Great post...
I've noticed the more gun friendly the state, the easier the airport. Flying out of Atlanta is always a breeze. I usually get greeted with "Cool, what kinda gun is that?" or "It's been too long since I went shooting."
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Great post...
I've noticed the more gun friendly the state, the easier the airport. Flying out of Atlanta is always a breeze. I usually get greeted with "Cool, what kinda gun is that?" or "It's been too long since I went shooting."
If you get rerouted, then presumably the airline retains possession of your checked luggage including firearms, so no issue there.
I can't speak for DC, and I am not a lawyer, but if you get stranded / laid over in NYS/NYC or at Newark, then I would not recommend taking possession of your checked luggage with firearms and/or ammunition inside, even just for a moment. Instead, insist that the airline retain possession for the entire layover period through to your final destination. If they insist that they can't/won't, then I would (at a minimum) have them call the PAPD/NYPD over to let the PAPD/NYPD (preferably a supervisor) verify (in writing :rolleyes: ?) that they are OK with you taking possession of your checked bags with firearms for the layover.
Although FOPA (18 U.S.C. § 926A, available here http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/us...6---A000-.html) is supposed to protect you from prosecution while traveling from one place to another with secured firearms that you can "lawfully possess and carry" at both ends of the journey, there have been issues at NY and NJ airports where the Port Authority PD, NYPD and/or other LEOs have arrested individuals who (i) drove up to the airport to check firearms in luggage without valid in-state licenses and (ii) took possession of their in-transit checked bags with firearms for unanticipated layovers and returned the next morning to continue their interrupted journey.
<< Note that NYC and NYS have active assault weapons bans (e.g., NYS requirement for "ban compliant" semi-autos, 10 round magazine limits for post 9/13/94 magazines, no ARs or AKs in NYC whatsoever, 5 round magazine limits for rifles and shotguns in NYC (including lever action tubes)), NJ has a state-wide blanket 15 round magazine capacity limit, NJ has a general ban on hollowpoint ammunition (applicable outside of the home only, I think). Other than that, its a virtual firearms paradise here.... >>
As someone trapped behind the lines here, I wouldn't recommend testing their zeal for making "gun arrests".
ON EDIT: I heard from a fellow student at a recent class (from UT but with a CT non-resident CCW license) that they've done fine driving up to NYC airports to check guns, despite their lack of a NY handgun license. On casual investigation, it seems that this person's success has been a direct result of them showing their paper FFL (not sure what class), along with their other licenses.... YMMV
Just went from Minneapolis to Denver and to my final destination Sacramento, Ca. Went extremely smooth. Gun was disassembled and locked in case.
Way to go. I started packing up a pistol for travel several years ago. When I found how easy it was (considering the 9/11 security measures) I wondered why I never did that before. Nice being able to settle into a hotel room with some self defense at hand.
Well the wife & I are doing a trip to Hawaii from New Zealand in a few weeks for a shoot so I will let you know what happens. Anyone had any problems bringing guns into Hawaii???:help:
I fly with firearms several times a month and usually everything goes very smoothly. I did have an issue about a year ago when I was flying between Salt Lake and Atlanta on Delta. Upon arriving in Atlanta, the bag that contained my M&P9 was not there and Delta had no idea where it was. I spent several hours at the airport and the most disturbing aspect was that the TSA in Atlanta did not give a rats ass that my bag was missing and that the last person it was seen with was TSA in Salt Lake. I remember thinking that they had taken incompetency to an entirely new level. Their advice was that I should file a police report with Atlanta PD.
I ended up leaving the airport with only the assurance by Delta that if it turned up they would notify me. Six hours and several phone calls later, they still did not know where my bag was. I ended up resorting to using Twitter to publicly call out Delta for completely losing my bag and firearm. Shortly after this very public notification of Delta's incompetence, I received a call from someone higher up the food chain at Delta. My firearm was located within the hour.
When my bag/firearm arrived in Atlanta it was handed over to a private courier service to deliver it to me. I received a call from them asking if they could just leave my bag with the front desk at my hotel. I told them to find a good spot to pull over and I would meet them there. Luckily, it all worked out for me and I received everything (a day later). I just want everyone to be aware that even if you do everything right and are an experienced traveler flying first class, shit happens and when things go bad don't expect them to jump through hoops for you. No one at TSA or the airline cares.
Do NOT take possession of your luggage. Arrange to have it re-routed.
Port Authority Police in NY and NJ will arrest you on the spot if you are in possession of anything in contravention of state law (example: unpermitted non-residents with handguns in NY and NJ).
If you are in a situation where you have absolutely no choice but to take possession of your luggage - discreetly rent a car, get out of dodge and head to the nearest unoccupied territory.
For example - you're stuck at LaGuardia or Newark, consider driving to Philly and get a connecting flight there.
If you are in NY or NJ and try to re-check your luggage on another carrier, woe be unto you.
Adding on to this topic, I always travel with my BenchMade 1100 series pen. I've never had a problem making it through security with it. I always take the cap off and up it on the opposite end so the writing portion is exposed. In case anyone has questions.
This post intrigued me because I *thought* the FOPA (Firearms Owners` Protection Act)basically covered you in cases where you traveled THROUGH a shitty state. I was going to call BS on this post but found this on the NRA's website.
I hate this country sometimes..."the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission" I believe someone on this forum has that quote in their sig--this would be, imo, an apt illustration.Quote:
Special Advisory for New York and New Jersey Airports: Despite federal law that protects travelers, authorities at JFK, La Guardia, Newark and Albany airports have been known to enforce state and local firearms laws against airline travelers who are merely passing through the jurisdiction. In some cases, even persons traveling in full compliance with federal law have been arrested or threatened with arrest. As noted above in the section entitled "Federal Law on the Transportation of Firearms," FOPA`s protections have been substantially narrowed by court decisions, and persons traveling with firearms may want to avoid New York and New Jersey or make arrangements to ship their firearms to their destination, rather than bringing them through these jurisdictions.
Bah, I don't wanna derail the thread. Thanks for the heads up. It would be my luck that I get re-routed to NYC and get my guns seized.