Airline travel with handgun help please.

[Lovesbeer99]

I did a search but couldn't find anything in this forum. If I'm looking in the wrong place, please let me know.

I live in NJ and will travel by airline to Fl later this year. I read the airline requirements, regarding luggage, locks, declaration, separate ammo, etc.

What I'm looking for are personal recommendations or warnings based on experiance. For example,
*What type of hard sided gun box do you use, or avoid? How about locks?
*How much time will it take them to inspect my luggage after I delare I
have a firearm? What should I expect?
* What paperwork do you carry with you?
* Any general un-written rules or gotcha's I should know about?

I have my Fl ccw so I intend to carry while I'm there, but I'm new at this aireline travel and I'm afraid I'll get to the airport and they will turn me away and I'll miss my flight.

Thanks in advance and shoot safe, I do.
Lovesbeer99

 

[brighamr]

searching TSA helps I'll try to answer your questions from my experience, which is limited:

What I'm looking for are personal recommendations or warnings based on experiance. For example,
*What type of hard sided gun box do you use, or avoid? How about locks? I use a walmart hard case for my rifle, and the stock XD case for my pistol. Locks are controversial, I use master locks and have had to argue with TSA before. Some people use TSA-approved locks and haven't had any arguments. Personally, I don't want anyone stealing my guns so I'll continue to argue.
*How much time will it take them to inspect my luggage after I delare I
have a firearm? What should I expect? Again this is controversial. In some airports (bozeman), it doesn't take more than 5 minutes. In others (Ohare) it can take several hours because TSA is so dumb they don't know their own rules. You might want to ask around for specific airports
* What paperwork do you carry with you? My tickets and passport.
* Any general un-written rules or gotcha's I should know about? When you are going to declare your firearm, try to find an older agent. No offense, but some of the younger guys (and girls) tend to be scared about the whole "I'm travelling with a firearm" process. Those who have worked their longer tend to be "business as usual". In addition, show up a good hour before you have to be there, just in case

Well, there's my limited experience and opinions. Good luck on your trip(s)!

 

[rritter]

From no experience at all, but reading past threads on this topic, it may be helpful to print out both the TSA regulations from their website, and the airline's specific policy from their website, concerning travel with firearms. That way if you run into someone who doesn't know what they're doing, you have something official (sort of) to work with.

 

[Bill2e]

Pistol, Lock in factory case put factory case in suitcase. Declare ar Check in.

Do not leave sight of your gun while the case is unlocked & not not give up the key. Instead open the case if asked. It is really not that big of a deal.

However being from NJ, you may run into a ungunfriendly TSA or ticket agent. Last thing you want is some one yelling gun in hte airport.

Call the airport & airline and ask there policy.

I say put the pistol box in the suit case, because there is now security against theft of luggage at MCO (orlando airport)

Not that I have ever had a problem, but a nice XD or S&W case may draw attention.

 

[aerod1]

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines has always been a 5 minute deal for me.

 

[moe.ron]

DO NOT TRUST ANY AIRLINES WEBSITE TO BE UPDATED. CALL THE AIRLINE AND ASK THEM TO EMAIL THERE CURRENT POLICY. And you will be just fine

 

[WC145]

We flew from Boston to San Antonio and back in Feb and it was shockingly painless. Stowed my pistol, spare mag, ammo, knife, and badge in a lock box that looks like a book (Wal-mart, about $15). Let them know that I was transporting a handgun in a lockbox in my luggage when we checked in, they put the card in the bag and set me aside for a TSA check, added no more than 5 or 10 minutes to check in, the TSA agent checked the contents of the lockbox, left the tag in the bag and sent us through. Nothing on the other end, just picked up the bag at the turnstile thing as usual.

Truth be told, I think that we, as individuals, worry about this stuff far more than the TSA and other airport personnel do. If you are an honest, straight up citizen following the rules I don't think you have anything to worry about.
That being said, I'm flying from Portland, ME to Florida in July so we'll see how things go there.

 

[GHF]

Traveling With Your Traveling Companion

Having traveled a number of times, here's how I go at it:

1. Put the unloaded weapon(s) in a lockable hard-sided case with locks only you have the keys to open. TSA locks are not allowed.
2. Check the airline(s) you are flying on:
   • Determine if the ammo MUST be in boxes OR can fly in loaded magazines.
   • If loaded magazines are permitted, make sure the pouches fully cover the magazines.
   • The round from the pipe(s) must be in a box, not loose.
3. Secure and protect magazines and ammunition boxes from possible damage.
4. Put the lockable hard-sided case with the weapon and the ammo/magazines into a cheap, non-descript bag - with clear labeling outside and inside - for checking in. The labeling should be limited to:
   • Your Name
   • Your Cell Phone - if you have one, or your home phone if you do not
   • Your personal email address - if you have one
   • NO ADDRESSES, JOB TITLES, ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE INDICATED
5. Other stuff - like shampoo, mouthwash, toothpaste, etc, could be in this checked bag also.
6. Have the rules for the airline in hand when you check this non-descript bag at the airport.
7. Make sure you have the keys to the lockable hard-sided case with you and you alone (Per Federal Regulations § 1540.111 Carriage of weapons, explosives, and incendiaries by individuals - http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...v8&view=text&node=49:9.1.3.5.9.2.10.6&idno=49) at all times. You will have to open the lockable hard-side case
   • to demonstrate to the airline that the weapon(s) are not loaded at check in
   • if the TSA wants to see.
8. Have the serial number(s) and descriptions of your weapons on you, so if they "disappear" you can report the loss/theft to the:
   • airline
   • FAA Regional Office
   • ATF Regional Office
   immediately.

Other things to consider:

1. Check www.handgunlaw.us to determine:
   • If you can possess the weapon at all your stops.
   • Where and how you can carry at all your stops.
   • What are the deadly force rules in each state you are visiting.
2. Have a copy of the Don Young Transportation Letter on hand - http://www.anjrpc.org/DefendingYourRights/us letter.pdf. This covers changing modes of travel - car to plane to car - in a single journey.

 

[GigaBuist]

I've only flown with firearms once, but here's my advice:

*What type of hard sided gun box do you use, or avoid?

Hate to say it, but go cheap. I flew Delta from GRR to Myrtle Beach a few years back and the baggage system (I presume) busted up my brand-new gun case so badly that I had to tear it apart to get it back open. I don't remember the brand, but it was a carbon-fiber-ish feeling type deal. Upon seeing the 1" HOLE in the thing I waited until I got to my hotel until I experimented with it. I took a CRKT tanto-bladed knife out and stabbed the case with all my might. Didn't penetrate. I have no idea what the heck caused the damage they did to it.

How about locks?

I'd go with a combo-lock personally. That way there's no temptation to hand over the key to it and the TSA agent, at least in my experience, will understand that you don't want to just blurt out the combination.

Technically it's illegal to let them open up the case, but they don't seem to ever know that.

*How much time will it take them to inspect my luggage after I delare Ihave a firearm? What should I expect?

At the ticket counter it'll take about 60 seconds. The only thing you need to watch out for is an inexperienced worker not knowing that you need to put a slip in there declaring that its unloaded. Happened to me once on my trip. New guy that the counter just shrugged when I told him I had guns. I told him what we had to do, he called somebody over, got the slips, I signed them, and into the cases they went.

* What paperwork do you carry with you?

Driver's license and green slips with pictures of dead presidents on them. They're really the only thing you need to travel 'round the US.

* Any general un-written rules or gotcha's I should know about?

In my limited experience packing a gun in your luggage has some benefits. The TSA takes an interest in your baggage and you have to be there when they screen it to open it up for them. It actually increases their level of customer service.

Plus, you can actually lock the gun case. That lets you toss in electronics that you might not want in the regular luggage. Got an expensive camera? Toss it in the gun case. That'll keep the rif-raff from pillaging through your stuff behind the secured lines. If it does go missing then you can report "stolen gun" which should get a higher priority than "stolen camera."

Mostly, though, it's not a big deal.

 

[Soybomb]

What a great thread, I'm saving all this!

Hate to say it, but go cheap. I flew Delta from GRR to Myrtle Beach a few years back and the baggage system (I presume) busted up my brand-new gun case so badly that I had to tear it apart to get it back open. I don't remember the brand, but it was a carbon-fiber-ish feeling type deal. Upon seeing the 1" HOLE in the thing I waited until I got to my hotel until I experimented with it. I took a CRKT tanto-bladed knife out and stabbed the case with all my might. Didn't penetrate. I have no idea what the heck caused the damage they did to it.

Interesting although I'm personally going to take as reason to use a high quality case. I'd rather a $30 pelican get beat up than a cheap case fail and my expensive gun get damaged.

 

[mugsie]

Grow a beard or better yet wear a hajib. Keep shouting muslim slogans, wear the pistol on your person and they'll be so afraid of upsetting a religious nut they'll let you right on.

No problem - it's been done before!

 

[Lovesbeer99]

Thanks for all the responses. I've seen a Secure-IT case at Cabela's for about 30.00. It's heavy gauge steel, kind of like a safe, and it can be set up with a cable lock. You can use the cable lock in the hotel, or in the car to secure it to something strong like a metal pole, or something.

Any opinions on that?

 

[chris in va]

I did this for the very first time two weeks ago. United out of Huntsville AL, tiny airport.

I already had a Pelican case from my kayak paddling days, and it has two convenient holes for locking it.

Bottom line, it was simple. Unloaded it and the magazine, packed it with foam. I printed up a copy of the airline's policy just in case and carried it with me. At the counter I declared I had a "cased firearm in my bag". The counter guy got flustered and went in the back for a second, came back out with a form that I was an Air Marshal or something, thanking me for declaring my carry on firearm. I politely told him I was NOT an LEO and again...it was in checked baggage.

More fluster, finally a supervisor came by and said "thats fine, we'll call a TSA agent over shortly". He came, asked me to open the case, asked if it was unloaded and took his little stick out to poke around for a second, then I closed it back up. I asked if he sees this a lot, "oh sure, all the hunters check their guns around here".

Now I also had SD 9mm in a separate unlocked box. When I opened my suitcase I found they wrapped the box in TSA tape, and had put a 'love letter' in my suitcase stating the firearm was unloaded.

That's it.

I did read another guy's report that the TSA opened his gun case with a *regular* lock on it. Somehow they have the ability to open locks regardless.

Oh BTW, I waited 45 minutes for my bag to show up at the carousel. Come to find out they had pulled my bag out separately and was sitting behind the conveyor belt with some other bags. I was on one of those little mini-jet things, maybe that's why.

 

[c1ogden]

Airline travel with handgun help please.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I did a search but couldn't find anything in this forum. If I'm looking in the wrong place, please let me know.

I live in NJ and will travel by airline to Fl later this year. I read the airline requirements, regarding luggage, locks, declaration, separate ammo, etc.

What I'm looking for are personal recommendations or warnings based on experiance. For example,
*What type of hard sided gun box do you use, or avoid? How about locks?
*How much time will it take them to inspect my luggage after I delare I
have a firearm? What should I expect?
* What paperwork do you carry with you?
* Any general un-written rules or gotcha's I should know about?

I have my Fl ccw so I intend to carry while I'm there, but I'm new at this aireline travel and I'm afraid I'll get to the airport and they will turn me away and I'll miss my flight.

Thanks in advance and shoot safe, I do.
Lovesbeer99



Call the airline first! Each airline is free to set their own policy and some just refuse to carry firearms!

I usually fly Continental and have been delayed no more than 10 minutes while they verify that the gun is unloaded. Also, your ammo has to be in a factory box or plastic ammo box, it can't be in the magazines or loose.

If you have any problems call for the airline's Ground Security Coordinator. He's the guy who's job is to know this stuff.

I use a small plastic hard case with a padlock on it that I put inside a suitcase. Get a suitcase that can be locked also so you can leave it in the suitcase and out of sight of the hotel maid should you decide not to carry it on a particular day. Its also a good idea that hotel staff not see the gun cases if that is possible. No sense advertising to people of unknown backgrounds.

 

[Sistema1927]

Lovesbeer99,

I use the same type of gun case that you describe in post #12, and have never had a problem. In fact, I flew to Florida and back last month without a hitch. The nice thing about that style of case is that I use the cable to lock the case to my suitcase.

Believe it or not, it is MUCH easier to fly with a gun now than it ever was prior to 9/11/01. In my experience, everyone and his brother knows the rules, making things much easier.

 

[waynesan]

Does anyone know if the ammo needs to be locked up inside your suitcase or can it just be placed there in the box its packaged in like a box of cookies?

 

[GHF]

Cookies

The cookie box is the way to look at it. You can either use regular ammo boxes (not loose like Winchester White Box), or get one of those $3.00 plastic reload boxes.

The one in the pipe needs to be in the box, not loose.

 

[waynesan]

Thanks GHF, that helps a lot. I'm flying from Tenn. to Arizona next week for vacation and this is my first time flying in 35 years. Things sure have changed.