By Mark Walters : Opinion
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Friday AM-Atlanta Airport 4/7/2017:
Well, I had hoped to bring you a first-hand account of Delta’s new firearm policy regarding guns in checked luggage, but I apparently don’t focus enough attention on local news matters.
See, we had some crappy weather on Wednesday in Georgia that lead to a massive problem with Atlanta-based Delta Airlines canceling hundreds of flights over the last two days. Unaware of the hassle at the airport before my arrival I walked into a nightmare of people sleeping on floors, hideously long lines and frayed nerves as hundreds of stranded travelers tried desperately to get on or rebook canceled flights.
Surveying the watch on my wrist and the situation on the floor, I decided not to play stupid games and win stupid prizes. I returned to my truck, removed my locked firearm container from my luggage and placed it securely inside the vehicle, thankfully remembering the knife I had packed to cut the zip tie off, and returned to the terminal with only carry-on luggage.
No worries, I have a gun waiting for me when I arrive, but the current situation precludes me from being able to report to you on my personal experience, but rest assured, I’ll be doing it again soon.
Later Friday Morning
My flight got canceled. Glad I never checked that bag with the firearm! Now I have some time to write about other things, for now while I await another flight.
Even Later Friday Morning
I drove home. No new flight. Seems Delta is way backed up, hombre.
Friday Afternoon
Back to the Delta hassle. Some thoughts regarding those new rules. There was a report from NBC Miami, who in an “exclusive story” (Exclusive in the sense that NBC Miami is unaware that others have been discussing their “exclusive story” for weeks.) Regardless, the story is titled, Delta Implements Rules for Guns Checked in Bags (March 30th, 2017). In the piece they quote an “Aviation Consultant” by the name of Scott Patterson referring to travelers picking up their bags with firearms saying that adding a police officer to the mix when you get the bag adds another layer of security. According to this clown:
“Now, there’s a police presence there when there’s a weapon that’s checked, and the police officer can monitor the weapon leave the building satisfactorily,” said Patterson.
I guess “Aviation Consultant,” Scott Patterson thinks cops have nothing better to do at airports than monitor law-abiding people, carrying lawfully owned and transported private property to their vehicles or some such nonsense. As if that’s not boneheaded enough, a Delta spokesperson issued a statement to the local NBC affiliate saying the following:
“Delta is committed to the safety of our customers and employees. Every day we look for ways to refine processes and procedures with the goal to improve safety and the overall travel experience.”
So according to Delta, inconveniencing thousands of lawful travelers, clogging up baggage claim offices and zip tying private property is improving overall safety and the “travel experience?” I don’t think they thought that one through, huh? Maybe they don’t fly their airline? Maybe they haven’t thought about the fact that I can put a knife in my bag (which I did, BTW) and can use it as soon as they zip-tie it closed? I don’t pretend to know what goes through the minds of folks who simply make things up and implement the strategy based on emotion.
It’s kind of like Sandy Hook dad, Mark Barden whose son was murdered in Newtown. He’s actively seeking to infringe on our RKBA in the form of “expanded background checks” that would have done absolutely nothing to save his son, or any of the other 26 students and faculty murdered that day, or for that matter, anyone else killed by a madman who passed a background check. It’s utter nonsense.
Saturday 4:45 AM
I am now waiting for my new flight on American Airlines heading to the Concealed Carry Expo in Dallas. The airport is a zoo, and apparently, this plane will take off. I have another story to tell about that firearm I took back to my truck yesterday but it will have to wait until my next column. Let’s just say that some things are meant to be and leave it at that for now.
Here’s a tease. I’m glad I never checked it, but not for the reason you might be thinking. I’ll see you in a couple days with one helluva a story.
About Mark Walters
Mark Walters is the host of two nationally syndicated radio broadcasts, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense with Mark Walters. He is the Second Amendment Foundations 2015 Gun Rights Defender of the Year award recipient and co-author of two books, Lessons from Armed America with Kathy Jackson (Whitefeather Press) and Lessons from UnArmed America with Rob Pincus (Whitefeather Press)
Am I the only one that noticed how Clark ran a drive by on the comments and has not returned – you bunch of bean bags have been arguing over anything but the contents of the article- he played on your biggest emotional fear 1 somebody getting my favorite gun or 2 one more free gun for dirtbags that may be used to shoot kittens and puppies Let’s be realistic theft happens – you decide to do the best you can some of us do more some of us do less but in the end it really is not that… Read more »
On my flights between California and DFW in early March, American Airlines placed a bright red “Return to BSO” [Baggage Service Operations] tag on the luggage with my firearm and I was required to retrieve my luggage directly from AA as it was not placed on the carousel. This weekend for the USCCA Expo in Fort Worth, the same tags were placed on my bag both ways. When I asked, I was told that I would not be able to retrieve my bag from the carousel. However, when I arrived, my red-tagged bag was returned on the carousel. (It’s convenient… Read more »
Sandy Hook was the most blatant FALSE FLAG of the last hundred years.
Sandy Hook dad, Mark Barden is a crisis actor and his son was not “killed”.
I will repeat here what I’ve been saying for years, IMO about 90% of the flying public don’t have to fly, they choose to fly. Stop flying and see how fast one of two things occur; either the airlines change (we get back more legroom, amenities etc,), the TSA changes and becomes more than a sexual assault team in uniforms or they all go out of business. For most businesses conferences can be held tele-conferencing, vacations can be local or within driving distance. Just stop flying for 30-60 days and let’s see what happens. As far as overbooking is concerned,… Read more »
Never, ever, leave your firearm unattended in a vehicle. Period; end of story. That is the ULTIMATE in stupidity. I took dozens and dozens of car prowl reports during a 33+ year police career in which a firearm was stolen from a vehicle. Your vehicle IS NOT A SWISS VAULT AND CAN BE EASILY BROKEN INTO, along with any and all supposedly secure ‘lock boxes’.