V-Flyer

Anyone contemplating posting a TR for DL221 MAN - JFK on 6 April 2017?

Just to remind you, the air frame was a Boeing 767-300 with registration N394DL.

Please remember to include that a US Air Marshall left a loaded weapon* in one of the lavatories, where it was found by a standard issue passenger who handed it to cabin crew, who returned it to the owner.

The US Transportation Safety Agency have confirmed that they are aware of the incident but have not commented further.

*That would be a SIG Sauer P229 or P239 firing .357 SIG.

Wow...imagine if a child had discovered that!

I read about this on AvHerald: http://avherald.com/h?article=4a7f1270&opt=0

I can't help thinking how shocked the cabin crew must have been seeing the passenger walking down the aisle towards them carrying the gun.

Unfortunately for this Air Marshal I think it's probably career over.

I think I read on the DL flyertalk board that the Air Marshal in particular was still quite new. Even so, ouch...

Sounds like the chap wasn't very well suited to the job.

Its a bit like millennials not having a mobile phone... they feel naked without it. Same thing goes for concealed carry.

I certainly wouldn't want to pick that up and carry it down the aisle to a member of the cabin crew!

And today it's reported that the US are considering extending the laptop ban in aircraft cabins to flights from European countries, including the UK. What should they consider more dangerous, a laptop or their own incompetent air marshals?

Here is the flyer talk post.

Please be aware this contains more 'think of the children', 'wow what if a terrorist needed a pee after the FAM left it there', lots of assumtions that the FAM was a man and other general panic and ill informed comments!

CommanderB wrote:Sounds like the chap wasn't very well suited to the job.

A little research would tell you that it wasn't a "chap", she would not be happy with you referring to her as one!

I'm back on the DL221 this week and did see these reports.

It's a route I have done a few times in the last year or so. I don't know the size of the US marshal team but it must be thousands as on every flight on this route I have been on usually includes one if not two US marshals.

Easily identified by being on first and already seated when you board and seats bolt up-right during the night whilst everyone is seated. I never feel concerned to see them, quite reassured though of course not sure how I would felt finding the gun in the lavatory!

Jon

Bombardier wrote:A little research would tell you that it wasn't a "chap", she would not be happy with you referring to her as one!

Apologies. Chap was meant as a more generic term.

horburyflyer wrote:I'm back on the DL221 this week and did see these reports.

It's a route I have done a few times in the last year or so. I don't know the size of the US marshal team but it must be thousands as on every flight on this route I have been on usually includes one if not two US marshals.

Easily identified by being on first and already seated when you board and seats bolt up-right during the night whilst everyone is seated. I never feel concerned to see them, quite reassured though of course not sure how I would felt finding the gun in the lavatory!

Jon

Its well into the tens of thousands now I believe, although I don't think there are official numbers for obvious reasons. Not many countries apart from the US even acknowledge having Air Marshals, although a lot do - albeit very limited compared to the US.

Can you imagine the conversation?

Do you show the gun first? Do you say I have a gun in my hand? How to advise that you've found a gun without raising fear!

I'd probably lock myself in the bathroom and press the call button!

The easiest way to report it would be whilst still in the washroom is to press the call button, wait for the crew then report it without any fuss or making a scene.

Lol love that we are now discussing gun discovery etiquette

It's more a personal safety issue - yours!

imagine the reaction if you walk out of the lav holding a gun! It won't be positive and won't end well.

Also would you want your finger prints on it?

As most travellers will be unfamiliar with firearms, the safest thing is to leave the weapon untouched and call the cabin crew from the (relative) safety of the washroom.

The SIG Sauer has a safety catch, and the weapon is unlikely to be chambered.

Fortunately, there is a greater probability of finding a firearm in a washroom on the ground, than in the air; the TSA has already ticked this particular box.

The kicker is, obviously, when the cabin crew begin to look extremely worried, and mutter something along the lines of 'but there isn't an Air Marshall on this flight'.