Fife on Mayberry RFD whipping out his unloaded revolver. Going to the round end of the duffle, he measured it's diameter
vertically, then horizontally, then the length. "Oh yes", he said with great satisfaction, "This is much greater than 62 square
inches in area." I figured a ticket agent was probably a high school graduate and would understand basic geometry, so offered that
the correct way to measure a cylindrically shaped object was Pi times the radius squared, times the length and that would yield a
volumetric area in cubic inches, not a square area in inches. That produced a look on his face like that of a deer caught in
headlights, followed by a furrowed bow. At that point, he said, "Wait here", turned on his heel and disappeared into a door behind
the ticket counter. He soon emerged with a younger woman in tow who was either a figure of higher authority or just someone who
understood simple math. A conversation identical to the previous one ensued culminated with her drawing out a tape measure like a
six gun from a holster and measuring the duffle in exactly the same manner followed by my short discourse on elementary geometry.
There was no relenting in her demeanor and I realized then that they would not budge. At that moment an act of complete irony took
place when a gentleman arrived at the adjoining counter with a hard shelled golf club case that looked as though a Mack truck and 3
burly teamsters would be needed to load it onto the plane. It was roughly the same dimensions as my duffle and was accepted without
comment by another Continental agent. Upon pointing that out I was informed that golf club bags and certain other oversized items
were exempt from the extra charge. " You mean to tell me that you will accept these heavy bulky items such as golf clubs at no
charge and want $ 80 for a lightweight canoeing pad", I noted. "Yes", came an icy reply.

At this point a somewhat humorous if not bothersome scene turned very dark. I had purchased E-tickets which meant that Continental
Airlines had my credit card number. The female ticket agent armed with this information informed me that if I continued to argue,
Continental Airlines would charge an additional $80 for the first flight plus ( already taken ) and an extra $ 80 for the return
flight. This was certainly an attempted intimidation if not an open threat. Continental had promoted the E-ticket concept as a
convenience for them and me but now armed with my credit card number, introduced the idea that they would add charges as they
pleased ! I am now aware that this policy exists ( for all except golfers ) and will now conform but notwithstanding the specific
question, to my way of thinking this opened a larger question for any passengers purchasing E-tickets. IF TICKETS ARE PURCHASED
ELECTRONICALLY WITH A CREDIT CARD NUMBER, DOES THE CARRIER HAVE THE RIGHT TO ADD ADDITIONAL CHARGES AT THEIR OWN DISCRETION? This
had such a chilling effect that I removed my bags and went to another section of the terminal to ponder a solution. The lines
through security were very long and there was a danger of missing the flight so I removed the pad from the duffle, left it in the
terminal, took the duffle with the PFD and sleeping bag to the sky cap outside, who gladly checked it through, and continued with
the journey.

I'll make a new pad. My wife and I will certainly never fly Continental or purchase E-tickets again. We travel for other
business as well and probably only spend about $ 4,000 to $5,000 a year on tickets. That certainly is no big loss for Continental,
but will be my small protest. I URGE EVERYONE TO BE AWARE THAT IF YOU PURCHASE E-TICKETS WITH A CREDIT CARD YOU MAY BE PUTTING YOUR
BANK ACCOUNT AT THE MERCY OF A FRUSTRATED TICKET CLERK SOMEWHERE WITH A NEED TO ASSERT THEMSELVES.