Last Fri. I dropped my wife at Tampa airport.I did not enter the terminal. I was (I thought)carrying a legally concealed pistol in the truck.I am a CCW permit holder.
Then I read this article.
It was my understanding it was illegal to carry a weapon INSIDE the terminal. Anyone know different? Steyr, your from FL.
[url]www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp?S=518428&nav=1ugB5Isg[/url]

I won't tell if you won't.

What part of infringe don't we understand?

No, seriously.
I have to pick her up on Sun. nite.I will have to leave my pistol in the truck when I go in to meet her. Any help would be appreciated.
BP

I'm confused.  Nowhere in Federal statutes are airports mentioned - just Federal property (courthouses, post offices, etc.).  Most states preclude carrying at schools and bars.  My state does NOT prohibit me carrying at an airport.  I walked IN an airport a few weeks ago open carry (Glock in open holster - I am NOT an LEO).

I can read exact statute from FAA if you like.  You cannot have a weapon PAST the checkpoints without declaring and checking.  If it is on your person when you go through metal detector, you can call off search and leave premises (to store and presumably return).  It is NOT illegal to have a weapon in the unrestricted portion of the airport to my knowledge.  Can someone quote where this is illegal?

    Black Fox

It is illegal to have a weapon in a sterile area.

A sterile area is one protected by Metal Detectors with signs to the effect.

You can carry into an airport, you can even check your firearms as baggage. That is what I plan to do for Thanksgiving. 2 of my guns (Delta Limit) are going to become checked baggage for the flight.

I would like a definitive answer on this also.  The article alludes to "firearms violations" but what laws were broken, exactly? Are they just making them up now?  I will be picking up family at the airport next month and I'd like to find out as well.  It seems to me if you can't have a gun inside they would put metal detectors at the front door.

Since when did it become illegal to have a weapon in a personal vehicle at an airport?

This is a new law since 9-11-01?

Who gave valet permission to perform a search?

He needs to thoroughly check the law, and plead NOT GUILTY.

Many times people are buffaloed into pleading guilty when they are not.

For example, sometimes people are told that because they have a weapon in their car, they are guilty of possessing a concealed weapon.  In my state a reading of the law reveals that it is a concealed weapon only if it is concealed upon one's person, that is, hidden under clothing.  Just because it is in the car, and not visible, does not make it a concealed weapon.  Many ignorant fools have pleaded guilty to this.  Not applicable here, though... but do not plea this out.

Captain,
 I have flown several times over the last couple of months.
 The secured areas are the only places where you cannot carry a firearm.
 You can check your firearms at the desk for checkin.  The will probably want to make sure they are unloaded and they need to be in a locked case.
 As far as a Valet searching a car, over my dead body.  Be a good way for a Valet to get his ass kicked or shot.  Ain't no court in this land that would allow that to go on.
 All firearms regulations are made by FAA, the Delta limit, don't know about that.
 Any questions, call your airline, they have the regulations on computer and can read them verbatim to you.

First let me clarify;I was not searched/charged,etc. The article isnt about me.
It did have something to do with me, since I think did the same thing this guy got charged for.
I just checked my copy of "Florida Firearms" and it says you may not carry in any passenger area unless you are a passenger. It says nothing about in your vehicle.
I believe there is either more to the story, or the guy has been charged with some bullsh/t charge.
I believe I was legal, and will be legal Sunday night.If I leave my legally owned pistol in my legally owned truck.
BP

Federal Law states sterile area. A parking lot or terminal isn't a sterile area. The only sterile area is beyond the Metal Detectors. It seems somebody freaked out and made up a bogus chrage. The only violations I can see is if he was carrying the gun in his carry illegaly. I.E. he couldn't carry anywhere.

I knew a guy who before I met him plead guilty on a misdemeanor firearms violation. Fortunately since it was a misdemeanor he hasn't lost his RKBA. But, I looked up the law and he didn't break it.

His situation was a neighbor called the cops because they "were scared". Damn neighbors. He was celebrating a holiday (Not sure which one.) and he loaded blanks into his gun and fired off a couple. The Police showed up and charged him with recklessly discharging a firearm within the city limits. Now, he was in his own backyard and the rounds were blanks. The Police collected the shells. They knew that. They convinced him he'd go to jail unless he plead guilty and paid a fine.

I have heard of cases where cops arrested people and convinced them to plead guilty for something that wasn't even illegal.

Unfortunately the sheeple believe the cops are always right unless it has to do with race or discrimination.

In Florida it isn't illegal to have a gun in your vehicle on school property as long as you have Handguns securely encased. School Rules are another matter. Yet every year you hear of some parent who shows up to pick up little Johnny and some goody too shoes sees their gun in the car and calls the cops. The parent is hauled in and told they are going down for multiple weapons violations. They accept any plea bargain they are offered. Yet they never commited a crime in the first place.

This happens alot with questionable issues (Schools, Airports, Class 3, etc.)

You can get most anybody to believe guns aren't allowed within X feet of a school, airport, government building, etc. Yet its not true. You can have a gun in an airport or Government building. As long as it is before the metal detectors. The only exception I ever saw was D.C. where one building (not a Government Building) had a sign that said You cannot have a gun at all on this property. If you do even before the metal detectors and you turn it over you will be arrested and prosecuted. Then again that was D.C. where you can't even have a gun.

If you have to ask, you probably did.

A few days after 9-11,a similar thing happened to me.  My wife was driving me back  to the airport to pick up my truck after I had to drive back from my business trip.  We had a .38 snubby, unloaded, with a couple of  charged speed loaders in a small nylon bag under the driver's seat.  The local cops had set up  a checkpoint before the parking area.  They were searching every vehicle.  They found the pistol and went ape-sh*t.  The idiot started asking where I got it, etc etc.  He called in the serial # to run a trace and he  couldn't even read the d@mn numbers correctly.  Then he started giving me sh*t about the gun.  I politely pointed out that state law allows LOADED firearms in the passenger compartment and he says yeah but this is the "driver compartment, not the passenger compartment"  I had a  first class jerk on my hands.  I was polite and all, because being a jerk just makes it worse  and even if wrong, he holds all  the cards for the moment.  Fortunately, the supervisor drove up a few minutes later, returned the gun and said have a nice day.
Morons and badges dont mix very well.
Seems a bunch of gummit types think that our rights went up in smoke with the WTC !!!