Recent experience flying with firearms

[BigSteve57]

This is maybe a half bubble off of the OP's intention but it's apropos to flying with a firearm and it was his post that sparked the thought in my head. I had noticed awhile back that you can't go from New England to the rest of the country by ground transportation without passing through the Great Wall of NY. No, I'm not geographically challenged, it just never struck me before until I was hearing the horror stories of people driving through NY and by misadventure of a breakdown or traffic accident having the police discover a firearm in their trunk. This was soon followed by equally horrible stories of landing in JFK or LaGuardia with a firearm en route to some final destination.
Anyway, I was wondering what would happen if someone was flying from point A to Point B and their plane, for one reason or another had to make an unplanned landing (medical emergency, unruly passenger, mechanical failure, whatever) in NYC and it was discovered that there was a (GASP!) privately owned weapon on board. Any thoughts or experiences?

OP's intention was to document an experience that was a bit odd and to A) warn others to maybe not mention the fact that they're going on a hunting trip and traveling with firearms, even casually, to travel agents who are overly "helpful" and B) make known the fact that this airline had some sort of notation for firearms travel that prevented us from checking in WITHOUT said firearms!

With regards to your question maybe ask Gregg C. Revell. See Gregg C. Revell v. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
REF: https://www.morelaw.com/verdicts/case.asp?s=NJ&d=43309

 

[herrwalther]

I was wondering what would happen if someone was flying from point A to Point B and their plane, for one reason or another had to make an unplanned landing (medical emergency, unruly passenger, mechanical failure, whatever) in NYC and it was discovered that there was a (GASP!) privately owned weapon on board. Any thoughts or experiences?

My first time flying was in 2008, well past the birth of TSA and 9/11 reactions. Minus flying for military work, I have only flown without firearms once. Ironically it was so my son and I could visit my parents in the wonderfully gun friendly state of New York. It was a very interesting week walking around with nothing but a sharp pen. In any case I have flown with firearms about a half dozen times. And on several trips I have gone through NY JFK or Newark airport in New Jersey as layovers. Had no problems with my firearms making it through to my final destination.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I haven't commented until now because my experience flying has been mostly with Southwest, Continental (before United bought them) and Delta. This past weekend I flew American to CO (GJT) and back and can now post based on that experience

Check-in was uneventful at BWI except for the fact that our reservations had somehow stipulated that we BOTH were flying with firearms when it was just me. Apparently this is some sort of crisis as the clerk couldn't clear the entry for my wife and wouldn't let us check in until it was rectified. After 40 minutes of waiting at the counter we bailed to another clerk who fixed it in about 5 keystrokes on the computer. Let's chalk that one up to lack of employee training. But, to save future hassles you might want to be very clear on your reservations as to just WHO is carrying firearms.

My first advice, as to all air travel is to NOT specify, on your reservation, who will be traveling with firearms. That is something best handled at check-in

Retrieving the firearm at BZN was a little disconcerting. Regular bags came out on the familiar carousel. However, all firearms came out on an adjacent chute where anyone could just walk up and take them. THIS PRACTICE REALLY BUGS ME. We've had this happen at other airports such as Dulles.

This is pretty much the norm at al the airports I've flown into. Regular sized cases come out on the regular carousel, while over sized cases come out on a separate belt. I travel with handguns and my gun are packed in a hard-sided case and placed into my regular luggage. It usually comes out with all the other luggage

At BWI, instead of having the firearm come out on the regular baggage carousel or out of some other unattended chute my firearm was hand delivered by a TSA agent to the American Airlines baggage office where I was waiting. The TSA agent checked my baggage claim check and MD driver's license before personally handing the gun case over to me.

When I returned from GJT to SMF, via PHX, the ticket agent told be that I'd have to pickup my bag from the baggage office...then she applied an additional tag to the outside of my luggage to indicate this. While it doesn't bother me, many gun owners get incensed that their bag is marked, on the outside, as containing a firearm...they even think (incorrectly) that it violates federal regulations

It wasn't a TSA agent that brought my bag to the office, just a member of the baggage handling crew. TSA doesn't really get involved in baggage coming off a plane

 

[Elkins45]

This is maybe a half bubble off of the OP's intention but it's apropos to flying with a firearm and it was his post that sparked the thought in my head. I had noticed awhile back that you can't go from New England to the rest of the country by ground transportation without passing through the Great Wall of NY. No, I'm not geographically challenged, it just never struck me before until I was hearing the horror stories of people driving through NY and by misadventure of a breakdown or traffic accident having the police discover a firearm in their trunk. This was soon followed by equally horrible stories of landing in JFK or LaGuardia with a firearm en route to some final destination.
Anyway, I was wondering what would happen if someone was flying from point A to Point B and their plane, for one reason or another had to make an unplanned landing (medical emergency, unruly passenger, mechanical failure, whatever) in NYC and it was discovered that there was a (GASP!) privately owned weapon on board. Any thoughts or experiences?

Not legal advice, but if I were ever in that situation I would refuse to take possession of my bag. I would tell the airline baggage agent the reason I could not remove it from the carousel and request that they store it for me until such time as the situation that landed us there is over and they can send me on my way again. Sure your gun might get stolen but it would be the responsibility of the airline and they might actually reimburse you from their insurance. Even if not, sacrificing a $600 gun is a pretty good investment vs New Jersey bail bond money and a $10K legal bill.