Where did you read this involved an airline?
thackney... ‘they’ or she drove to the airport as far as I can tell from the story with a rifle in a soft-sided case. You cannot check a firearm as luggage in a soft-sided case.
The airline was not involved BUT would have told them “no”.
My point is why would you bring a firearm to the airport in a soft-sided case, at all?
They had to have totally forgotten it was there. Now if it was THEIR car, I could understand, But a RENTAL? sumthin’ ain’t right here.