Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Interesting event at delta ticket counter

I've had a few run ins with airlines. Air France code share with Delta out of ATL to Paris pulled me out of the boarding line and asked for the French Document/Permit. There is no such thing, and told the gate agent I didn't need one. He told me that the pilot would not transport the case without one, and that was the pilot's call.

Rather than blow up, I told him I needed to be in Amsterdam the following night, and what flight could he get me on. He switched our tickets, and it worked out. It was very strange.

I had another returning from a trip to RSA and Zambia (pre 911) that tops them all. I flew out of ATL to RSA, was issued a permit for RSA, hunted a few days, had that permit stamped as I left RSA. Got to Zambia, got their permit. Hunted, had the exit permit and visa, and flew to LaGuardia. Passed through Customs, showed my 4457 and entered the USA no problem, until....

I tried to enter the Domestic Terminal at LaGuardia. Those who have been there might know you have to exit the front door of the International terminal and carry our stuff about 100 yards and enter the front door of the Domestic terminal. I entered the terminal and was faced with putting ALL the bags through X-ray as you entered the terminal. Strange, but it is New York. The two under trained security guys running the x-ray (pre TSA) stood there while I dumped my rifle case on the belt and freaked when they saw the silhouette of two rifles.

"Where is your NYC permit for these?"

"I don't need one, I'm in transit from International to ATL."

"You can't have guns without a permit here."

"I'm in transit, I don't need a permit, get it"

No, they didn't get. It was early Sunday morning, no supervisor around and this conversation was going nowhere fast. One gets on his walkie talkie and calls a cop over.

"Where is your gun permit for NYC?"

Not this again.

"I'm in transit, I don;t need one."

"Where is your permit from your town?"

Oh brother, now I'm getting steamed at the incompetence. I pull out my 4457, my RSA licenses, my Zambia licenses and my visas.

"Ok, here you go. Here is my permit to exit the USA (4457), here is my permit to enter RSA with guns (RSA license), here is the exit stamp to leave RSA. Here is my license to enter Zambia with guns, here is my visa and stamp to exit Zambia with guns. Here is my license to re-enter RSA with guns and the stamp to leave. Here (again) is my 4457 to enter the UNITED STATES with guns. Now all I have to do is get my stuff and walk 60 feet over to THAT Delta counter and check in and be gone."

They milled around for a few minutes and Supervisor arrived and went through an abbreviated version of the same speech. In the end, he had one of security guys walk me over to Delta and check my stuff and I was away.

That prompted me to photoshop the Great Seal of the United States and make my own "American Firearm License" with gov't type gibberish superimposed over it with my signature and Approved by the Sec of the Second Amendment, Charlton Heston. It has worked with dumbasses, and especially in Zim when a low level functionary came to shake me down for a bribe.

It is more or less like this, 3 X 5" laminated in plastic. I printed some fake security seal for the rear and that was that. No more hassels.



United States Permit to keep and bear arms confirmed upon


Hatari_____________________________

This day ______________, 20_____


Secretary of the 2nd Amendment______________________
Charlton Heston