Delta Airlines Issue

[Mr. Zorg]

My wife & I have encountered similar treatment with our scuba gear over the years taking our own personal equipment we know has been maintained instead of depending on rental gear that it's anybody's guess on when it was last torn down and soft parts replaced in far flung destinations, both from airline staff and TSA agents. Keeping our regulator and instrument sets which are truly life support equipment in our carryon luggage is instrumental to minimizing risks of damage or theft. Miami airport was a hotbed of inside ring theft of scuba gear and underwater cameras in particular. Once TSA kept claiming my wife's scuba mask was testing positive for explosive material and we waited the better part of an hour for a supervisor to appear who simply turned it over in her hands to then declare it was OK. Other times we've been told silly stuff that the instrument consoles on our regulators were potential bludgeons, again a supervisor was required to clear things up. We had printouts from the TSA web site and airline web site with us when these individual interpretations of published written policy occurred. We simply factor in that here in the USA we'll be pulled over as soon as our carryons go through the bag screening and know to request a supervisor if things get contentious as well as a printout of the surprise info.

As noted all such individuals were way less than pleasant to deal with especially after being challenged on their decrees. Then silent after their snap judgements were overridden. It helps to request a written / printed statement delineating the surprise statement both before and after arrival of a supervisor.

Notably, the biggest hassles are when leaving the US. When traveling between such destinations or teturning to the US, the airport folks are quite knowledgeable on such specialty items and policies regarding them, and don't have a personal stake in hassling you because they want your tourism monies to return to their destination. When honest mistakes have occurred they were able to be swiftly and courteously corrected with smiles and an apology. Our domestic airport personnel could take some lessons from folks at travel destinations but I don't honestly think it would help unfortunately.

 

[Areaonereal]

My thought or assumption is....JNB is not accepting two rifles in one case under two different owners...just a guess..and Delta is interpreting it as one rife one case as per Joberg notice regardless of owners...just another issue du jour. Refer to my earlier post on Bowcase regulation interpretation. It seems that countries with prohibitive strict rules regarding even the possession of a firearm are the most likely to have no clue as to interpreting regulations and sharing those regulations with cooperating airlines or their passengers. Somewhat like a jockey winning the Kentucky Derby and interpreting NASCAR rules to Dale Earnhardt, jr.

 

[JimP]

I'd just ask for a supervisor and deal with them and not the counter jockey.

 

[Baron G58]

I'd just ask for a supervisor and deal with them and not the counter jockey.

I did, it didn’t work.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Did you use a travel agency or are you winging it?

 

[Mike B.]

I'm curious what a travel agent is going to do for you in this case? Would they call the Delta staff at Will Rodgers Airport in Oklahoma City to get them to change their minds?

 

[Hogpatrol]

I'm curious what a travel agent is going to do for you in this case? Would they call the Delta staff at Will Rodgers Airport in Oklahoma City to get them to change their minds?

Delta will dick around with someone who is winging it. It's been my experience that they won't mess around with a travel agency issued ticket holder. I use Gracy and when I check in, my tix say DOCs OK. Never had an issue anywhere or anytime using five different airlines. The way traveling with firearms is today, not using an agency that knows the latest rules, in my opinion, is asking for trouble.
YMMV.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I traveled Delta May 27 Houston-Atlanta-Johannesburg and returned same route June 7. No issues at all and had 2 rifles and some other items in case. No one said anything about 2 guns in the same case. Both were mine and on one 4457.

 

[Spooksar]

No problem in May with 2 firearms and some clothes in my Tuffpak in Johannesburg or Polokwane flying SAA

 

[Mr. Zorg]

I believe the description of this event is Delta employees "winging it". Sorry to hear involving a supervisor didn't help. Sometimes the knowledgeable customer is treated as an inconvenience / aggravation and bureaucracy never wants to admit to a mistake to the bitter end. They know you have a schedule to keep and can win out just by dragging things out if they want to.

I like @Areaonereal's analogy.

Hopefully the one rifle traveling with you will suffice, or if not, you'll have the opportunity to borrow or rent a rifle similar to the one you had your wife take back home.

Thanks for posting this experience it's helpful to me for one as someone who hasn't yet traveled internationally for hunting trips.

 

[Graham Hunter]

I hope any of you that experience any kind of this bad treatment and utter BS pursue to a finally. These kind of people need to be made accountable and disciplined properly.

 

[tarbe]

I sent this thread to Jenn at @Travel Express

Never a dull moment!

 

[BnC 04]

Just received a response email from Henry @riflepermits.com response below as suspected:


Dear Sir



This is not correct, the SA Police do still accept 2 rifle in one case, I think it must have been a Delta check in agent not knowing the regulations.



But I will check today.

 

[johnnyblues]

Plain ole anti hunting sentiment I believe.

 

[markm]

Just received a response email from Henry @riflepermits.com response below as suspected:


Dear Sir



This is not correct, the SA Police do still accept 2 rifle in one case, I think it must have been a Delta check in agent not knowing the regulations.



But I will check today.

Most of the time its the tsa or the check in person .they just really dont have a clue .my last trip with delta out of philly i had to show and tell the ticket agent what to do.one has to realize that these people arent the sharpest .

 

[Mort Hill]

I would be writing a polite but stern letter to Delta upon my return and requesting compensation. They are idiots, and their lack of training for staff goes directly to your “inconvenience” as they would term it. I would state you had to change plans, alter your hunt plans, etc based on you only being able to take only one rifle. I would then assign this monetary value to this “inconvenience”, and I would copy my lawyers name, title and address on the letter whether you involve him or not. I would demand some kind of compensation for your trouble, realized or not.

 

[Baron G58]

Did you use a travel agency or are you winging it?

Travel agency

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Keep you receipts and when you get to Johannesburg, speak with them and have them send you an email starting it’s not accurate. I believe this is a Delta employee that is misinformed.

 

[Areaonereal]

As long as it is not a violation at the point of departure why would Delta be concerned regarding what the requirement would be regarding your rifle/rifles in one case when you arrive at your destination...did they count your ammo to see if it was in the limit specified by SA...of course not.

 

[Philip Glass]

Just checked in to fly from Atlanta to Johannesburg on Delta and they are saying I can only have 1 gun per locked case. I was shocked. Had to call my wife to come get one of my rifles. Very Frustrating. Is there a new policy I haven’t heard about? Will this be a problem since I have 2 guns on all my paperwork? This is my first trip to Africa.

Lie! Complete lie! There is no such regulation. You got the latest dumbass ticket agent! File a complaint!
So sorry,
Philip