TRLaye
Member
On Sunday, 25 July I flew from Portland, OR to San Jose, CA via Alaska Airlines and since I had a firearm, had to deal with the TSA. A report of that encounter follows.
I arrived at the airport the obligatory 2 or 3 hours early so the bureaucracy would not be unduly disturbed.
My interaction with Alaska Airlines was uneventful and efficient. I attribute that to the fact that the counter check in person I dealt with was a woman who had just come down from Alaska to work in Portland. When I complimented her and said that this was the smoothest check in with a firearm I'd ever had she said that everybody travels with guns in Alaska. I declared that I had a unloaded firearm, she asked me if it was in a locked container within my luggage, which was a Pelican 1510 case, I confirmed it was and she gave me the declaration tag. She didn't wish to see it or handle it. The pistol was inside a locked gun rug. I don't remember her asking about ammo.
Upon completion of the check-n process she directed me to the TSA baggage check point about fifty feet away. She reminded me that I should have the case locks in hand before giving the TSA the case as they wouldn't let me touch the case after the x-ray. I wish all check-ins went that well.
I took the case to the TSA check point, specified I had a declared firearm in the case and that I had the locks with me. They acknowledged that and directed me to the other end of the machine.
About a minute after I reached the other end of the machine the case came out as if it had been launched by a trebuchet and slammed into the end barrier. The TSA gent took the case and then asked if I was the owner and I responded that I was. He asked for the locks to lock the case. Now the problem started.
I explained that the locks were combination locks that had the combo on them so they could be locked. He explained I could not put the locks on the case. He stated it would be a violation of security for me to touch the case after it had been inspected. I commented that giving him the locks would be committing a federal felony as I understood it and I did not wish him to get in trouble for encouraging that. He had apparently heard that before because he immediately called the supervisor over and said he had a problem.
The supervisor, John, came over and made the same comment. I explained what I understood of the situation and issues and he asked where I'd gotten the information and I said off the TSA web site and Federal Code web site and he explained that they were wrong and either he locked the case or the gun didn't fly.
He clearly explained that if I so much as touched the closed and latched case, in front of the TSA security personnel, it would have to go through the machine again. And that then we'd just go through this process again and again until I missed my flight.
Now I am not as fast on my feet as I would like to be and totally missed the opportunity to say okay. The case had already cleared the machine with no inspection of the contents necessary so applying the locks myself and having it go through again would maybe have PO'd the TSA but not bothered me.
But instead I gave him the locks since I was tired, wanted to go home to my Raveness and take the pistol home. The supervisor made a point verbally to ensure that I saw he was putting the locks on the case and not looking at the combo as he rotated the numbers dials to lock the locks. At no time did they open and inspect the case.
I made it onto the flight with time to spare.
Lessons Learned -
Use combination locks that allow you to rotate the combo dials away from your combination and still be able to lock the shackle. I used relatively inexpensive Master locks that had to have the combo dialed in to allow the shackle to close. I purchased them at the last moment, discovered this and did not have time to exchange them. With the proper locks and able to visually determine that my case was locked I would not have been as concerned.
Carry all the printed materials from the TSA, FAR, Federal Codes and airlines regulations with you even if you don't expect to be transporting a firearm. In fact I am placing a Smead self-adhesive vinyl pocket in the lid of the Pelican case to hold these documents and will have a document protector with duplicate documents in my carry on.
The TSA personnel were not unpleasant but obviously did not realize how idiotic it sounded to say that if I physically touched a closed and latched previously inspected case it negated the inspection. To much science fiction maybe?
This is the first time I've flown since Dec 2001 and only did so because I wanted to see my son and wasn't ready to do two days of driving for two days of visiting. Since airline usage is apparently back to pre 9/11 levels and many of you are successfully flying I may fly a little more often as it was really good seeing my son.
It WAS irritating seeing folks being hassled by the needless, like any passenger is going to allow a hijack to succeed, inspections. I was not singled out in spite of the amount of electronic devices with power cords and batteries I had in my carry on. You could see that most folks were irritated and mumbling about having to take belts, jewelry, shoes, etc off but did nothing beyond that. Eavesdropping on conversations around me I found that the inspections were observed and commented upon. There was no rhyme or reason to whom was singled out for additional attention that I could see.
In fact one time a person had their leather jacket in the basket go through the machine and then they were asked questions and delayed while the jacket was gone through by hand with nothing removed or found. I would seem to me that anything that could be found by hand would have been shown by the inspection machine.
I arrived at the airport the obligatory 2 or 3 hours early so the bureaucracy would not be unduly disturbed.
My interaction with Alaska Airlines was uneventful and efficient. I attribute that to the fact that the counter check in person I dealt with was a woman who had just come down from Alaska to work in Portland. When I complimented her and said that this was the smoothest check in with a firearm I'd ever had she said that everybody travels with guns in Alaska. I declared that I had a unloaded firearm, she asked me if it was in a locked container within my luggage, which was a Pelican 1510 case, I confirmed it was and she gave me the declaration tag. She didn't wish to see it or handle it. The pistol was inside a locked gun rug. I don't remember her asking about ammo.
Upon completion of the check-n process she directed me to the TSA baggage check point about fifty feet away. She reminded me that I should have the case locks in hand before giving the TSA the case as they wouldn't let me touch the case after the x-ray. I wish all check-ins went that well.
I took the case to the TSA check point, specified I had a declared firearm in the case and that I had the locks with me. They acknowledged that and directed me to the other end of the machine.
About a minute after I reached the other end of the machine the case came out as if it had been launched by a trebuchet and slammed into the end barrier. The TSA gent took the case and then asked if I was the owner and I responded that I was. He asked for the locks to lock the case. Now the problem started.
I explained that the locks were combination locks that had the combo on them so they could be locked. He explained I could not put the locks on the case. He stated it would be a violation of security for me to touch the case after it had been inspected. I commented that giving him the locks would be committing a federal felony as I understood it and I did not wish him to get in trouble for encouraging that. He had apparently heard that before because he immediately called the supervisor over and said he had a problem.
The supervisor, John, came over and made the same comment. I explained what I understood of the situation and issues and he asked where I'd gotten the information and I said off the TSA web site and Federal Code web site and he explained that they were wrong and either he locked the case or the gun didn't fly.
He clearly explained that if I so much as touched the closed and latched case, in front of the TSA security personnel, it would have to go through the machine again. And that then we'd just go through this process again and again until I missed my flight.
Now I am not as fast on my feet as I would like to be and totally missed the opportunity to say okay. The case had already cleared the machine with no inspection of the contents necessary so applying the locks myself and having it go through again would maybe have PO'd the TSA but not bothered me.
But instead I gave him the locks since I was tired, wanted to go home to my Raveness and take the pistol home. The supervisor made a point verbally to ensure that I saw he was putting the locks on the case and not looking at the combo as he rotated the numbers dials to lock the locks. At no time did they open and inspect the case.
I made it onto the flight with time to spare.
Lessons Learned -
Use combination locks that allow you to rotate the combo dials away from your combination and still be able to lock the shackle. I used relatively inexpensive Master locks that had to have the combo dialed in to allow the shackle to close. I purchased them at the last moment, discovered this and did not have time to exchange them. With the proper locks and able to visually determine that my case was locked I would not have been as concerned.
Carry all the printed materials from the TSA, FAR, Federal Codes and airlines regulations with you even if you don't expect to be transporting a firearm. In fact I am placing a Smead self-adhesive vinyl pocket in the lid of the Pelican case to hold these documents and will have a document protector with duplicate documents in my carry on.
The TSA personnel were not unpleasant but obviously did not realize how idiotic it sounded to say that if I physically touched a closed and latched previously inspected case it negated the inspection. To much science fiction maybe?
This is the first time I've flown since Dec 2001 and only did so because I wanted to see my son and wasn't ready to do two days of driving for two days of visiting. Since airline usage is apparently back to pre 9/11 levels and many of you are successfully flying I may fly a little more often as it was really good seeing my son.
It WAS irritating seeing folks being hassled by the needless, like any passenger is going to allow a hijack to succeed, inspections. I was not singled out in spite of the amount of electronic devices with power cords and batteries I had in my carry on. You could see that most folks were irritated and mumbling about having to take belts, jewelry, shoes, etc off but did nothing beyond that. Eavesdropping on conversations around me I found that the inspections were observed and commented upon. There was no rhyme or reason to whom was singled out for additional attention that I could see.
In fact one time a person had their leather jacket in the basket go through the machine and then they were asked questions and delayed while the jacket was gone through by hand with nothing removed or found. I would seem to me that anything that could be found by hand would have been shown by the inspection machine.
