Flying to the Washington, DC, area this week?

[Beemerguy53]

Folks, if you're flying to the Washington, DC, area this week, please be advised you cannot transport a firearm in your checked bag, for any reason. This is a temporary restriction, and ends on January 23.

A friend found this out the hard way. He took his Glock to Florida with him last week, but the airline wouldn't let him check it on his flight home today. Luckily, he was able to ship it to himself via FedEx.

The restriction is in effect at Dulles (IAD), Reagan National (DCA), and Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) Airports.

Major Airlines Temporarily Ban Guns in Checked Baggage Leading Up to Inauguration in Washington, D.C. | Travel + Leisure

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

Thanks for the heads up but I don't have a hankering to fly anywhere at
any time.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Thanks for the heads up but I don't have a hankering to fly anywhere at
any time.

You didn't explain why you don't want to fly, but if it's because of Covid...

Avoiding this illness is a matter of managing risk. If you and the folks around you are wearing masks, you stay away from crowds or close contact with strangers, and you wash your hands frequently, you lower the risk of contracting the illness. The airlines are being downright manic about cleaning their airplanes, and the air is filtered and refreshed in flight.

I'll fly to Florida in March to visit my son and daughter-in-law, and I don't anticipate any problems. (I also hope to have been vaccinated by then.) I went down there in November, also with no issues.

 

[ancient-one]

I agree with Old Arkansawyer! Not too much for COVID19 but too many controlled crashes for landings, too many hours of delays and I don't enjoy flying when you can barely see the wing tip and you are never sure when that is going to happen. My puckering string is plumb wore out.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Washington DC? Hell no! Not this week, not next week, not in the foreseeable future. Last time I was there was in 1972 and I didn't lose anything I want to go back and look for. As I recall, there were troops around every federal building and sandbagged machinegun positions set up all over town, which sounds kinda like what I might see today.

I have serious doubts about anyone who willingly goes to Washington DC, much less announces the intention by running for public office.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Washington DC? Hell no! Not this week, not next week, not in the foreseeable future. Last time I was there was in 1972 and I didn't lose anything I want to go back and look for. As I recall, there were troops around every federal building and sandbagged machinegun positions set up all over town, which sounds kinda like what I might see today.

I have serious doubts about anyone who willingly goes to Washington DC, much less announces the intention by running for public office.

Perspective is interesting. I find Washington to be a beautiful city, defined by so much more than the government officials who work there.

I live about an hour away from Washington, and have been there more times than I can remember over the years. When my sons were little, we used to go to the National Air & Space Museum, and the other Smithsonian museums -- American History and Natural History -- regularly. We've seen the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in the National Archives...been to the top of the Washington Monument...visited the Vietnam Memorial, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Holocaust Museum, the World War II Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery.

It breaks my heart to see what's happened there since last summer, but that's not the "real" Washington I remember. So much of our nation's culture and history is wrapped up in that town, and I highly recommend it to all Americans...

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

Perspective is interesting. I find Washington to be a beautiful city, defined by so much more than the government officials who work there.

I live about an hour away from Washington, and have been there more times than I can remember over the years. When my sons were little, we used to go to the National Air & Space Museum, and the other Smithsonian museums -- American History and Natural History -- regularly. We've seen the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in the National Archives...been to the top of the Washington Monument...visited the Vietnam Memorial, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Holocaust Museum, the World War II Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery.

It breaks my heart to see what's happened there since last summer, but that's not the "real" Washington I remember. So much of our nation's culture and history is wrapped up in that town, and I highly recommend it to all Americans...

I would like to spend some more time in the Smithsonian, but
probably never will. Last time I was there was 99.

 

[Doug M.]

I only fly first class now. The BS reduction alone is worth it. Separate check in, faster seating, not squeezed in with 2 other apes my size in a sardine tin.

Go to DC now? Not a reason in the world. A pretty big violation of the "stupid places, stupid people, and stupid activities" rule (avoid them all) under the best of conditions. Now? NFE.

 

[Retired W4]

Twenty years ago I flew into Dulles for the inauguration. Started out from ATL to Portland, OR, back to ATL then on to DC. It was a long day but the next five days made it all worth while. Georgetown Parties, Inaugural Ball were great, but Bush's Black Tie and Boots Ball was the hottest ticket in town with Clint and his wife on stage, and Bob Barr, Marie O., Yakov Smirnoff, etc. I was in jeans and a sweater (no cowboy boots) and I was confronted about it a couple times. I told them the airline lost my luggage. Signature (the FBO) ran out of parking and they asked us to move the airplane to BWI. No problem. Just had to reposition to DC to pick up the boss and her friends for the return trip.

This one is a universe away from back then, in many ways. My Glock never left the airplane.