New gun policy at American Airlines

Reported in the May issue of the Armed Citizen's Legal Defense Network (ACLDN) Newsletter:

Just be aware that if you are flying American Airlines, checking a firearm, and have a connecting flight on a different airline, you will have some additional work to do. AA now requires you to retrieve the firearm from baggage claim at the connecting location and re-check the firearm with the connecting airline - possibly incurring a checked bag fee on the connecting airline. This of course takes time, and may prevent you from making your connecting flight.

AA says that guns disappear from luggage from time to time, and they don't want to pay for a gun that came up missing if another airline's employee stole it. I see their point, but think that loss of gunowner business may exceed whatever they have to pay for stolen firearms.

Plus if you're getting a connecting flight in a Commie state, your gun or mags could be contraband.

I just flew AA yesterday (and the week before that) and didn't have any issues.... wonder when that policy's supposed to take effect.

ETA: Also something a bit weird, but worked out just fine, was that at my first flight I went up to the booking desk and declared my firearm, she had me put the signature-tag in, and I immediately locked my case (non-tsa locks, of course) and she told me I was good to go. I asked her "But what about TSA? In case they want to inspect inside and will not be able to open my non-TSA locks?" and she told me it wasn't necessary and to go ahead. She had this orange "PRIORITY" tag sandwiched into the fold of the normal baggage tag, and when I got to my final destination (two AA flights with the connecting in DFW) my case was 5th on the carousel belt (normally it's dead last, or I have to go to the "Lost Items" dept because they've identified it by appearance as a firearms case, and want people to show ID before they can take it, which I'm honestly OK with.

I fly with a Pelican case, but have a bicycle company sticker on there and no gun-stickers.

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Originally Posted by Singlestack

Reported in the May issue of the Armed Citizen's Legal Defense Network (ACLDN) Newsletter:

Just be aware that if you are flying American Airlines, checking a firearm, and have a connecting flight on a different airline, you will have some additional work to do. AA now requires you to retrieve the firearm from baggage claim at the connecting location and re-check the firearm with the connecting airline - possibly incurring a checked bag fee on the connecting airline. This of course takes time, and may prevent you from making your connecting flight.

AA says that guns disappear from luggage from time to time, and they don't want to pay for a gun that came up missing if another airline's employee stole it. I see their point, but think that loss of gunowner business may exceed whatever they have to pay for stolen firearms.

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if it's all AA, this won't come into play.

Reason #5786507 that I won't fly until my CHL is good on the plane.

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Originally Posted by Zundfolge

Reason #5786507 that I won't fly until my CHL is good on the plane.

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In order words, you'll never fly...

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Originally Posted by 68Charger

if it's all AA, this won't come into play.

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Well, thats correct. It sounds like Kestrelbike flew both legs on AA, so the new rule wouldn't apply. Its only when making a connection on a different airline, as I stated. Marty Hayes of ACLDN said this happened when returning from the NRA show last month. He flew AA on the first leg and Alaska airlines to Seattle on the 2nd leg.

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Originally Posted by Singlestack

Well, thats correct. It sounds like Kestrelbike flew both legs on AA, so the new rule wouldn't apply. Its only when making a connection on a different airline, as I stated. Marty Hayes of ACLDN said this happened when returning from the NRA show last month. He flew AA on the first leg and Alaska airlines to Seattle on the 2nd leg.

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That's a huge PITA, makes people be at the mercy of Baggage, Check-in, and TSA and the variable times involved just to make a connecting flight. Sounds like a potential lawsuit for AA.

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Originally Posted by KestrelBike

I just flew AA yesterday (and the week before that) and didn't have any issues.... wonder when that policy's supposed to take effect.

ETA: Also something a bit weird, but worked out just fine, was that at my first flight I went up to the booking desk and declared my firearm, she had me put the signature-tag in, and I immediately locked my case (non-tsa locks, of course) and she told me I was good to go. I asked her "But what about TSA? In case they want to inspect inside and will not be able to open my non-TSA locks?" and she told me it wasn't necessary and to go ahead. She had this orange "PRIORITY" tag sandwiched into the fold of the normal baggage tag, and when I got to my final destination (two AA flights with the connecting in DFW) my case was 5th on the carousel belt (normally it's dead last, or I have to go to the "Lost Items" dept because they've identified it by appearance as a firearms case, and want people to show ID before they can take it, which I'm honestly OK with.

I fly with a Pelican case, but have a bicycle company sticker on there and no gun-stickers.

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Really sounds like,

1. She didn't know WTF she was doing
2. Priority tags ID any flyer with status on an airline
3. You got really really really lucky it didn't get picked up in a scan and kicked to TSA

P.S. I think a good baggage crew also ID's it by the TSA sticker/stamp and pulls it aside if that's the destination policy. Almost any Pelican case gets pulled at some destinations - high dollar gear, firearms, tools, etc.

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Originally Posted by KestrelBike

That's a huge PITA, makes people be at the mercy of Baggage, Check-in, and TSA and the variable times involved just to make a connecting flight. Sounds like a potential lawsuit for AA.

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I think AA will have some liability if (and when) people miss their connecting flights. Hayes said that he came very close to missing his Alaska airlines flight. I'm sure we have all made connections before where you need to really hurry (and possibly run) to catch a scheduled connecting flight. Thats happened to me a few times in Chicago. Plus, all it takes is for the incoming flight to be delayed somewhat - happens all the time.

My guess is AA will get enough black eyes from this policy that they will quietly reverse it. It just amazes me how blind some companies can be and not foresee the incredible downside of decisions they make. Kinda like the gubmint.

Perhaps they're simply clarifying. I know a few years back when I missed a connector due to late inbound, I had to pick up my luggage. Even though I jumped on the next flight the carrier had (with a free upgrade to 1st class), I still had to recheck bags and go through the whole thing again. I will now pay more for a direct flight or get as close as I can (the case going back home, no direct flights... either ATL or Nashville) and drive.

Spent two hours between getting my luggage and sending it through again.. Total of four hours lost due to a missed connection.

This is usually the policy on all luggage if you book connecting flights on DIFFERENT airlines. If it is booked on the same airline they will transfer your luggage including guns to the new flight and you get it at your final destination.
this encourages folks to buy tickets on the same airline. One more reason to buy directly from the airlines website, NOT on Expedia or Priceline etc.

Better make sure you're not transferring in NJ - http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011...supreme-court/

Supreme Court refused to hear the case.

I don't understand what the huge deal is. How often do you fly with a firearm AND have a connecting flight that consists of two different airline carriers? I fly 10 - 15 times a year with multiple firearms while attending competition shooting events, and I have yet to experience a situation where I had a connecting flight that is associated with a completely different airline carrier.

The thing that always blows my mind is that every single airport has a different way of handling your bag(s) with the firearms declared within them. You would think that there would be a consistent way that the Airlines or TSA handles that stuff from one airport to the next, but the process is usually unique at every airport. Not to mention the lack of knowledge in checking/declaring firearms by Airlines and TSA. There have been several instances where the ticketing agent or TSA agent was trying to mandate something stupid and I had force them to call their supervisor to come over and set them straight. The moral of this story is to know what is or isn't "right" going into it so you can call bullshit when they try to do retarded stuff.

Who schedules a connecting flight with another airline anymore? This policy will affect a dozen people this year. And those people will have already been screwed with missed connections and missing baggage due to the off-line connection.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by CHA-LEE

I don't understand what the huge deal is. How often do you fly with a firearm AND have a connecting flight that consists of two different airline carriers? I fly 10 - 15 times a year with multiple firearms while attending competition shooting events, and I have yet to experience a situation where I had a connecting flight that is associated with a completely different airline carrier.

The thing that always blows my mind is that every single airport has a different way of handling your bag(s) with the firearms declared within them. You would think that there would be a consistent way that the Airlines or TSA handles that stuff from one airport to the next, but the process is usually unique at every airport. Not to mention the lack of knowledge in checking/declaring firearms by Airlines and TSA. There have been several instances where the ticketing agent or TSA agent was trying to mandate something stupid and I had force them to call their supervisor to come over and set them straight. The moral of this story is to know what is or isn't "right" going into it so you can call bullshit when they try to do retarded stuff.

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You seriously put those 3 words in the same sentence? Just after 9/11 and flying with a C-PAP machine.... one airport says take it out of your bag, next airport says keep it in the bag... go through that same airport 3 days later, take it out of the bag.... TSA/Airlines vs. Consistency.. nope

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Originally Posted by CHA-LEE

I don't understand what the huge deal is. How often do you fly with a firearm AND have a connecting flight that consists of two different airline carriers? I fly 10 - 15 times a year with multiple firearms while attending competition shooting events, and I have yet to experience a situation where I had a connecting flight that is associated with a completely different airline carrier.

The thing that always blows my mind is that every single airport has a different way of handling your bag(s) with the firearms declared within them. You would think that there would be a consistent way that the Airlines or TSA handles that stuff from one airport to the next, but the process is usually unique at every airport. Not to mention the lack of knowledge in checking/declaring firearms by Airlines and TSA. There have been several instances where the ticketing agent or TSA agent was trying to mandate something stupid and I had force them to call their supervisor to come over and set them straight. The moral of this story is to know what is or isn't "right" going into it so you can call bullshit when they try to do retarded stuff.

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I think we've all had to "school" ticketing agents. I practically had to get on the United agent's computer at SEATAC and check it myself. And then he was just going to throw my case on the bag conveyor. [facepalm] This was the only guy at the counter of several that was "qualified" to check a declared firearm. <<double>> facepalm.

Some airports have different methods of firearm handling and some simply scan it real quick to make sure it looks fine in the scan. These airports will either page you to a certain location if they should need to open or even have you wait ten minutes near the check-in before leaving for security. BWI in Baltimore is one example of the latter.

Reading this thread reminds me of why I print the TSA page on traveling with firearms and fold it up and put it in a back pocket EVERY time we fly. Makes educating a TSA agent on the proper method of doing their job a lot easier and lot less argumentative.

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Originally Posted by Jer

Some airports have different methods of firearm handling and some simply scan it real quick to make sure it looks fine in the scan. These airports will either page you to a certain location if they should need to open or even have you wait ten minutes near the check-in before leaving for security. BWI in Baltimore is one example of the latter.

Reading this thread reminds me of why I print the TSA page on traveling with firearms and fold it up and put it in a back pocket EVERY time we fly. Makes educating a TSA agent on the proper method of doing their job a lot easier and lot less argumentative.

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Yup, DIA TSA took my luggage to their scanner, with me in the presence, on the way back Burbank actually scanned and searched my luggage behind the scenes.