Anyone know anything about flying with a firearm?
- Thread starter martinc64
- Start date
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Babbalanja
Member
My "incident" resolution
Yeah, I know a little about transporting firearms on airlines, but TSA and the airline agents know even less. I wrote Delta a letter about being detained and abused by TSA agents when I attempted to legally transport a Remington 870 and Makarov pistol. After two months, they replied without EVER answering one of my questions:
Dear Mr. XXXXX,
Thank you for writing about your recent airport experience while
traveling with us. On behalf of Delta Air Lines, I sincerely apologize
for the lack of customer service you encountered and appreciate your
taking the time to share the details.
As our customer, you are in the best position to point out areas that
need attention. Our goal is to provide consistent and accurate
information to our passengers at all times. I am truly sorry you did
not receive the service you expected and should have received from one
of our team members at the time of checking your firearms. We also
expect our employees to be helpful and professional persistently. This
includes furnishing courteous, understandable explanations and doing
everything possible to hold inconvenience to a minimum.
Your letter makes it clear that we did not demonstrate the dependable,
responsive service our customers have a right to expect. We fully
realize that the true test of customer service excellence is how we
perform when things go wrong. Feedback like yours will help us improve
our airport process and overall customer experience. Please know I will
be sharing your comments with our Airport Customer Service leadership
team for internal follow up.
In an effort to show how truly sorry we are, as a gesture of apology for
the lack of assistance you received, I have issued an Electronic
Transportation Credit Voucher (eTCV) in the amount of $50.00. Please
note the voucher number and associated Terms and Conditions will be
arriving in a separate email. Please keep the voucher number and the
Terms and Conditions since the number is required for redemption. It is
also important for me to mention that no charge is assessed for
reservations confirmed online at delta.com.
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. By bringing forth
your concerns, you give us an opportunity to improve our services.
Please accept my sincerest apology and rest assured that we will make
every effort to ensure things are handled differently in the future.
Your future business is important to us, and I hope you will continue to
choose Delta for your air travel needs.
Sincerely,
Raymond M. Taylor
Coordinator
Customer Care
Yeah, I know a little about transporting firearms on airlines, but TSA and the airline agents know even less. I wrote Delta a letter about being detained and abused by TSA agents when I attempted to legally transport a Remington 870 and Makarov pistol. After two months, they replied without EVER answering one of my questions:
Dear Mr. XXXXX,
Thank you for writing about your recent airport experience while
traveling with us. On behalf of Delta Air Lines, I sincerely apologize
for the lack of customer service you encountered and appreciate your
taking the time to share the details.
As our customer, you are in the best position to point out areas that
need attention. Our goal is to provide consistent and accurate
information to our passengers at all times. I am truly sorry you did
not receive the service you expected and should have received from one
of our team members at the time of checking your firearms. We also
expect our employees to be helpful and professional persistently. This
includes furnishing courteous, understandable explanations and doing
everything possible to hold inconvenience to a minimum.
Your letter makes it clear that we did not demonstrate the dependable,
responsive service our customers have a right to expect. We fully
realize that the true test of customer service excellence is how we
perform when things go wrong. Feedback like yours will help us improve
our airport process and overall customer experience. Please know I will
be sharing your comments with our Airport Customer Service leadership
team for internal follow up.
In an effort to show how truly sorry we are, as a gesture of apology for
the lack of assistance you received, I have issued an Electronic
Transportation Credit Voucher (eTCV) in the amount of $50.00. Please
note the voucher number and associated Terms and Conditions will be
arriving in a separate email. Please keep the voucher number and the
Terms and Conditions since the number is required for redemption. It is
also important for me to mention that no charge is assessed for
reservations confirmed online at delta.com.
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. By bringing forth
your concerns, you give us an opportunity to improve our services.
Please accept my sincerest apology and rest assured that we will make
every effort to ensure things are handled differently in the future.
Your future business is important to us, and I hope you will continue to
choose Delta for your air travel needs.
Sincerely,
Raymond M. Taylor
Coordinator
Customer Care
Guns and more
member
- Joined
- May 6, 2008
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- 1,929
Holy Smoke! Most airlines would be overweight by the time you put 50# in a suitcase.
Shadow 7D
Member
Ranb, from my reading of the TSA regs, it is a major NO NO to have gun in the secured part of the airport, IE what the agent did isn't right, now when I flew out of Ptsburb I went to the oversize/special handling luggage area and I had to stand behind the red line while the TSA guy did his thing, then I relocked the case and the TSA guy did the final tag/external check, including that it was locked, and asked me who had the key, (correct response is me and only me). No disappearing gun or back room checks.
When I said secure, I meant it was a part of the airport that I was not allowed to enter. Las Vegas Airport has been doing this for at least a few years now. SeaTac used to inspect out of view of the gun owner too, but not anymore.
My luggage is normally opened after I check it in with the ticket agent at any American airport I fly through; it does not seem to matter if I am carrying ammo or not, or if I am flying international or domestic. I know this because I have a TSA inspection slip in the suitcase, and if I locked it, then the TSA locks are broken. I do not bother to lock my luggage anymore as I am tired of buying new locks. The "TSA approved" locks that were supposed to be able to be opened by the TSA without cutting never work after the TSA is done with them. If I buy good locks and do not get back to the ticket counter quickly, the locks will be cut or picked anyway. Locking a suitcase seems to be a waste of time and money for me now. I have never had anything stolen while flying, so I think a lock will not discourage any thief.
The locks on my gun case are strictly for show to get me through security. TSA has told me that the puny little locks integral to the case that can be opened with a small fingernail file are enough for them. Stupid isn't it?
Ranb
My luggage is normally opened after I check it in with the ticket agent at any American airport I fly through; it does not seem to matter if I am carrying ammo or not, or if I am flying international or domestic. I know this because I have a TSA inspection slip in the suitcase, and if I locked it, then the TSA locks are broken. I do not bother to lock my luggage anymore as I am tired of buying new locks. The "TSA approved" locks that were supposed to be able to be opened by the TSA without cutting never work after the TSA is done with them. If I buy good locks and do not get back to the ticket counter quickly, the locks will be cut or picked anyway. Locking a suitcase seems to be a waste of time and money for me now. I have never had anything stolen while flying, so I think a lock will not discourage any thief.
The locks on my gun case are strictly for show to get me through security. TSA has told me that the puny little locks integral to the case that can be opened with a small fingernail file are enough for them. Stupid isn't it?
Ranb
Finprof
Member
It really depends on the airline and the ticket agent. If I fly Northwest airlines out of Philadelphia, the agents are used to having firearms since a lot of the passengers are going to Montana and Idaho. If I fly USAIR out of Philadelphia, I bring a copy of the TSA rules because I know that the agent is a total buffoon and will tell me something that is totally opposite to what the rules really are
Ruger Redhawk
Member
We went to Alaska last August and I took a handgun with us. Like mentioned put your gun in a hard case locked and put it inside you luggage.It requires two locks on the hard case. Go to the ticket counter and tell them you want to declare a firearm. I was in Raleigh NC.I'm sure it varies by locations. The lady at the ticket counter asked me to take the hard case out of the suitcase and open it up. That surprised me being people were waiting in line.I was afraid it would cause a panic attack.I asked her open it here?She said yes. I opened it up and she took a quick glace. I signed a Red ticket saying it was unloaded.Locked it back up and back in the suitcase. From there I was sent to TSA. They had me open it again and they just looked at it. I asked if they wanted to see that it was unloaded. He said no that's fine, don't touch it. He had me relock the hard case,put it back in the suitcase and they took it from there. As for the ammo W*M has these small strong boxes that lock.I bought one for about 13.00 if I remember right, That's where my ammo was shipped. When you get to your destination your luggage will be put on the luggage conveyor.
Leaving Alaska was different. The same routin basically. TSA wasn't open yet,so for a hour or two I was walking around with the handgun in my suitcase. Once they opened they visually looked at it. I locked it back up and they sent it through the X-Ray machine. There's really nothing to it but it takes a little time. If they are really busy I would suggest giving yourself plenty of time to jump through the hoops.
Leaving Alaska was different. The same routin basically. TSA wasn't open yet,so for a hour or two I was walking around with the handgun in my suitcase. Once they opened they visually looked at it. I locked it back up and they sent it through the X-Ray machine. There's really nothing to it but it takes a little time. If they are really busy I would suggest giving yourself plenty of time to jump through the hoops.
Last edited:
Millwright
Member
Suggest you keep the firearm on your lateral CG as keeping it to your 'strong side' may create an "imbalance in the roll axis" leading to divergence......
OTOH, if you're flying commercial I haven't a clue ! They make up and change the "rules" almost daily, it seems....... >MW
OTOH, if you're flying commercial I haven't a clue ! They make up and change the "rules" almost daily, it seems....... >MW
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