JetBlue pilot loses his handgun . . . ooops

[bizjets101]

NEW YORK — A JetBlue pilot lost his government-issued handgun after a passenger mistakenly picked up his carry-on luggage, authorities said Friday.

The pilot was waiting for his New York-to-Pittsburgh flight at Kennedy Airport on Thursday morning when a passenger who was traveling with children mistakenly picked up his backpack along with her family's bags, an official familiar with the incident told The Associated Press Friday. The official was not authorized to comment publicly about the incident and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The passenger boarded a flight to West Palm Beach, Fla. When she realized one of the bags was not hers, she notified a flight attendant, and the bag was returned, the official said.

The Transportation Security Administration said the gun was locked so that it could not fire. The pilot was certified to carry a weapon as part of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, which is aimed at training pilots to fend off would-be hijackers, the TSA said in a written statement.

The TSA declined to comment on other details of the incident.

The agency said was still investigating, noting that pilots are "required to follow strict protocols for securing their TSA-issued firearm."

The Pittsburgh flight was delayed about an hour while JetBlue found a replacement pilot.

JetBlue said it was cooperating with the government investigation, but would give no details.

"We appreciate the assistance of the TSA and other agencies that managed the situation efficiently without placing undue burden on our customers," the company said in a written statement.

Neither JetBlue nor the TSA would say whether the pilot would be punished.

Source

[shitdisturber]

NEW YORK — A JetBlue pilot lost his government-issued handgun after a passenger mistakenly picked up his carry-on luggage, authorities said Friday.

The pilot was waiting for his New York-to-Pittsburgh flight at Kennedy Airport on Thursday morning when a passenger who was traveling with children mistakenly picked up his backpack along with her family's bags, an official familiar with the incident told The Associated Press Friday. The official was not authorized to comment publicly about the incident and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The passenger boarded a flight to West Palm Beach, Fla. When she realized one of the bags was not hers, she notified a flight attendant, and the bag was returned, the official said.

The Transportation Security Administration said the gun was locked so that it could not fire. The pilot was certified to carry a weapon as part of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, which is aimed at training pilots to fend off would-be hijackers, the TSA said in a written statement.

The TSA declined to comment on other details of the incident.

The agency said was still investigating, noting that pilots are "required to follow strict protocols for securing their TSA-issued firearm."

The Pittsburgh flight was delayed about an hour while JetBlue found a replacement pilot.

JetBlue said it was cooperating with the government investigation, but would give no details.

"We appreciate the assistance of the TSA and other agencies that managed the situation efficiently without placing undue burden on our customers," the company said in a written statement.

Neither JetBlue nor the TSA would say whether the pilot would be punished.

Source

Well there goes his permit to carry and deservedly so. Accidents involving mistaken luggage probably happen hundreds of times a day world wide but there's a reason why you should never put down your bag if it's got a gun in it, especially inexcusable since it was a backpack that he could easily have just put on his back.

[ogc]

NEW YORK — A JetBlue pilot lost his government-issued handgun after a passenger mistakenly picked up his carry-on luggage, authorities said Friday.

The pilot was waiting for his New York-to-Pittsburgh flight at Kennedy Airport on Thursday morning when a passenger who was traveling with children mistakenly picked up his backpack along with her family's bags, an official familiar with the incident told The Associated Press Friday. The official was not authorized to comment publicly about the incident and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The passenger boarded a flight to West Palm Beach, Fla. When she realized one of the bags was not hers, she notified a flight attendant, and the bag was returned, the official said.

The Transportation Security Administration said the gun was locked so that it could not fire. The pilot was certified to carry a weapon as part of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, which is aimed at training pilots to fend off would-be hijackers, the TSA said in a written statement.

The TSA declined to comment on other details of the incident.

The agency said was still investigating, noting that pilots are "required to follow strict protocols for securing their TSA-issued firearm."

The Pittsburgh flight was delayed about an hour while JetBlue found a replacement pilot.

JetBlue said it was cooperating with the government investigation, but would give no details.

"We appreciate the assistance of the TSA and other agencies that managed the situation efficiently without placing undue burden on our customers," the company said in a written statement.

Neither JetBlue nor the TSA would say whether the pilot would be punished.

Source

Well there goes his permit to carry and deservedly so. Accidents involving mistaken luggage probably happen hundreds of times a day world wide but there's a reason why you should never put down your bag if it's got a gun in it, especially inexcusable since it was a backpack that he could easily have just put on his back.

Would he still have to put his bag through the x-ray scanner with the gun in it?

Maybe the woman in a rush grabbed his off of the belt and took off.

I dont really see any other point where a pilot would put his bag near someone who was going to a different destination.

[Rockie]

So far we have one missing hand gun, one bullet hole throught the sidewall of an A320, and zero hijackings foiled by armed pilots.

[rigpiggy]

Or maybe we have 1000 hijackings foiled, because they don"t know if the pilot was carrying a gun

[shitdisturber]

NEW YORK — A JetBlue pilot lost his government-issued handgun after a passenger mistakenly picked up his carry-on luggage, authorities said Friday.

The pilot was waiting for his New York-to-Pittsburgh flight at Kennedy Airport on Thursday morning when a passenger who was traveling with children mistakenly picked up his backpack along with her family's bags, an official familiar with the incident told The Associated Press Friday. The official was not authorized to comment publicly about the incident and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The passenger boarded a flight to West Palm Beach, Fla. When she realized one of the bags was not hers, she notified a flight attendant, and the bag was returned, the official said.

The Transportation Security Administration said the gun was locked so that it could not fire. The pilot was certified to carry a weapon as part of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, which is aimed at training pilots to fend off would-be hijackers, the TSA said in a written statement.

The TSA declined to comment on other details of the incident.

The agency said was still investigating, noting that pilots are "required to follow strict protocols for securing their TSA-issued firearm."

The Pittsburgh flight was delayed about an hour while JetBlue found a replacement pilot.

JetBlue said it was cooperating with the government investigation, but would give no details.

"We appreciate the assistance of the TSA and other agencies that managed the situation efficiently without placing undue burden on our customers," the company said in a written statement.

Neither JetBlue nor the TSA would say whether the pilot would be punished.

Source

Well there goes his permit to carry and deservedly so. Accidents involving mistaken luggage probably happen hundreds of times a day world wide but there's a reason why you should never put down your bag if it's got a gun in it, especially inexcusable since it was a backpack that he could easily have just put on his back.

Would he still have to put his bag through the x-ray scanner with the gun in it?

Maybe the woman in a rush grabbed his off of the belt and took off.

I dont really see any other point where a pilot would put his bag near someone who was going to a different destination.

Interesting question, and I don't have an answer for you. To be honest I don't see the point in putting somebody through screening when they have the authorization to carry a gun anyway. Mind you I don't see the point in screening somebody who can take out an airplane by the simple expedient of flying it into the ground either.

[Rockie]

Or maybe we have 1000 hijackings foiled, because they don"t know if the pilot was carrying a gun

Yeah, right.

[DHC3Rwannafly]

EDITED - Try Again.

[shitdisturber]

EDITED - You too.

[Nark]

In case you're curious the FFDO's have a special handshake they give the TSA screeners.

[niss]

In case you're curious the FFDO's have a special handshake they give the TSA screeners.

Makes sense, I just thought those particular Pilots and TSA agents were awesome!