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NRA: Fear & Loading: Airlines Modifying Gun Travel Policies

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by Guy Sagi - Thursday, May 11, 2017

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Delta Airlines has announced flyers who travel with guns in their checked luggage will no longer be able to find the firearm’s case—or a bag that contains a locked handgun case—on an airport carousel. Owners must reclaim their unloaded firearm by presenting valid government picture identification at the carrier’s baggage service office.

“The airline will now have special tags to alert ground handlers to not put bags carrying weapons on the general carousel,” according to Miami, FL’s, NBC 6 TV. Several other airlines told The Sun-Sentinel Times they were also considering a change, although a spokesman for American Airlines said, “American has not changed its policy on checked firearms. Everything stands the same.” When I flew with that company late last month, my gun bag was tagged with a red “Return to BSO” label, and it was being held in the baggage service office when I arrived. Taking possession required producing an ID, not the claim ticket.

Know the rules before your trip. NRA-ILA has some good tips to keep in mind anytime you’re flying with a firearm. The Transportation Security Administration offers others, but remember, airlines can enforce additional regulations that can delay or even cancel your departure unless you’re prepared.

In addition to a locked hard case, Air Canada for example, also requires firearms “Must be rendered inoperable by means of a secure locking device mechanism (i.e. a trigger lock), but only after the check-in process has been completed…” You’ll also be charged a $59 (USD) firearm handling charge.

Delta Airlines’ packing policy reflects that of most American carriers. “Firearms must be packed in a locked manufacturer's hard-sided container specifically designed for the firearm, a locked hard–sided gun case or a locked hard-sided piece of luggage,” its website explains. “Handguns may be packed in a locked hard-sided gun case, and then packed inside an unlocked soft-sided piece of luggage. However, a Conditional Acceptance Tag must be used in this case.”
 
Yet more hoops to make people jump through in the hopes that eventually we will just say screw it and give up the guns.
 
This poses the question: Say you are transporting a handgun and/or an AR with a S-load of hi-cap magazines and you have a layover/transfer in NY, CA or CT (for example). What are the rules? What if you have to leave the "secure" area to get your traveling arsenal, I mean your bag with the guns in it? I haven't flown in a while so I wonder what is new and disproved...
 
Well the California law is more about importation and exportation than mere possession.

If you've caused a Calif illegal weapon, magazine or ammunition to be imported here, you are a felon.

Get used to it.

From what I can figure, fully three-quarters of the California population are felons, under either the California gun laws, or the federal drug laws/immigration laws.

Also get used to having your guns stolen more often, now that all the bags with guns in them will have a special tag on the outside.

Oh yeah it's illegal to import any gun into the state of California unless it goes through a licensed gun dealer to get here, and it must currently be on the roster of legal firearms.

It's a mighty slim list these days too.

I am not a lawyer. I would suggest you consult a real lawyer knowledgeable in these matters in the state of California, but I can guarantee you the first thing he will tell you is this:

California passed a bunch of gun laws last year that you're expected to comply with, but they have so far not yet been able to describe the complete method/procedure of compliance, nor the specific circumstances under which with one must comply with certain new regulations.

I believe a new abstract or statute on the subject was just released from the Department of Justice, but I don't know what it contains or covers yet.

I'm expecting the worst.
 
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