Most people I deal with don't really know or care who put the handcuffs on, they just know it happened. And in the end, it really doesn't matter . . .
Guns at airport checkpoints...
- Thread starter Beemerguy53
- Start date
A few years back we were dropping my stepson off at Hobby. I let the wife and boy go in while I made the loop in parking area and waited for her to come back, because we ran late.
Took a while and I see her coming back with stuff in her hands.
Seems the boy had just grabbed his small duffle that he used while hunting and did not clean it out very well before packing.
Wife came back with a hand full of 7mm-08, a pocket knife, a belt knife and spare box mag for the rifle.
Nice of TSA to let her have the stuff back.
Took a while and I see her coming back with stuff in her hands.
Seems the boy had just grabbed his small duffle that he used while hunting and did not clean it out very well before packing.
Wife came back with a hand full of 7mm-08, a pocket knife, a belt knife and spare box mag for the rifle.
Nice of TSA to let her have the stuff back.
To the OP, many people are carrying guns more often now due to....things being what they are plus many of them are new gun owners and probably have no clue about traveling with them. I doubt that’s covered when they buy the gun.
They will learn soon enough, at great expense.
They will learn soon enough, at great expense.
Back in my corporate flying days I always carried a Glock 19 on board (the jet or the Sikorsky) w/extra mags. Security for my boss and her friends was part of my job. On a five day trip to Chicago Midway I drove to Dayton, OH to see my sister and my friends. I figured I'd take the chance of getting to my rental car and out of the state with my pistol in my bag. All went well until I got back to the FBO at Midway and I noticed some guy with a wand was checking people going out to the ramp. Never saw that before. It turned out that the FAR part 121 ramp was full and the airline folks were using our ramp (part 91 etc.). They were not checking bags??, just wanding people. Made it out to the aircraft without incident. Made me think long and hard about bringing that brief case off the a/c. Logan has an xray machine for passenger's baggage coming and going. Alaska is a different animal altogether.
Logan still has that and one TSA officer. From what I've seen while sitting in the lounge, both checked and carry on bags go through the machines.
Pretty comfortable lounge.
Pretty comfortable lounge.
Yea, it is pretty nice. I tried not to spend too much time in those places.
Although some of the girls behind the counters were pretty cute.
Although some of the girls behind the counters were pretty cute.
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OP
I think you've hit the nail right on the head. I still don't understand it, though...I mean, it's not like guns were allowed through checkpoints until recently. They've been prohibited for as long as I've been flying (almost 50 years) and there are signs posted everywhere at airports telling you that.
People who bring guns into airport checkpoints give us all a bad name...they feed the notion that we're irresponsible nitwits who can't be trusted to be armed. In my opinion, they deserve whatever punishment they get.
'Alarming' Trend: TSA Intercepting Many More Guns Despite Far Fewer Air Travelers : NPR.
Occasionally, I'll have to either hand off or pick up a kidney being flown to a hospital for implantation.
Sometimes I have time for a cup of coffee and some people watching. Some of the passengers coming and going are, uh, interesting.
I sometimes wonder how they can fit that much luggage in a small airplane. Some people can't travel light.
Much better than picking up a package at one of the cargo depots.
Sometimes I have time for a cup of coffee and some people watching. Some of the passengers coming and going are, uh, interesting.
I sometimes wonder how they can fit that much luggage in a small airplane. Some people can't travel light.
Much better than picking up a package at one of the cargo depots.
Being much older and somewhat wiser I don't enjoy offending people to the point they want to scream. For as long as I can remember I have believed that all boundaries need to be tested. My very first memory is of me falling on my head after climbing out of my crib...this could explain part of my problem.
Great thread! I have to admit I have run afoul of airport security twice, both times pre-TSA as I recall. The first time my wife was a flight attendant in Chicago and was issued a sticker to put on our car windshields that allowed access to O'Hare on field parking, was always fun yielding right of way to a 747 before crossing the taxiway! I parked in the employee lot on the field and took the employee bus to the terminal which dropped me off at the gates past security. We were going to Mexico and I was going to go SCUBA dive and had a quite large dive knife in my bag, no problem as I went through no screening. Upon our return we flew through Mexico City, had to go through their screening and the knife was detected and it was confiscated, hope someone got a nice knife.
The second time was entirely my fault. I was going down to Memphis to visit my daughter attending college there. Before going to the airport I was on my computer renting a car and they required my Driver License info and I inadvertently left it at home after entering the required info. I got to security and they asked for a photo ID, it was back at home! They said if it I had two major credit cards they could allow me to board with some type of credit check. I asked if there would be an issue returning from Memphis and they assured me no. Excellent, I had to go through a special screening and low and behold I had a Swiss Army knife in my pocket I had carried for 30 years. I was sure it was arrest time but they allowed me to put it in my bag and check it and problem averted. When I went to return from Memphis, boarding denied! I asked for the supervisor and calmly resolved the issue so am not still in Memphis.
Not so much of a security issue but a bit of a funny story. I went to New Zealand fishing in February and having been there several times before I always had to go through biosecurity to have my waders, boots, and all gear checked, no problem. I was so busy fishing I never checked the news until the day before my return in March, virus was crazy! I could not a flight out of Auckland to USA so flew up to Sydney Australia to catch a flight home. I declared all my fishing gear and of course was diverted to Aussie biosecurity as expected. The officer asked how long I was going to be in OZ and I showed him my return ticket for the next day. He responded, " you are not going fishing obviously" , closed my bags and said get going mate.
The second time was entirely my fault. I was going down to Memphis to visit my daughter attending college there. Before going to the airport I was on my computer renting a car and they required my Driver License info and I inadvertently left it at home after entering the required info. I got to security and they asked for a photo ID, it was back at home! They said if it I had two major credit cards they could allow me to board with some type of credit check. I asked if there would be an issue returning from Memphis and they assured me no. Excellent, I had to go through a special screening and low and behold I had a Swiss Army knife in my pocket I had carried for 30 years. I was sure it was arrest time but they allowed me to put it in my bag and check it and problem averted. When I went to return from Memphis, boarding denied! I asked for the supervisor and calmly resolved the issue so am not still in Memphis.
Not so much of a security issue but a bit of a funny story. I went to New Zealand fishing in February and having been there several times before I always had to go through biosecurity to have my waders, boots, and all gear checked, no problem. I was so busy fishing I never checked the news until the day before my return in March, virus was crazy! I could not a flight out of Auckland to USA so flew up to Sydney Australia to catch a flight home. I declared all my fishing gear and of course was diverted to Aussie biosecurity as expected. The officer asked how long I was going to be in OZ and I showed him my return ticket for the next day. He responded, " you are not going fishing obviously" , closed my bags and said get going mate.
Unfortunately, it happened to me about 10 years ago. Was in north Dakota on a hunting trip. Made sure I didn't have any contraband in carry-on. TSA snagged me for a choke tuBe. Lower ranking female TSA agent wanted to hang me. Senior agent told me to just go put it in my checked luggage. Saw senior TSA agent in sterile area and thanked her. She said she was also a hunter and it had happened to her also. This was in Billings, MT.
Class III
Class III
I was flying with an FBI agent and he put his briefcase which contained his firearm on the X-ray belt and started to head for the metal scan portal. All of sudden a woman pushed in front of him saying was late and was trying to catch a flight. He let her go in before him. Meanwhile the lady operating the X-ray machine is freaking out because of the gun in his briefcase. She must have hit a panic alarm as cops and TSA people are rushing to her machine. All want to know who's bag it was. He calmly produced his FBI credentials and said he was delayed in showing them to the X-ray operator. I don't think think that lady will ever be the same from the expression I saw on her face.
Circa 1984, I bought a Walther .22 rifle at the Houston gun show.
Unfortunately, the stock was able 1/2" too long to fit into my luggage. The action fit fine. I declared that my luggage contained a gun upon check in, as required. I also committed the sacrilege of cutting up the original box so that I could take the stock on the plane with me as carry on. It looked purely like a cardboard box, no indication of a gun item. I was then delayed at security and almost missed my flight. A supervisor had to get involved. Finally, they saw it my way. That "it was just a piece of wood".
For the era, and being Texas, I was surprised.
A couple of times in my life, I have left my driver's license in another pair of jeans. I've always thought it better to use ID other than my photo PL, or to let others use their driver's license(a recent check in at a NH hotel with my sister-used her DL) than risk someone freaking out with seeing a NY PL, though it really indicates that I've had a thorough background check,etc.
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Bad luck is forgetting your firearm in the trunk and driving into Mexico...
HOUSTON RICK
Member
Sam Kinison had a good skit about his girlfriend or wife deliberately packing a gun un his suitcase for for a flight. The expletives are such that I am afraid to post a link, but it is on Youtube.
Broke Hoss
Member
Local airport is in my beat, & I hate these calls. Mainly because they usually come in at about 0600 & I'm supposed to go home at 0630.....
I've seen a few that truly "just forgot"; an Air Force member that "just grabbed" a bag after getting back from overseas that had an empty magazine in it; a guy headed to AK for a hunt that had the bolt to his hunting rifle in his carry on; 1 guy had is wife's computer bag & her Beretta Pico in a side pocket (he was sure even she didn't know it was there). But I've also had some that I'm sure knew better & were just seeing if they could get by with their loaded gun. No nefarious intent, just seeing if they could.
BTW, I don't take anything, unless it is a violation of LAW, not regulation. I usually just escort them back to their car to put it in the trunk & they catch the next flight available. I did book 1 guy's gun for safekeeping as his wife gave him a ride to the airport & had already left. He picked it up later from our evidence room after the usual NICS check just like he was buying it again.
I've seen a few that truly "just forgot"; an Air Force member that "just grabbed" a bag after getting back from overseas that had an empty magazine in it; a guy headed to AK for a hunt that had the bolt to his hunting rifle in his carry on; 1 guy had is wife's computer bag & her Beretta Pico in a side pocket (he was sure even she didn't know it was there). But I've also had some that I'm sure knew better & were just seeing if they could get by with their loaded gun. No nefarious intent, just seeing if they could.
BTW, I don't take anything, unless it is a violation of LAW, not regulation. I usually just escort them back to their car to put it in the trunk & they catch the next flight available. I did book 1 guy's gun for safekeeping as his wife gave him a ride to the airport & had already left. He picked it up later from our evidence room after the usual NICS check just like he was buying it again.
I lost a good Kershaw knife that way. Had checked luggage on the way to Florida and we decided to carry on the way home. We never do carry on. The TSA agent asked if I had anything I shouldn’t. “Damn” I thought. It was early and I wasn’t thinking. I point to the exact spot in the luggage it was in and stated I had a pocket knife. He took it out and didn’t give me a hard time. Stupid on me. Lost a good knife too. But a gun? Nope. Traveled many a time with a gun. It always made me nervous enough that I was really focused on what I was doing. And I always know where my guns are. I hope I keep it that way.
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In the days before TSA, I arrived in Wellington, New Zealand after having gone through multiple airport checks from the East Coast, via Australia etc. Speaking to one of my dive buddies and opening my carry on canvas briefcase (the old Lands End indestructible version) I found that I had a live 7.63 x 25 mm Mauser cartridge from a pre-trip shoot. It is probably still in the marine lab I was visiting after 25 years. Dave_n
mckenney99
Member
Around 2009 I flew to Texas for a wild hog hunt with several friends and their wives. Was a little apprehensive about checking the rifles and handguns but it went very smoothly. One thing I still don't understand, why did TSA swab the inside & outside of the gun cases for residue, of coarse the swabs came back positive? DUH! TSA agents didn't make an issue of it, just seemed to do it because some idiot told them they had to.
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