Babbalanja
Member
Wonder if anyone would like to give me a little advice on an "incident" I had yesterday while transporting a Remington 870 and German Makarov. With Delta Airlines' policy printed from their website in hand, I told the ticketing agent that I had firearms in my checked bag. Her eyes went wide, she muttered something and left. She reappeared and told me to put it on the cart for TSA agents to examine. At their command, I produced the key to my hard Samsonite bag and they examined the contents while I stood 15 feet away. The 870 had the stock removed so that it would fit and was in a sack up sleeve. The Makarov was in a sack up within a soft case. A lot of packing in the bag stabilized them and the other contents.
The ticketing agent called me over and showed me an orange checklist tag like the ones I've signed several times before. She pointed out that the checklist shows that the firearm must meet four requirements 1. unloaded 2. in a crush-proof/hard-sided container/suitcase 3. in a locked container 4. passenger retains key/combination (see attached).
I told her that I'd traveled several times before and that my suitcase was a lockable hard-sided container/suitcase. I had a printout of their web policy that does not mention the "locked container" from the card (see below). She refused to look at my printout and once again counseled with about 4 TSA agents, growing noticibly alarmed.
15 minutes of fretting and the lead TSA agent called me over and said: "You're splitting hairs!" to which I said nothing. He continued, "Let me give you some advice, put these in a case within your case, one of those, you know, this big, that lock. You're splitting hairs. I'll let you go this time, understand?" I nodded and thanked him, accepting the key thrust into my palm.
My question to you is, it appears to me that their website policy and this 'Firearm(s) Unloaded' card do not jibe in that the card mentions a locked container that the web policy does not. Were the TSA agents the last three times I transported guns incorrect and yesterday's agents wrong, or visa-versa? I am contemplating a letter to Delta over the confusion. If this agent decided NOT to let me go this time, would I have been arrested?
Thanks for your advice, but if I may be brash, please, no lectures about how stupid I was/am.
Website policy
"When checking a firearm, you must:
Declare to the Delta representative that you are checking a firearm (If a Security Checkpoint is prior to the Delta ticket counter, you must declare the existence of a firearm to security personnel.)
All firearms must be declared by the passenger to a Delta agent at the main ticket counter
Present firearm(s) unloaded and sign a "Firearms Unloaded" declaration
Firearms must be packed in a hard side case with a key or combination lock in possession of the passenger only
Maintain entry permits in your possession for the country or countries of destination or transit
Ensure small arms ammunition is packed in the manufacturer's original package or securely packed in fiber, wood or metal boxes
The ticketing agent called me over and showed me an orange checklist tag like the ones I've signed several times before. She pointed out that the checklist shows that the firearm must meet four requirements 1. unloaded 2. in a crush-proof/hard-sided container/suitcase 3. in a locked container 4. passenger retains key/combination (see attached).
I told her that I'd traveled several times before and that my suitcase was a lockable hard-sided container/suitcase. I had a printout of their web policy that does not mention the "locked container" from the card (see below). She refused to look at my printout and once again counseled with about 4 TSA agents, growing noticibly alarmed.
15 minutes of fretting and the lead TSA agent called me over and said: "You're splitting hairs!" to which I said nothing. He continued, "Let me give you some advice, put these in a case within your case, one of those, you know, this big, that lock. You're splitting hairs. I'll let you go this time, understand?" I nodded and thanked him, accepting the key thrust into my palm.
My question to you is, it appears to me that their website policy and this 'Firearm(s) Unloaded' card do not jibe in that the card mentions a locked container that the web policy does not. Were the TSA agents the last three times I transported guns incorrect and yesterday's agents wrong, or visa-versa? I am contemplating a letter to Delta over the confusion. If this agent decided NOT to let me go this time, would I have been arrested?
Thanks for your advice, but if I may be brash, please, no lectures about how stupid I was/am.
Website policy
"When checking a firearm, you must:
Declare to the Delta representative that you are checking a firearm (If a Security Checkpoint is prior to the Delta ticket counter, you must declare the existence of a firearm to security personnel.)
All firearms must be declared by the passenger to a Delta agent at the main ticket counter
Present firearm(s) unloaded and sign a "Firearms Unloaded" declaration
Firearms must be packed in a hard side case with a key or combination lock in possession of the passenger only
Maintain entry permits in your possession for the country or countries of destination or transit
Ensure small arms ammunition is packed in the manufacturer's original package or securely packed in fiber, wood or metal boxes