1. Something tells me you haven't traveled much lately, or ever with a firearm. I haven't printed a boarding pass in 5 years. I always pull them up on my phone. And if I did need to print one, I would simply go to a kiosk and print a boarding pass. No talkee to anyone. I travel **all the time**, as in multiple times each month. Unfortunately, that means I get cancelled/rerouted/etc. **all the time**, including just this week (thanks a lot, AA). I have never just gone to the airport without a flight. That why airlines have phone numbers, and smartphone apps.
2. "It is noted on your record?" What record? When I declare a firearm, they hand me and I fill out a dec form that goes in my bag. End of story. And even if it was "in my record," what matter? As long as the bag is not in my possession, I have violated no laws. There's no "you must go get your bag" law. My hand is never touching the handle of that bag behind enemy lines.
Think about the guy who sparked the conversation on all of this. Flight from Minneapolis to Newark was late, so he missed his connection to Allentown (his destination). Airline decided to bus them all to Allentown, PA (Not NJ. That's important). He got off the bus because he was worried his bag/gun didn't make it on the bus, then missed his bus, and after he retrieved his bag/gun, took it to a hotel. Went to the airport the next day. Remember, the bells went off when he reported to the ticket agent (as he was required to do) that he was traveling with a gun. The alarms didn't go off when he picked up his luggage. Who knows, maybe it wasn't "in his record."
I'll bet a LOT of bags missed the bus. I'll be a LOT of bags eventually found their way to their owners.
So, let's say this guy had done this: He forgets about his bag and just gets on the bus. He ends up in PA. What happens?
1. His bag shows up in PA, either because it was on the bus, or because the airline found the bag, read the barcode, and sent it along, or because they found the bag, read the barcode, and called him and said, "we have your bag, where do you want it sent?" He's safe. Winner.
2. His bags shows up back at his starting point, after they find the bag and read the barcode. He's safe. Winner.
3. The bag never shows up. The tag is torn off. Someone steals it. It's lost to the airline gods. He files a claim(s). Maybe he gets some money back. Maybe not. No matter. He's out the cost of the gun (and ammo) and some underwear. He does not spend 10 days in jail in NJ, and does not spend thousands (hundreds of thousands?) in legal fees. Still Winner.
Heck, let's try this: He gets off the bus, retrieves his bag, walks over to the rental counter, throws his bag in the rental, and drives one way to Allentown. Even if he rents the most expensive car he can find, still a Winner.
As I said, it's my plan. Not for everyone, obviously, but it's A plan. Guy who started this had no plan. He was connecting through Newark, with a firearm, and he hadn't thought about it at all. For that, I guess we all owe him a debt of gratitude, because it taught us the need for a plan.
