Been bothering me for a while....

So I'm a season ticket holder for an NHL team and have been for 2 years. In that two years, I've seen multiple airlines sponsor the starting lineup announcements. Didn't bother me in the slightest when Southwest or Jet Blue sponsored them last season. However, Air Tran has been sponsoring them this season and it really, really irks me. Why? Air Tran is NOT friendly to people traveling with hockey gear. In fact, they were downright hostile. The last time DH and I flew to a hockey tournament (he is a goalie) we unfortunately flew Air Tran. DH has been traveling with goalie equipment since he was in grade school, so he has a lot of experience toting his equipment around. He uses 2 hockey bags (essentially very large duffel bags) so that his equipment does not exceed the weight limits. Yes, the dimensions of the bags technically exceed the accepted dimensions- for a hard case. However, Air Tran (just like Southwest, Delta, and USAir), states that if the bag is soft-side, the measurements are taken via compressing the bag. As each bag is less than half-full, not a problem. Flying Air Tran to the tournament was no problem. We had to pay extra for his sticks, but that is generally the case (they exceed dimensions) unless we fly first class or Air Canada (hockey equipment flies free on Air Canada!). On the way home, however, the Air Tran officials would not follow their stated policy of measuring the bags at their compressed measurement. When we complained to the manager we were told, well, if you persist in complaining, I will charge you 2x the fee because you didn't get charged flying here. Manager then refused to give me a statement of his measurements of the bag. He even refused to give me a copy of the exact baggage policy they use (since they weren't following the one published on the web). Apparently, they can randomly decide that something is too big and they don't even have to furnish you with their measurements. Two written complaints to Air Tran were ignored until I got the better business bureau involved. Even then, all they would give me was an Air Tran credit for $30 (fee was $100). Like we were ever going to fly that airline again! I donated the credit and all of our airline miles to Fisher House Foundation (provides flights for family members of soldiers wounded in action). Even then, I felt guilty that I was condemning some poor worried family member to having to deal with Air Tran!