Passengers check in at Miami International Airport on Dec. 29, 2020, for their flight on American Airlines Flight 718, bound for New York.
With the upcoming presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., major U.S. airlines have adopted a gun ban for flights to the Washington area, temporarily banning guns in checked baggage.
On Thursday (14), Delta Air Lines first announced a ban on guns in checked baggage. Subsequently, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines Group Inc. adopted similar restrictions on flights to the Washington, D.C. area. The ban will begin Saturday and run through Jan. 23.
According to the Transportation Security Administration, passengers are normally allowed to carry firearms in checked baggage provided they are unloaded and locked in a hard-shell container and declare at the ticket counter that they have a firearm.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian confirmed their decision in an interview with CNBC on Thursday and said the airline is on high alert.
In addition, from Saturday through next Thursday, American Airlines is also canceling the serving of alcoholic beverages on flights to and from the Washington, D.C. area. Several airlines have also asked crews to evacuate from downtown Washington hotels for safety reasons. Delta and American have also said they will beef up security staffing.
American’s pilots will be required to conduct thorough crew briefings to review safety procedures and respond to any potentially dangerous situations.
Jeff Price, who owns an airport management training company, said it was “unprecedented” for the national aviation system to focus so much on the safety of a city. The only thing close to that was 9/11, and even then there were no restrictions on guns.
It’s not just aviation; local officials in Washington have warned people not to come to the inauguration. Memorials have been closed, Airbnb has canceled all reservations for the week, and about 25,000 National Guard soldiers are expected to be deployed in Washington, and those who have arrived have begun 24-hour shifts.
Washington Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference Friday afternoon that the U.S. Secret Service is considering imposing a lockdown on Washington and that they will make a public announcement when they make a decision.
Local officials said bridges and roads to Washington, D.C., could be closed. In an unprecedented move, any vehicle would be screened for explosives, weapons and other prohibited items once a perimeter is set up inside the city.
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