Travelers Defying TSA
#16
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,499
Nothing more than a disguised advertisement
Why would anyone give any credibility to a "study" conducted and paid for by an air charter operator which advertises on its website, the fact that security requirements for charters of aircraft seating <61 passengers is close to nil. Certainly no standard TSA checkpoint unless the flight operates out of a sterile area for other reasons?
It is in the financial interest of the sponsor to do its utmost for people to believe that the checkpoint experience is beyond horrible in every way and thus, one of the reasons to charter is to avoid all of this.
Consider the source.
It is in the financial interest of the sponsor to do its utmost for people to believe that the checkpoint experience is beyond horrible in every way and thus, one of the reasons to charter is to avoid all of this.
Consider the source.
"If flying in comfort, safety, and style is something you desire, consider booking your next trip with [company name removed]. Our superior customer service and luxury aircraft provide a unique travel experience you won’t soon forget. And you certainly won’t have to worry if the passenger next to you is flying higher than you." (bolding mine)
And even later goes on to say that it's all based on a survey that only includes people that have brought prohibited items on board, and the prohibited list includes "fresh fruits or vegetables" and "items made of dog or cat fur"
And of course, Elliot's "article" doesn't have any way of leaving comments so people can't call him on this.
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,121
Wasn't trying to correct you. I wasn't sure if any rifles are chambered in 40 S&W and had to check. My sister favored 40 S&W as her police carry weapon.
#18
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Dulles, VA
Programs: UA Life Gold, Marriott Life Titanium
Posts: 2,757
What's BS about it?
A .40 caliber rifle doesn't seem any more preposterous to me than an active duty soldier claiming he forgot two bricks of C-4 in their original clearly-labelled government wrappings. He flew out of FAY. TSA pulled the bag on his outbound flight, searched it and confiscated a military smoke grenade he'd also 'forgotten'. It wasn't until his return trip that TSA caught the C-4.
A .40 caliber rifle doesn't seem any more preposterous to me than an active duty soldier claiming he forgot two bricks of C-4 in their original clearly-labelled government wrappings. He flew out of FAY. TSA pulled the bag on his outbound flight, searched it and confiscated a military smoke grenade he'd also 'forgotten'. It wasn't until his return trip that TSA caught the C-4.
And, to be technically correct, .40 is a pistol round so there aren't really rifles in that caliber but carbines, which are different. That wasn't my point though, it was that someone was going to randomly slip one through. Pistols get through, but a carbine is much larger.
As for C4, it would be far easier to slip two packs through TSA than a rifle.
Last edited by catocony; Oct 29, 2018 at 2:27 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,121
You're not exactly going to hide a carbine and ammo clips up your butt or in your pocket or under some underwear in your carry-on. They stand out pretty easily and aren't small.
And, to be technically correct, .40 is a pistol round so there aren't really rifles in that caliber but carbines, which are different. That wasn't my point though, it was that someone was going to randomly slip one through. Pistols get through, but a carbine is much larger.
As for C4, it would be far easier to slip two packs through TSA than a rifle.
And, to be technically correct, .40 is a pistol round so there aren't really rifles in that caliber but carbines, which are different. That wasn't my point though, it was that someone was going to randomly slip one through. Pistols get through, but a carbine is much larger.
As for C4, it would be far easier to slip two packs through TSA than a rifle.
#20
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Houston
Programs: UA 1K and Million Miler, *A Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hertz Five Star,
Posts: 1,301
im not supporting any previous statement but do want to say that flying, just like driving, is not a right but a privilege, at least in the USA. If you are not willing to play by the rules then don’t come to the party.
#21
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Dulles, VA
Programs: UA Life Gold, Marriott Life Titanium
Posts: 2,757
Why do you think the ability to travel is a privilege and not a right? Airlines are common carriers who cannot discriminate against customers. You don't need permission to book a flight, you don't need permission to go to the airport. You don't actually need any physical identification to get through security.
Last edited by TWA884; Oct 29, 2018 at 6:40 pm Reason: Merge consecutive posts by the same member; please use the multi-quote function
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,413
Except the reality is we have many cases of TSA taking meds or people refusing to fly because their meds would be taken.
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,526
"A citizen of the United States has a public RIGHT OF TRANSIT through the navigable airspace."...49 US Code-Section 40103 (2)
#24
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: where the chile is hot
Programs: AA,RR,NW,Delta ,UA,CO
Posts: 41,705
This particular firearm was apparently a folding or collapsible one. Depending on the type of bag he was carrying, it probably wouldn't be quite as obvious to the naked eye as a long-barreled firearm of any sort.
#25
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Really? The M4 carbine uses the same round as the M16 (5.56x45mm).
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,121
You could add in the M1 .30 Cal (7.62mm) carbine family, in use during WW2, Korea, and well into Vietnam.
What’s The Difference In A Carbine And A Rifle?
What’s The Difference In A Carbine And A Rifle?
Still today there is no well-defined criteria for delineating a carbine from a rifle. Generally speaking, carbines are very similar to rifles and the distinction tends to be the barrel length and the weight. Rifle-like weapons with a barrel length of less than 20 inches are typically considered to be carbines. Weapons with barrels greater than 20 inches are usually called rifles unless specifically called carbines by the manufacturer.
#27
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
A US citizen has the right to freely contract with airlines to arrange transportation across US airspace. Full stop.
To those who say that "flying is like driving" - that is not correct. Flying an airplane is a privilege, not a right, subject to all of the rules and certifications required by the FAA - just like driving a car is subject to all of the rules of your DMV/state.
Flying as a passenger is equivalent to riding in a taxi. Or do you believe that riding in a taxi is a privilege and not a right (at least as it relates to governments restricting you from contracting with a livery driver)?
#28
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Elliott is wildly misstating the survey here. The survey's sample was people who said they'd tried to smuggle something prohibited onto a plane. 88% of those people said they'd been successful at it.
#29
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,425
"Carbine" refers to the rifle format, ie size, particularly barrel length. not its chambering. Eg, swedish mauser military carbines that using the same cartridge as their full size counterparts. going back even further, look at the Sharps carbine. Some carbines use low power (including pistol rounds), some use medium (eg 5.56 nato) rounds, some use high power rounds.
#30
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: ONT/FRA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 878
When I was flying weekly in the US, I was a hardcore smuggler of banned items. I was 100% successful 88% of the time