Disturbing Experience at Miami Airport...Advice Requested

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JLStorm

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I bought a ticket less than 12 hours advanced notice and upgtaded to first class at the ticket counter for flight 2388 today. I have never flown with American Airlines before It was a one way from Miami international Airport to Philadelphia International Airport. I went to check in and declare I was checking a firearm. The ticket agents tagged my bags, and never once asked to see ID, nor did they ask to see if the firearm was unloaded when giving me the firearms declaration tag.

What was even worse is that when I gave my gun case to the TSA agent he didnt speak enought english to undersatand it was a gun. I said gun and firearm and pointed my finger in the shape of a gun, but it was no use, and he walked away with the case through the roped off area. I asked another agent walking by if he spoke english, and he just shook is head no. I then saw a TSA supervisor walk by, grabbed him and explained the situation. He went to chck on the bag and said it was fine and had cleared security. Not at anytime did anyone check if the gun was cleared nor did anyone check ID.

I am disturbed by the inability to speak english and the complete disregard of propper procedures. I want to complain to someone who will listen, but I am sure if I write to the TSA not much will be done. How can a federal agency hire employees that dont speak english????

Unfortunately, I didnt get any names or employee numbers...I didnt think of it until later. Any advice on how to proceed would be appreciated.
 
please dont derail this thread. If you do a search you will find the answer to your question.
 
Its my understanding that anything that doesn't require a HazMat sticker my be checked, it just has to be declared. Obviously, it can't be in the cabin with you, but yeah, swords, knives, firearms, probably even your nifty new registered RPG are just fine.

You just can't bring ammo (or rockets) as I understand it.

EDIT: As not to completely derail the thread, I offer this advice. Write a letter (or e-mail) anyway. If they get enough, it may actually bring about a change. Also, if your up to it, try approaching the media. They would probably love a story like that, but that could be interpreted as either good or bad.
 
I am disturbed by the inability to speak english and the complete disregard of propper procedures. I want to complain to someone who will listen, but I am sure if I write to the TSA not much will be done. How can a federal agency hire employees that dont speak english????


We get what we pay for. The government prefers to give huge tax breaks rather than pay a decent wage for airport security. Our government is totally out of control. I will stay on the ground. Thanks for the information though. It will not be long before another 9/11 will happen again with this kind of security.
 
You can thank all those people who don't want to make english the official language of the US.
 
...

Hey JLS,

If it were me, and like you, I was a bit "shocked" by several procedures not taken, including the language barrier, here, in the English speaking USA, I would contact a local big paper and a some TV news station/s by phone, or email like as you stated above. I think this would fly, make the news, along with, I hope, give honest, law abiding owners of guns, a good spot in the eyes of many.


Do it!!


LS
 
You can thank all those people who don't want to make english the official language of the US.
Click to expand...

You think if it was the official language it would keep the TSA from hiring low-rent workers who don't speak it? They don't care. Half the security measures taken since 9/11 are just for show to make people think something's being done and spend taxpayers' money.
 
I am disturbed by the inability to speak english and the complete disregard of propper procedures. I want to complain to someone who will listen, but I am sure if I write to the TSA not much will be done. How can a federal agency hire employees that dont speak english????
Click to expand...

Well you could speak to the Airport authority, or you could contact the FAA and report the airline.
 
Well you could speak to the Airport authority, or you could contact the FAA and report the airline
Click to expand...

I don't think it was all the Airline to blame. Once you declare, the Airline should inspect before tagging. Then TSA will also inspect before allowing it to be put on the plane. I think what happened here, and most typically everywhere else, is that AA figured TSA would check it, and passed it off. Then TSA figured AA did check it and passed it through. Two hands, not talking to each other....probably because the brains are at a meeting. :banghead:
 
So, What is the problem? Upset because no one spoke English? As stated, once the gun is declared, and you have stated the gun is unloaded and separate from the ammo, what do you want them to do? The gun cleared security, maybe even X-ray. There's no requirement for them to open the bag and check the firearm. Did you want some stranger who probably has no firearm training what so ever playing with your firearm? A few months ago people were all upset when the airlines did over react and made people open their check-in bags. They would even called the airport police over and a report was made. Did you expect a parade or fireworks just because you checked your bags in? The last time I flew, I declared my firearm and cerified it was unloaded, the lady smiled said thank you, and when I got to Phoenix Sky Harbor I went off to one side opened my bag enought to make sure every thing was OK and then off to home.
 
Just think of this statistically. What are your chances of being killed by someone using a gun on an airplane? (I believe just one person was killed last year, by an air marshall as he ran out of the plane... anyway, it's close to nil).

OK, now what are your chances of being killed by a deer? About 200 Americans are killed by deer every year.

So your primary concern should be that the screeners detect deer, not guns. And they can do that without speaking English.

In all seriousness, probably you're going to die from:

1. FDA: (heart disease).
2. FDA: (stroke)
3: FDA: (cancer)
very poor fourth: other government activity.

Random person on plane with gun = less danger than lightning, sharks, bee stings, asteroid impact, etc.
 
I had a similar experiance flying back to Boston. I went to the desk to get the firearms declared and such, when I went to show the attendant the unloaded gun(i had already opened the case) she looked at it, and said something like "ok" ,very vague, and asked me to close the case. I kind of interupted her and asked if she wanted to check to make sure it was unloaded and with the most disgusting look she said "I dont even want to look at the thing".

So, I could have checked a loaded firearm.


BTW, I was flying out of Ft. Myers.
 
English is the official language of the airline industry...well maybe not in writing, but you aren't going to be a commercial airline pilot in any country without speaking English.

Drives me absolutely NUTS that half the jobs I apply for require that I am bilingual. Drives me even more nuts that speaking English is not a requirement for regular jobs in the USA.

All in the name of political correctness. :cuss:

As far as the TSA goes, besides new scanners and having to take your shoes off before taking a flight I'm 90% convinced that flying is not any safer then it was on 9/10/2001, it's just that we took the fight to them instead of them playing on our field, so we have been relatively safe here it home.
 
When I fly with a handgun...

I prefer they just take my word for it that my firearm is unloaded. I always offer to show them but they usually just shrug. One lady even admitted she wouldn't know if it was loaded or not.

I have had a couple of TSA guys chat for a moment about whatever firearm I had with me, when I arrive during a non-busy time. When it's busy they usually don't even bother to open the locked case.

This is all fine with me. My firearm, my responsibility. Also consider the real danger of a loaded firearm in a checked bag...pretty much zero for most modern guns with the drop safety thing and all.

In response to the original post... contact TSA and the FAA anyway. You're probably right that it won't do much good but you'll feel a bit better and will know that you did what you could to rectify the situation.

migoi
 
I would NOT contact any news media, local or otherwise! That will only turn out bad, the story being twisted to how gun-nuts are sneaking loaded guns past dim-witted but loveable TSA employees.
 
I doubt if the ticket agents know anything about firearms.
It is NOT their job to inspect your guns. They ask you and you tell them that's the end of their responsibility.
The TSA should not inspect your gun to see if it is loaded. Has anyone ever seen a bullet trap at any airport? How could they safely check it in a crowded terminal?
It WILL go through a X-Ray machine. If it is loaded you will be meeting the local police and they will not be understanding as to why you declared it unloaded and it isn't.
I have seen people go through it.
I also watched a ticket agent get very mad at a TSA screener because he wouldn't check a gun for her. She tried to do it herself and had no idea what she was doing.
The TSA guy called the police and her boss and they explained it to her so she will never do it again.
As far as not speaking English why would that be a surprise. McDonald's doesn't require it and a lot of screeners come from that job pool.
AC
 
My biggest worry, besides not checking ID when checking in, is what would have happened had I not found the TSA supervisor and the non english speaking TSA agent had put the case through the machine and been shocked and alarmed to find a gun in there. It could have turned out a few different ways, the least of which would delay me getting to the gate in a timely manor. Its not that they didnt want to check to see if the firearm is clear, its that they couldnt understand that I had a firearm. IMO, that is a BIG deal, you dont even need to speak fluent english to understand the word gun. However, there is no excuse for a federal employee not to speak english, Im sure it is written somewhere that they must speak english at a certain level of understanding written and spoken language.
 
They wouldn't have been shocked or alarmed when they saw a gun in your bag.
Every bag that goes on a commercial airplane is either x-rayed, hand inspected or both.
You filled out the firearms declaration tag.
They see guns everyday with no problems.
I think you are making a big deal out of nothing.
Your gun was nothing out of the ordinary for them.
Just another day in the life of post 9/11.
AC
 
The only people I would contact are my congress critters. They created this TSA nonsense, let them know about it, at least the non-English part. If some congress critters knew folks were flying with guns, even checked guns, that might change, too!
 
As far as the TSA goes, besides new scanners and having to take your shoes off before taking a flight I'm 90% convinced that flying is not any safer then it was on 9/10/2001, it's just that we took the fight to them instead of them playing on our field, so we have been relatively safe here it home.
Click to expand...

What'll it take for the extra 10%? Oh, and we didn't take the fight to them - the Taliban is reforming and we don't hold much in Afghanistan, while we opened up Iraq to AQ.

Wheee, go politicians.
 
Haven’t you heard? We’re all supposed to learn Spanish. Anyone that refuses is “mean spirited” and anti-immigration.
 
Half the security measures taken since 9/11 are just for show to make people think something's being done and spend taxpayers' money.
Click to expand...

At least someone else here understands what U.S. airline "security" is really about.
 
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