American Airlines

[swinokur]

VCDL is reporting that American Airlines is marking luggage containing a firearm with a tag in violation of the Federal statute

9. American Airlines continues to violate federal law on transporting firearms
**************************************************

American Airlines, in an email communication with one of our members, stated that they intentionally mark any luggage that contains a gun with an external tag.

THAT IS CONTRARY TO FEDERAL LAW!

I suggest you might want to avoid using American Airlines until they start complying with the law.

Here's the American Airlines email:

Thank you for contacting American Airlines Customer Relations, I
appreciate your patience for my response as I was researching the
details of our checked firearm procedures.

In doing this research, our checked firearm procedures are in line
with all laws and regulations. I'm sorry for any confusion that
occurred when you recently checked your firearm. We put the red tags
on the bags containing thefirearms so our baggage personnel know
that is what is inside.

…

Sincerely,

Hailey Berry
Customer Relations
American Airlines

—

Here's the law:

27 CFR 478.31 - Delivery by common or contract carrier.

§ 478.31 Delivery by common or contract carrier.
...
(b) No common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag, or other written
notice to be placed on the outside of any package, luggage, or other container indicating that
such package, luggage, or other container contains a firearm.

 

[ARMatt]

Hmm I flew with them last week coming, from Austin to Baltimore however, I only flew with like a dozen magazines and a couple hundred rounds of ammo no fire arm. There was a little confusion about it, but nothing too crazy. I'm glad I wasn't flying with a firearm

 

[swinokur]

The same wording is contained in Title 18 SS 922 (d) 9e

 

[N3uka]

New process with them? They just put a tag inside my luggage in gun case last several times I flew with them. Last was 6 months ago.

 

[Pinecone]

We put the red tags on the bags containing the firearms so our baggage personnel know that is what is inside.

DUH, that is why you do NOT put the tags on the outside.

When I did a lot of flying with shotguns on Delta, they would tag the outside indicating that the piece had excess insurance, so it would get better handling with more oversight. But the firearms tags were INSIDE the case.

 

[tkd4life]

Shouldn't there be a process that you can use to get this squared away. Maybe a call to the FAA or ATF to indicate that American Airlines has a policy that violates Federal Law and that they should stop executing that policy immediately. I don't know though, that is assuming we live in a country where our government actually is effective and people are held accountable.

 

[swinokur]

like many vendors, the best way to show disapproval of a policy is to close your wallet if you can.

 

[swinokur]

New process with them? They just put a tag inside my luggage in gun case last several times I flew with them. Last was 6 months ago.

by law, that's all they are legally allowed to do.

 

[Devonian]

It's kind of obvious what luggage has a firearm as it will have real locks on it. Anyway, I flew with a gun for the first time last month. Coming back into bwi they must have known it was a firearm as I had to show id to claim the case. I was flying south west.

 

[swinokur]

no it is not obvious, nor should it be. that's why there is a law against it. you are not required to lock your luggge even if it contains a firearm.

In fact I stopped doing it for 2 reasons.

1. It makes people think there is something valuable inside
2 I got tired of getting my bag back with the locks gone either by broken TSA or someone else.

The only requirement for locks is on the actual case containing the firearm.

i use a cable and separate padlock to secure the case inside my bag.

 

[Dave Greenberg]

Just don't fly with them anymore and perhaps let them know that's why you won't fly with them. They suck anyways. I haven't experienced issues with Southwest as a company. I have had issues with the TSA attempting to look in the case out of my sight w/o the case being locked. Also been knocked for loaded magazines instead of ammo in a separate box. I have heard about people's locks getting cut off but I haven't had it happen personally.

 

[Blaster229]

Just don't fly with them anymore and perhaps let them know that's why you won't fly with them.

They wouldn't care less.

 

[5.56blaster]

I hate flying. I bought a motorhome. Carry whatever I want. It holds lots of ammo also. I'm like the EM-50 when I travel!

 

[W2D]

Oh no. Not the lock argument.

 

[shootin the breeze]

I hate flying. I bought a motorhome. Carry whatever I want. It holds lots of ammo also. I'm like the EM-50 when I travel!

Great movie!

 

[swinokur]

Oh no. Not the lock argument.

No argument needed. The policy says " only the passenger should have the key or combo."

That eliminates any TSA style lock.

case closed.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition
.