Flying Commercial

[Titansfan]

Planning a trip to Panama City in October and currently plan to fly from Nashville.  I've never checked a weapon when flying commercial.  Carried a weapon on charter flights, but that was all military.  My last commercial flights:  2008 to Detroit, I was going to Canada, and knew I couldn't bring my gun.

2010, New York City, didn't bring it.  This year, went to Minnesota, while I could carry in that state and others, I visited, Wisconsin, Iowa, South & North Dakota, my layover was at Midway in Chicago and didn't want the horror to find a connnecting flight cancelled and re-check in the gun the next day.

 

I've done some research and reading that the check in process is rather painless.  My question, what about when I arrive at the destination?  Surely, that locked pistol box won't come in the way of regular baggage in the carosel? 

[teecro]

Yep right out the carosel with all other luggage. Read up on TSA and your carrier rules and its an easy gig. The airline is not allwed to mark your bag in any way to show that it contains a firearm.

[teecro]

Even by way of Shitcago have I flown, not just connecting but start and finish, no big deal at all as long as kept in legal transport mode.

[Glock30]

Few tips:

 

-I pulled the slide back on mine and put a cable lock through it magazine well. Lock it and let the slide back.

-Acquire a padlock for the hardcase you'll be packing the gun in. For my own piece of mind, I got an extended length lock and locked my Glock case.

-Use either a factory box or hard plastic reloader's case for ammo.

-Keep your keys for the above handy... and on your person.

-Good idea to not keep the ammo in the same box as the pistol.

 

When checking your bags, simply tell the airline agent that you're declaring a firearm. Sometimes they want to see, sometimes not. All you'll do is fill out a tag with your name/info, flight number, etc. and sign it. Sometimes they'll tape it to your pistol hard case, sometimes enclose it in the case. Beyond that, put your items back in your luggage and watch it ride away. They won't bag/tag your luggage with anything special. Yes, it will be handled/fly/arrive on a carousel with everyone else's luggage. There's nothing in your bag of particular interest... remember? Act accordingly.

 

The bottom line is they want to see you packing it in an inoperable manner and that you've declared it to the airline. It's easy and painless.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Glock30

[teecro]

Lock the gun case with two regular padlocks not TSA locks, lock your luggage holding the gun case with TSA locks. Unload the gun and mags, no loose ammo. Ammo in proper box. I always carry the ammo in the gun case with the gun, never an issue.

[Hozzie]

Where it comes out will depend on how each airport handles it.  When I landed in Denver recently, they brought it out in the special luggage area.  I think it had as much to do with it being in a hardsided pelican case vs. having a gun in it.  It wasn't an oversized case either, just one of the smaller pelican cases.  I would suspect at Panama City that they probably will just put it on the belt with all of the other luggage.  I have never had an issue.

[peejman]

Print out a copy of the airline's firearm policy and TSA's policy and keep them in your carry-on.  Can be helpful for educating uninformed employees.  I've had a similar problem at the post office before. 

[LagerHead]

As indicated above, there's really not much drama involved. I have flown several times with my pistol and the most extra I have had done was at Denver, where the TSA actually took me an my bag to an X-Ray area to give it a quick once over. Took about 5 minutes. 

[173rdABN]

I fly with guns all the time. Recently I took my Accuracy International to NM in a massive pelican case. Just check it at the desk normally where you check normal bags, they give you a card to fill out, make sure the guns clear, and it goes onto the plane like normal. A pistol is the same way, only difference is a pistol is in your checked baggage and comes out the carousel, where a hard case thats stand alone goes to the over sided baggage claim and you need to show your ID to get it.

 

Its a painless and effortless experience in all honesty.

 

Forgot to mention. Pistols needs to be in locked case inside your baggage. Stand alone case (Pelican style) also needs a minimum of two locks, and those locks need to be airline approved. The packages the locks come in have the airplane insignia on them to show they are airline approved. 

 

Also, you can only carry 11 pounds of ammo in a checked bag. It must be in original packaging or something like a plastic storage cased that a reloader would use.

Edited July 8, 2014 by 173rdABN

[Titansfan]

Thanks for the information.  I should have been more specific, it is my handgun and I may use the Glock box that came with the gun.  Browsed the TSA and Southwest Airline websites, it appears to be painless process.  It did specifiy, don't use the curb-side services.

 

While searching did browse another forum, only complaint I read was where a nosey passenger wouldn't let up and complained to TSA that a man brought a gun into the airport, so he ended up with the more body scan and gropping than normal.

 

Last month, I flew round trip from Nashville to Minnesota and TSA gave me extra attention each time. 

[teecro]

and those locks need to be airline approved. The packages the locks come in have the airplane insignia on them to show they are airline approved. 

 

Please refresh your studies by way of TSA or carrier... The gun case itself should NOT be locked with TSA luggage locks as anyone can open them with little effort it should be locked with locks that only you have the key or combo too. If the locked gun case is inside your baggage the baggage should be locked with TSA approved locks. 

[enfield]

I'd rather walk . . .

[teecro]

I'd rather walk . . .

 

It's a really long walk to Arizona......

[teecro]

Last month, I flew round trip from Nashville to Minnesota and TSA gave me extra attention each time. 

 

Do you have big boobs, underwire bra and a low cut shirt? Our traveling partner swears that because she has big boobs she gets extra screenings... I don't know about that but the dark skinned guy wearing the bath robe and towel on his head just walked right through....

[173rdABN]

That sucks you get extra attention. I've never gotten more than a second glance. No one has ever even bothered to look like they care one bit I'm checking a gun.

[Clod Stomper]

It's a really long walk to Arizona......

I've flown there and driven there. I'd rather drive.

[R1100R]

I have used Southwest numerous times with no issues. Used a airline approved hard case and check in at the main counter.

Mine has always came out at the door by the carousel and handed to me after checking my claim ticket.

[chances R]

Usually will come out with all the other bags. One time going into Las Vegas the airline staff pulled my bags, unknown to me, and put them in an adjacent office. Had a little panic attack and was directed to the office by another staffer to ask for assistance. Soon as I went into the office I saw my luggage. They were doing me a favor in securing my bags, but I wish the would've let me know.

[teecro]

Usually will come out with all the other bags. One time going into Las Vegas the airline staff pulled my bags, unknown to me, and put them in an adjacent office. Had a little panic attack and was directed to the office by another staffer to ask for assistance. Soon as I went into the office I saw my luggage. They were doing me a favor in securing my bags, but I wish the would've let me know.

 

How long ago was this? No one is supposed to know or be able to tell that you have a gun inside your baggage otherwise it increases the temptation factor for theft....

 

This is quoted direectly from the TSA website....

Outside Tags - No common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag, or other written notice to

be placed on the outside of any package, luggage, or other container that such package, luggage, or other

container contains a firearm.

[chances R]

Nov. 2012.  I've flown a dozen or so times with firearms.  Never been anything marked on the bags, but let me assure you that the airlines know who has firearms and the bags associated with you.  I have had a couple of situations where I couldn't electronically get my boarding passes because of my history of flying with firearms.

[teecro]

Nov. 2012.  I've flown a dozen or so times with firearms.  Never been anything marked on the bags, but let me assure you that the airlines know who has firearms and the bags associated with you.  I have had a couple of situations where I couldn't electronically get my boarding passes because of my history of flying with firearms.

 

Oh I'm sure they know who we/you are in the data base; with that being said I don't know if there is anything in the bar-code on the tags they hang on our bags they tells of gun in contents.... Probably so I would tend to think? Least there is no big red herring sticker slapped on the bag saying "GUN STEAL ME"

[2.ooohhh]

How long ago was this? No one is supposed to know or be able to tell that you have a gun inside your baggage otherwise it increases the temptation factor for theft....

 

This is quoted direectly from the TSA website....

Outside Tags - No common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag, or other written notice to

be placed on the outside of any package, luggage, or other container that such package, luggage, or other

container contains a firearm.

 

While it's supposed to be that no one knows or marks your bag, any baggage handler or airline employee can pretty quickly pickup that hard cases with Non-TSA locks + "guns are in this one". After a friend having his pistol stolen from a suitcase(it was locked in a factory glock box within) on a trip to 'vegas I've changed my luggage up. While pistols have to be in a hard case there is nothing stating that the hard case must be "inside" anything else such as a suitcase. I believe this wording is technically to allow for long gun cases which couldn't fit inside a suitcase if they wanted too but you can use it to make your pistols MUCH harder to seal from your baggage. While a hard sided small case such as comes with most firearms could be slipped out of your bag and under a sweatshirt try that with an 81mm mortar case that's the size of a suitcase!

 

 

They aren't pretty, but my luggage comes through intact and complete every time!

[Spurholder]

In 2011 I flew Nashville to Reagan National with a handgun in my checked bag.  Like others have stated, pistol was inside a locked Pelican case inside another bag - in my case a wheeled Pelican case that was also locked with keyed-alike standard padlocks.

 

Check-in at BNA:

 

     Airline Rep: "Welcome to ____ Airlines, Sir.  How may I help you?"

 

     Me: Hi, just checking in.  BTW, I have a firearm and ammunition that I'll be checking in as well.

 

     Airline Rep: "No problem, sir.  Happy to help.  Please fill out this card, and there are a couple of things I need to check...

 

Return check-in at DCA:

 

     Airline Rep: "Welcome to ____ Airlines, Sir. How may I help you?"

 

     Me: Hi, just checking in. BTW, I have a firearm and ammunition that I'll be checking in as well.

 

     Airline Rep: "No problem, sir. Happy to help. Please fill out this card, and there are a couple of things I need to check...

 

It was that easy.  No one asked to see my handgun, they just wanted to ensure that my ammo was separate and in a container (factory packaging was sufficient) and that the pistol box and my luggage were locked.  No easy to ID labels placed on my Pelican case at either end.  Pretty simple, really.

 

I did have a problem on another trip, however:

 

Flying out of John Wayne Airport in SoCal, I refuse to go through the body scanner, opting for the metal detector and cursory patdown instead. 

 

I didn't think about TSA doing a swab check on my hands and bags - never had that happen and I go through airports pretty regularly, and turn down the scanner every time.   Well, I just had to use one of my small backpacks as a carry-on...the same bag, I soon remembered that I used as a range bag a couple of days prior to travel. 

 

Guess who has two thumbs and got popped for explosive residue?  Yeah, this guy...

 

All ended well...but did have to go through a TSA proctological exam.  

 

Accordingly, a word of advice: don't ever use a range bag for a carry-on bag.

[teecro]

While it's supposed to be that no one knows or marks your bag, any baggage handler or airline employee can pretty quickly pickup that hard cases with Non-TSA locks + "guns are in this one". After a friend having his pistol stolen from a suitcase(it was locked in a factory glock box within) on a trip to 'vegas I've changed my luggage up. While pistols have to be in a hard case there is nothing stating that the hard case must be "inside" anything else such as a suitcase. I believe this wording is technically to allow for long gun cases which couldn't fit inside a suitcase if they wanted too but you can use it to make your pistols MUCH harder to seal from your baggage. While a hard sided small case such as comes with most firearms could be slipped out of your bag and under a sweatshirt try that with an 81mm mortar case that's the size of a suitcase!

 

 

They aren't pretty, but my luggage comes through intact and complete every time!

 

Yes I've read where some folks prefer going the route of treating their entire suitcase as the gun case itself and it does work as planned your bag gets special attention from start to finish.... Mortar box or as many tend to use a large lockable electronics/photo equipment case... I've thought about it but just use a cable to lock my case into the frame of my luggage...

[leftyk82]

how have you frequent fliers verified your firearm contents once you arrive at your destination?

 

i'd imagine it might raise a few eyebrows to open your case inside the airport but i'd also want to make sure all is well before leaving.

 

advice?