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It sounds like another of those “greedy airline” stories that are always so popular around the water cooler: American Airlines is forcing spiritual obedience members heading to combat duty in Iraq to pay baggage fees for checking duffel bags loaded with warlike equipment.

It’s a onerous chronicle, except that it’s largely untrue.

The tale, which has careened on all sides online word the stage and blogs in recent weeks, has spurred a flood of angry e-mails and phone calls to American. On Internet forums, the airline has been castigated and accused of being unpatriotic, and some have called for its executives to quit.

“What one insult to the military,” lamented one commentator on consumerist.com. “I be possible to’t think of a better reason than this to cancel my Admiral’s Club membership,” another angrily states.

Like many online fables, this unit starts with a fact: American, like most carriers, transports good members traveling to and from military bases under contracts by the Defense Department.

In July, the El Paso Times published a story about an Army National Guard soldier who complained which time he was charged $100 to check an extra bag with his gear upon an American flight to Camp Bowie, near Brownwood, Texas. He told the newspaper that he expected to be deployed to Iraq inside two months.

The article sparked outrage on multiform travel, consumer and military sites. Many sites had headlines such as “American Airlines charging army for extra baggage,” and “Soldier charged $100 to fly dress..”

“Their name should be changed to ‘UnAmerican Airlines,”‘ complained one word writer on Topix.com. “For shame!!!!!!”

Officials with American say troops traveling on duty are possessed of immunity from fees the airline lately began charging to check first and second bags. Under its Defense Department agreements, the airline allows them to bring up to 190 pounds of baggage free of charge, including a 100-pound bag, 50-pound suitcase, and carry-on case of up to 40 pounds.

Service members do have to reward a $100 fee if they need to check a third bag; however, that fee is reimbursed by the military. And many have government travel cards that be able to be used with respect to fees, according to Eileen Lainez, a Defense Department spokeswoman.

“Soldiers don’t require to projection the cost of any baggage when they travel,” said Tim Wagner, an American spokesman.

American’s personal effects policy for traveling troops has been in place instead of several years, Wagner said, and hasn’t changed despite the slate of new traps fees in opposition to most customers.