20 replies to this topic

[Leon]

I've often wondered this and was just reminded of it. Now of course this is mainly referring to airports outside of the UK. I imagine that flying from the UK Bond would have some sort of secret, armed spy ID to flash and bypass the security gates. Possibly this could be used in the odd other co-operative country also. But it has to happen sometimes that Bond must fly from a country in which he can't simply announce that he's a spy and demand to be let through security unchecked.

I should also point out that I decided to post this in the film section as it's quite different now from the 1950s when I imagine Bond could just stroll onto most planes armed to the teeth and smoking endless cigarettes with relative ease.

So therefore, what do people think Bond does with his gun, holster, ammunition and any other gadgets/weapons when he comes to airport security? Does he have to post them to himself? Does he have a secret compartment in his suitcase that's impervious to x-ray scans? (although might well arouse suspicion on the basis of it showing up as an unusual compartment that's impervious to the x-ray scan)

Does he just bin all of it and have more delivered on arrival at wherever he's going? Knowing Q I doubt this also!

[Double Naught spy]

I think an "armed" 007 arriving in a foreign county is one of those things we're supposed to (wink-wink) ignore.  Off the top of my head, the most overt one is when he arrives in the St. Petersburg airport in Goldeneye.  Apparently, he was armed all the way from the flight from London to Russia, because in the airport parking lot he whips out his gun from his holster in response to Jack Wade's failure to give the correct "recognition code."  

 

It's a good question though Leon. Perhaps some of our more "well traveled" fellow posters can offer a deeper/better insight on the rules/regulations of carrying fire-arms on international flights? (which, I admit I've never had the privilege of doing.)   Living in the States, all I know is that, according to the TSA, if Bond were to bring a "to-go" martini on a flight, it better be only three ounces or less!   

[Dustin]

Different options. In general it's a seriously bad idea to arrive armed at any kind of security area, and that's not just airports these days. There are however a limited number of professions - mainly private military/security businesses - whose working description includes crossing borders with their equipment, including arms and ammunition. Of course that entails a number of licences both in your country of origin and at your destination. It always produces an enormous amount of paperwork and both gun and ammunition are to be checked in separately in advance. No rent-a-cop/McMercenary is flying armed with you in civilised countries.

For Bond's purposes this option would be neither practical nor advisable, as it draws attention to his activities. Nonetheless, there might be scenarios which could make this kind of travel a necessary evil. Still, not really a good option.

Next there is the obvious procedure for any kind of covered operation: travel clean and in character with your cover and pick up the tools of your trade at your destination. This calls for an extended support network over the globe, even in so-called 'cooperative' countries, as most nations for some strange reason are not too hot about having armed operatives on the loose within their jurisdiction, not even British ones. In effect this method burns horrendous funds probably better spent elsewhere, and it puts the members of the support network at risk of being exposed and treated as terrorists. But as we talk Bond here none of that is a serious obstacle and it's certainly within the means and capability of the SIS to run such a large-scale operation. Ideal for Bond's purposes.

Third and easiest possibility - and I think the one implied by the films - is just having Bond travel with diplomatic passport. He is not to be held, searched or otherwise inconvenienced, can step aboard his flights with arms and cash and drugs as he pleases and will not be held responsible for parking tickets or corpses turning up in his car boot. Splendid, I take two of these! Downside is, no actual cover. Wherever he goes he's already a person of interest with the authorities, so undercover work is not an option this way. And whenever an embassy is blown up it will be on the Guardian's headline - rest of the media will of course keep mum about it - and pinned to Bond, giving the phrase of 'diplomatic relations' an interesting new twist. But as said before, we are talking Bond here so none of this needs concern us.

Edited by Dustin, 11 December 2013 - 01:18 PM.

[billy007]

I can offer some examples on the literary 007's travels with firearms.

 

1. Fleming's MOONRAKER . During office paperwork 007 reads memo from US Customs Branch re: introduction of "Inspectorscope"

    a metal detector used at major US airports.

         "He would have to think of some place other than his armpit for carrying his .25 Beretta next time he traveled abroad.

         "He made a metal note to discuss the problem with the Technical Devices Section."

2.  Chris Wood's SPY WHO LOVED ME movie adaptation.  007's Walther PPK and ammo were broken down and concealed in a portable typewriter(This was in 1977) requiring reassembly upon arrriving at destination.

3. John Gardner's continuation novels 007 had x-ray resistant attache cases, luggage and laptop computers that effectively  

    concealed his equipment.

[Orion]

I imagine a discreet looking man "bumps into him" as he's leaving the airport and he suddenly has a ppk in his jacket. In Connery's days this would be the most obviously English bloke you've ever seen, these days he might pass for actually having lived outside of Britain at some point in his life.

[hoagy]

As noted, the books were written so long ago, security was quite different.  Back then, and event at the times of the earlier films, even a trouble-shooter for Universal Export or some other business had reason to travel armed, for personal safety's sake (recall YOLT and his discussion with a surgical knife-wielding seductress).  Several writers above this note already have pointed out that HMSS has extensive operations and field offices and colleagues and 007 gets equipped as he goes along.  Additionally, he can get firearms and knives around the world just as many people do -- on his own.  Pierce's picked up an armed fighter jet for the price of a five-fingered-fist discount at an arms market in the PTS for TND, so he knows where to go get whatever he needs.

 

I think he usually does not want to call attention to himself (other than in CR, where it was deliberate, and infuriated Vesper) and travels "cleanly", not pre-checking or using diplomatic credentials.

 

Here is another idea:  Bond does not just kill the villains.  He takes note of what they do.  Perhaps from Mr. Scaramanga he learned the cleverness of travelling with a "lighter", a "pen" and other odds and ends, and gets some bullets upon arrival.

 

In the coming films -- perhaps the next -- I think we can expect the film-makers to deal with two present-day realities:  Drones, and 3-D Printed Weapons and other objects (3 D printed keys, for example ?)

[Revelator]

3. John Gardner's continuation novels 007 had x-ray resistant attache cases, luggage and laptop computers that effectively  

    concealed his equipment.

That seems like the best solution, but I wonder if such things exist in reality.

[Leon]

 

3. John Gardner's continuation novels 007 had x-ray resistant attache cases, luggage and laptop computers that effectively  

    concealed his equipment.

That seems like the best solution, but I wonder if such things exist in reality.

 

If a case goes through an x-ray scan like that however it still shows up on the scan as a case that is x-ray resistant and would be treated as highly suspicious and checked manually.

[AMC Hornet]

...the most overt one is when he arrives in the St. Petersburg airport in Goldeneye.  Apparently, he was armed all the way from the flight from London to Russia, because in the airport parking lot he whips out his gun from his holster in response to Jack Wade's failure to give the correct "recognition code."  

As you say, apparently. We didn't see Bond disembark from the plane and walk through the concourse to the parking lot. We saw him leave the terminal and approach Wade. He would have had plenty of opportunity to extract his PPK from his cleverly-shielded luggage before stepping out into St. Peterburg's April weather.

 

On The Sandbaggers, Burnside always mentioned 'drawing weapons on station' during briefings. In Pierce's case, the station couldn't have been in the airport, nor was he likely 'bumped into' by a local MI6 rep - that was Wade was supposed to be for.

 

So yeah, since I never considered the conundrum before, I'm not going to sweat it now.

[Leon]

I don't think anybody's 'sweating it' or losing sleep. This isn't a thread that's trying to undermine the James Bond films as being unrealistic , it's simply a fun question to consider.

It would also be interesting to see a good explanation for this sort of thing presented in a new Bond film , if they could come up with something good - obviously if not it's best leaving it to the imagination.. maybe he shoves it up his bum which is specially treated by Q to camouflage metal objects from detectors.

[freemo]

Alimentary, Dr. Lieter.

[Leon]

A quote most apposite, freemo.

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

Diplomatic passport with a permission to carry and/or x-ray resistant attache case. In the films Bond hardly gets into a hostile country via an airport. 

[Professor Pi]

I'm more curious how he gets into Miami International Airport in CR without a boarding pass.

[S K Y F A L L]

[glidrose]

Helps him with his kegel exercises for men. Google it, if you must.

[The Krynoid man]

I always assumed he kept it in a compartment in his suitcase that was made of a material that could be picked up by x rays.

[tdalton]

I always assumed he kept it in a compartment in his suitcase that was made of a material that could be picked up by x rays.

 

That was always my thought as well.  I figure that it's probably something that Q would have developed for him in order to get his weapons and other contraband through the checkpoints at the various places he visits.

[seawolfnyy]

I'm more curious how he gets into Miami International Airport in CR without a boarding pass.

He could've bought one....

[Double Naught spy]

An airport kiosk for passengers arriving in Miami to purchase weapons before entering the city?!?  Folks, I do believe we have found 2013's "Best Idea of the Year."   

 

In all seriousness, for those of you (especially from overseas) who are planning on visiting Miami - if you are driving through the city and are rear-ended, never (and I mean NEVER!) get out of your car.  By the time you've finished fumbling around your wallet or your purse for your insurance card, etc., you'll be faced with the cheery sight of a MAC-10 staring you in the face.  Warning - staged "fender-benders" are the "scam du jour" for the local carjackers.   The best plan of action if visiting Miami (or Florida in general) is to pretend you are 007 and stay on your toes, be aware of your surroundings, and be very wary of everyone you meet (and certainly the overtly "nice" people, cuz they're likely con-artists.)  But, if you do have plans to visit, don't let me dissuade you - Florida, in all it's quirky uniqueness and undeniable beauty should be a "bucket list item" for anyone.  But do yourself a favor - stray off the beaten path as much as possible (there's SO MUCH more to the state than Disney World!) and see things like the Skunk Ape Research Center, Devil's Mill Hopper, or the Bat Tower in the Keys.  But for God's sake, arm yourself to the teeth before exploring!   

Edited by Double Naught spy, 20 December 2013 - 07:32 PM.

[Professor Pi]

An airport kiosk for passengers arriving in Miami to purchase weapons before entering the city?!?  Folks, I do believe we have found 2013's "Best Idea of the Year."   

 

In all seriousness, for those of you (especially from overseas) who are planning on visiting Miami - if you are driving through the city and are rear-ended, never (and I mean NEVER!) get out of your car.  By the time you've finished fumbling around your wallet or your purse for your insurance card, etc., you'll be faced with the cheery sight of a MAC-10 staring you in the face.  Warning - staged "fender-benders" are the "scam du jour" for the local carjackers.   The best plan of action if visiting Miami (or Florida in general) is to pretend you are 007 and stay on your toes, be aware of your surroundings, and be very wary of everyone you meet (and certainly the overtly "nice" people, cuz they're likely con-artists.)  But, if you do have plans to visit, don't let me dissuade you - Florida, in all it's quirky uniqueness and undeniable beauty should be a "bucket list item" for anyone.  But do yourself a favor - stray off the beaten path as much as possible (there's SO MUCH more to the state than Disney World!) and see things like the Skunk Ape Research Center, Devil's Mill Hopper, or the Bat Tower in the Keys.  But for God's sake, arm yourself to the teeth before exploring!   

 

Maybe that's why they shot the airport scene in Prague instead?!

 

Asking a relative why she liked living in Florida, she answered, "It's close to the United States!"