Hi Folks,
South African Airlines just told me that I must have written authorization from Commissioner of the License Division of the NYPD in order to bring my rifles to JFK. Anyone know anything about this???

Any info greatly appreciated.

Leave for Botswana in 2 weeks!

S.

I went through there in June with no problems and nothing special in the way of authorization.

The friend I was traveling with, who grew up upstate, tells me that its handguns that are the problem, not rifles or shotguns. FWIW

Yeah, it didn't sound right to me but I hate not having everything in order. There's enough to think about without worrying that the NYPD will confiscate my rifles. I'll check it out a little further but I'll bet SAA has it wrong.
S.

In the past firearms were allowed within a certain distance of the airport to allow for traveling sportsmen. You might run into trouble if you go to far from the airport. If you keep the rifle in the trunk they cant search for it anyway.

The only problem I've had in transporting firearms to six continents came at JFK. It was many years ago, though.

The clerk at desk where they received baggage in transit after clearing customs refused to take my gun case, saying guns weren't allowed on airlines. It made no difference to her that I'd traveled American Airlines to JFK and SAA to Jo'burg and return on that trip.

Outside, the driver of the shuttle to the domestic terminal refused to let me board with the gun case, so I hailed a taxi. The guy was reluctant to take me, but I assured him New York's gun laws did not include rifles (I think that still is true.)

At the domestic terminal a security guard stopped me. "This is a secure terminal," I remember him saying. "No guns allowed." After failing to convince him I wasn't a bad guy, I asked him to call for a NYPD policeman, who personally carried my rifle to the America Airlines desk and watched me check it in.

I was lucky. The policeman was a deer hunter, and wanted to know all about my buffalo hunt in Zimbabwe.

Bill Quimby

FEDERAL law dictates the requirements for persons in transit with firearms,

[handguns or long guns]. Not all state police, local police and special airport

police, [like those at JFK] will be perfectly knowledgeable in all the details

of the federal law. Given that, the traveler who is taking firearms with him/her

on a trip really, REALLY ought to seek out the information from The United States

Attorney's Office. The NRA may be able to help with that. I URGE ALL persons to

register their firearms with U.S. Customs well before their trip and CARRY THE

PAPER WORK ON EVERY TRIP - EVEN THOSE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES!

What needs to be understood by all travelers is that New York City has a measurable

amount of paper work for firearms possession/purchases. If the traveler lives in a

place where You can buy a handgun or long gun on nothing more than "sound

identification" like a drivers license, then do yourself the favor of carrying the

purchase related paperwork when you come to New York City or nearby Newark Airport.

It can make the difference between you finding yourself in handcuffs with your trip

destroyed and subsequently going through the complexities of a law suit, and having

an easy, smooth transition through these major international airports.

Seq,
You wont have any problems at all. You probably wont even see a NYPD cop, and if you do, he/she will help you along. The TSA people were all very polite and courteous, and it will be over quick. Don't worry one bit.

I don't know where they get those people, off the street I guess..They have no clue, always take a copy of your airline regulations..Check you guns to NYC, take them off and recheck them on SA air...

But in this changing world I would double check with my airline about this. This terrorist thing is changing our world...

The recomendation to persons in transit with firearms to check with their

airline is good advise but not complete. The airline rep who is fully informed

on the policies of the airline can tell you if the airline is satisfied or not.

That is not a leak proof assurance that the traveler will remain within the

guidlines that are dictated by LAW. New York City and New Jersey have very tight

gun control laws. And countless times persons with firearms have been arrested

by the Port Authority Police, [N Y City Police don't work within the airports

that the Port Authority operates] at JFK, LGA and Newark Airport in near by

New Jersey. The "IN TRANSIT" status is critical. If you drive from say central

Pennsylvania through New Jersey, [or fly in from your home state] and into N Y City

to JFK with your firearms and ammo they better be seperate from each other, NOT in

the same case. Now you want to check in and you find out there's a 20 hour delay on

your flight to AFRICA so you take your fireams and drive over to the local hotel.

Fifteen hours later you call the airline and they tell you you're facing another

20 hour delay so you now go to a baseball game or a play, then return to finally

catch your flight. You are really not worried because you booked 5 days in front

of your hunting days for a little random touring and what ever. I have news for you,

you've a good chance of being arrested if the police at the airport hear your story

about your "side trip". Your "IN TRANSIT" status will be seriously questionable in

their view. I know you did not intend any of this to happen, but it DID happen. How

would the police hear your story? The airline rep often will call the police when a

person arrives to check in with a gun as baggage. The cop walks over and asks for

your I.D. and the "paper work" for the gun and asks if you have just come directly

from your home to the airport, AND YOU TELL HIM YOUR 40 HOUR LONG STORY IN COMPLETE

DETAIL, that's how! To top it off, as I already said, many traveling hunters won't

have a single scrape of paper regarding their guns. In a system like New York

City's or the state of New Jersey's where guns are heavily documented, the "NO

PAPERWORK" issue turns into a disaster in some cases for the traveler. It can be

"the straw that breaks the camels back". I believe SCI and the NRA can help with

how to get solid info on the federal laws that apply in these cases.

I just got off the phone with an officer at the License Division, NYPD. He said “As long as you don’t stop, we don’t have a problem. Just make sure you gas up in Connecticut and drive straight to the airportâ€.

Will do.

I still wonder, though, what the actual law says.

S.

quote:

Originally posted by Seq:
I just got off the phone with an officer at the License Division, NYPD. He said "As long as you don't stop we don’t have a problem. Just make sure you gas up in Connecticut and drive straight to the airportâ€.

In other words REMAIN INTRANSIT and the N Y City Police will have no issue with you.

That does NOT guarantee you won't have a problem AT the airport with Port Authorituy Police.

Carry PAPERWORK for the guns you'll have with you!

Got it; don't stop.

Thanks,

S.