Firearm Case Lock Issue
 

Wanting to run the following by the FT hive mind. I’ll preface by saying that had my own father not personally had this experience I would not have believed it. Curious as to if others have ever had a similar experience.

Visiting my parents in FL this week and asked my dad about a hunting trip he took from TLH-MOT about a month ago.

He said it went well, despite a rough start leaving TLH. When he went to checkin his firearm, the agent working the SkyPriority line in TLH at first tried to deny his firearm claiming the case wasn’t secure enough, and could be pried open. While this is an older gun case, I have seen it and can figure out no way it could be pried open with the existing locks. My father, who only flies two-three times a year, has flown with this case many times without issue. The DL agent insisted the case wasn’t secure enough, but offered to sell him a lock for $10
to properly secure it. My dad, obviously not wanting to miss his trip, agreed and paid. The agent then went to the back, brought out a new padlock, along with a cordless drill, and actually drilled a hole in the case next to the many existing locks! The agent secured the lock, collected the $10, and my dad was on his way.

I confirmed with him multiple times this was a DL agent, not TSA, but however can’t verify as I was not there.

My question is: Is this a service DL normally provides? I’ve never heard of such a thing, and wouldn’t really believe it occurred had it not happened to him.

FWIW, when leaving MOT, he asked the checkin agent there if the case would have been an issue without the new lock, and the agent was amazed to have heard about the drama he had leaving TLH and assured him it would’ve been fine as it originally was.

Seems very bizarre, but I can't imagine there was a nefarious intention all over $10. Seems like an agent who was looking for a problem, but also willing with a solution. It's odd, but probably not that big of a deal.

That said, DL doesn't really offer services like this usually, so I'm curious how the transaction actually went through. Did the DL agent actually process the financial transaction? I've never known any DL counters to sell any luggage/packaging at the check-in counter, usually referring to an airport vendor or nothing. And, more importantly, was this "additional collection" for the Amex card?

I once had an agent at DAL in 2016, I think, try to claim my rifle case with two padlocks wasn’t secure enough as they believed it could be pried open.

After showing my numerous accumulated firearm declaration sheets in the case showing Delta had accepted this case over 14 times already, the agent relented.

That was the only time I had any trouble and continue to use that case on trips as recently as 6 months ago.

$10 cash, correct?

For $10 he got a lock and more secure case. Seems like a good deal.

Yeah, that's pretty nuts.... I didn't know agents carried drills :) There are just so many things wrong from Delta's standpoint.... liability if the "fix" doesn't work... you touch it you buy it.... what if he starts to drill and the case shatters? What if someone prys the case open later and takes the gun on a rampage? And, of course, the main thing, that the case sounds like it was totally fine to begin with! I agree it's bizarre. The TSA language is a bit weird with respect to cases but my interpretation is essentially that it can't just be a cable wrapped around the handles of a case... it has to be a case with a lock integrated/built into it to keep it from opening at all when locked. All that being said, ANY case is subject to being pried open with big enough tools.

Fwiw, I regularly check my pistol when traveling between my two homes and it's usually pretty painless but every once in a while I get a nutty agent or even TSA guy that wants to examine and take the whole thing apart. No surprise, the biggest hassle I ever got was at SFO when I made the mistake of connecting overnight through Calf. and had to retrieve/recheck my bag.

Hmm... Sounds like a political activist agent bringing their personal issues to their job.
I've never had issues like this flying - on AA - out of California.
You just follow the airline's published procedure and everything is handled as you'd expect.
How did DL handle the extra charge? Have you looked at the receipt?

Hard to believe a Delta agent is trained in installing new locks on cases…

Very weird take here lol

That said, OP this is weird behavior and I would call Delta or send an email asking if this is standard procedure or what was going on.

Employee was probably technically correct.

And had a ready solution.

So what's the problem?

Wow, I didn't realize they would take them out. I know eons ago when I did ticket counter agent training, they specifically told us NOT to open any firearms cases. We were only to ask if it was unloaded, and make sure it was locked. The urban legend was that an ATO agent somewhere in Texas (it's always Texas...) was verifying someone's firearm was unloaded and managed to discharge it in the process. Chaos ensued.

I wouldn't think you'd want agents (airline or TSA) handling firearms. It's impossible to be familiar with every firearm. I would think the potential liability of handling someone else's firearm far outweighs any potential benefit.

But what do I know, I retired from the airline biz more than a decade ago.

The most surprising part is that the agent had an actual drill.

A while ago I had a startup idea to cash in on the American obsession with firearms: rental guns at airports, stationed next to rental cars.
Once you earn status with the rentals you are rewarded with free shots 😎 💡

liability....
 

Just tell the agent you inquired the airport police sub-station and indeed it is a appropriate tamper-proof firearm case.

Key phrase being tamper-proof not to be altered by anyone drilling into it. Unless the DL agent had the appropriate firearm license and/or had legal authority (not a policy) to alter the firearm case you might have implied he/she could be violating the law by doing so.

Also, if there was a problem with the firearm or case during or after transport they may have some liability....

Or perhaps....a more rational explanation. A employee who wasn't sure and erred on the side of caution, rather than risk losing their job if things ended up going sideways.

Not every simple matter has to have a political aspect to it.

Thanks all for the replies. Sounds like this is, as I suspected, not a normal response or solution by DL. I had heard of DL selling items such as pet carriers at the counter for anyone that showed up with a non-compliant one. (Though in the years of flying with a pet myself never once been pushed into that direction). But to sell a lock and to actually assume the liability of drilling a hole in this case? Sounds like it was more of a rogue agent that probably had good intentions, but went maybe a step too far.

I will try and find out whether it was a cash or card transaction. If it was indeed through DL, a “special services receipt” should show up in his Wallet just as it does when I pay a pet in cabin charge. I’ll look in his account later today.

Regardless, I might look into getting him a newer gun case for Christmas to prevent any possible issues going forward.