Heads up on airline travel with firearms!

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Sour Kraut

Sour Kraut

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I have flown over a dozen times with handguns with nary an issue until this week. When checking in and declaring my weapon I filled out the required card placed it in my luggage etc.....no problem. When my luggage went to TSA for the subsequent inspection the TSA official said the airline luggage tag did not match the the name on the declaration card. When my wife and I checked in, the counter person inadvertently switched the airline luggage tags on our two bags. My bag containing the weapon had my wife's airline tag.

This can "potentially" big a big issue as TSA can deny transport of that luggage. The TSA agent was firm but not a jerk about it; and explained that in the future I really need to watch and make certain the counter person attaches the correct tag to the luggage. In addition to risking the bag being denied transport, if you had an issue claiming the bag at he end of your flight the fact that the weapon was in the wrong persons bag, could be problematic if some official wanted to make issue of it.....the airline tag apparently trumps whatever ID tag you have on the luggage. The person declaring the firearm must have it in HIS "airline marked luggage".

Just thought I'd pass this along as I never thought about this potential problem.
 
Good to know. I have a gun in my checked bag almost every time I fly. You really do have to watch. The airlines and the TSA frequently make mistakes or deviate from their own protocol. When they do, the fault always ends up on the passenger. Things I have had happen:

- Counter agent declined to look at my gun. Delta policy says you have to show it to them. I insisted until the woman actually looked to confirm that what I was checking was actually what I told her it was.

- Counter agent was unsure whether I was allowed to have ammunition in the same bag. Delta policy is that it cannot be more than 11 pounds and it must be in either the container in came in from the manufacturer OR in a container designed to hold ammunition. She consulted a nearby TSA agent. This was so she could confirm that I was in compliance with the policy of the company SHE worked for, not the TSA policy. So she didn't know her employer's policy.

- Once when checking in to fly out of a large city in the southeastern US, both the counter agent AND the TSA agent nearby quietly told me I was wise to bring my gun when visiting that particular city!

Overall my experiences have told me that if they forget to have you sign a card, if they swap your baggage tags, if they don't bother to check whether your gun is properly contained, if they don't know their own policy, if they screw up in any way on their end... the passenger is held accountable.
 
TSA regulations are stupid for the most point. They try to make criminals out of descent, law-abiding people with their nit pik regulations. I recently had to fly to DC and got checked both ways because I had on starched jeans. This isn't a joke, they checked me twice.
 
I make a point of carrying the TSA regs and the specific airline regs when I fly in case I run into an uninformed employee of either. Although my situation could be easily explained to a reasonable person, I don't want to give anyone a reason to hold up my travel.....whether I am right or not. They have the power....

It's amazing how differently the process is handled depending upon the airline, specific employees, airports etc.....
 
Jfrey from South Texas wrote:"checked both ways because I had on starched jeans. This isn't a joke, they checked me twice."

So why were you wearing starched jeans?
ll
 
jfrey said:
TSA regulations are stupid for the most point. They try to make criminals out of descent, law-abiding people with their nit pik regulations. I recently had to fly to DC and got checked both ways because I had on starched jeans. This isn't a joke, they checked me twice.
Click to expand...
Who in Texas wears STARCHED Levi's?! You obviously are a nefarious character!
;)
 
First of all, I never wear Levi's - they support gun control. I wear Wranglers and always send them to the laundry. Many cowboys in Texas wear starched jeans. It's a very normal thing. Keeps them clean longer and turns the thorns in the brush better. Been wearing them like that since back in the early '70s. Folks not from Texas just wouldn't understand.
 
Air travel question here...

I don't trust the airlines with my regular luggage and I wouldn't even THINK of trusting them with any personal firearm.

What's the real-life experience with this trust factor in checking firearms from some people who've flown frequently?

My niece, who is in the Air Force, is required to fly with her M-16 whenever she's deployed somewhere...it is, of course, checked. However, I could care less if that were me and the airlines lost my M-16. They'd have a whole lot of explaining to do to Uncle Sam about that loss, and I'm sure there'd be a lot less personal hassle from the airlines about it knowing it was a government weapon than a personally owned weapon.
 
jfrey said:
First of all, I never wear Levi's - they support gun control. I wear Wranglers and always send them to the laundry. Many cowboys in Texas wear starched jeans. It's a very normal thing. Keeps them clean longer and turns the thorns in the brush better. Been wearing them like that since back in the early '70s. Folks not from Texas just wouldn't understand.
Click to expand...
I'm just funin' with you! My wife corrected me that you were likely wearing Wranglers and she's seen lots of folks wearing them as you do.... And she's NOT from Texas....just a great deal more worldly than I..... No disrespect intended!
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
Air travel question here...

I don't trust the airlines with my regular luggage and I wouldn't even THINK of trusting them with any personal firearm.

What's the real-life experience with this trust factor in checking firearms from some people who've flown frequently?

My niece, who is in the Air Force, is required to fly with her M-16 whenever she's deployed somewhere...it is, of course, checked. However, I could care less if that were me and the airlines lost my M-16. They'd have a whole lot of explaining to do to Uncle Sam about that loss, and I'm sure there'd be a lot less personal hassle from the airlines about it knowing it was a government weapon than a personally owned weapon.
Click to expand...
Can't say I truly trust them, but I've not lost a gun or had a serious issue so far. I have insurance, and that helps but insurance isn't the magic bullet if something turns up missing. Your luggage isn't "marked" on the outside, so someone would have to have observed and tracked it from check-in to find it, or be very lucky to come across it.....
 
I thought it was Sauer Kraut, the guy who makes guns.

Seriously though, when you check in a firearm, it may be the best insurance against lost luggage.
 
None taken Sour Kraut. When I was at Texas A&M in the early 70's that was the only way you got them from the laundry. Saves on coat hangers. They just stand up by themselves in the corner. George Strait has been on TV many times wearing a tux coat and starched Wranglers. I think the whole thing may have started in Texas years ago. You can even wear 'em to church and no one will notice the difference.

Once in a while your underwear would get starched too at the laundry and that is a whole different story. Don't try that at home!

Anyway, back to guns.......
 
I have flown four times in the past 3 years with guns and never filled out a tag, I just told the counter and they waved a TSA official over on three occasions and didn't on another.

I had a TSA work tell me to remove the cable lock on my pistol, that went through the barrel and out the ejection port, so she could see if it was loaded.

On one occasion I was told by the TSA agent that I should stay right where I was (hand on her holstered Taser) so they could arrest me for having a gun in an airport. I demanded to speak to her manager who apologized and led her to a back room while another person helped me.
 
Yes. As far as the TSA is concerned, the airline is a third party. It appears common that one does not know what the other is doing. I have checked in with airline employees who had no idea what to do with a firearm. It doesn't help that the procedure of screening varies among different airports.
 
Sour Kraut said:
I have flown over a dozen times with handguns with nary an issue until this week. When checking in and declaring my weapon I filled out the required card placed it in my luggage etc.....no problem. When my luggage went to TSA for the subsequent inspection the TSA official said the airline luggage tag did not match the the name on the declaration card. When my wife and I checked in, the counter person inadvertently switched the airline luggage tags on our two bags. My bag containing the weapon had my wife's airline tag.

This can "potentially" big a big issue as TSA can deny transport of that luggage. The TSA agent was firm but not a jerk about it; and explained that in the future I really need to watch and make certain the counter person attaches the correct tag to the luggage. In addition to risking the bag being denied transport, if you had an issue claiming the bag at he end of your flight the fact that the weapon was in the wrong persons bag, could be problematic if some official wanted to make issue of it.....the airline tag apparently trumps whatever ID tag you have on the luggage. The person declaring the firearm must have it in HIS "airline marked luggage".

Just thought I'd pass this along as I never thought about this potential problem.
Click to expand...
Sounds like that TSA person had a brain and lacked a "Napoleon" complex.

He has no future with that agency.
 
Only marginally related to the OP - but . .

I had occasion to (legally) fly armed. I completed the check in procedures and had a ticket agent walk me to the security screen, where they told me I had to go through the metal detector. I pointed out that they already KNEW I had a gun, and they still said I had to go through the portal.

Then I was asked to empty my pockets, and they wanted to confiscate the Swiss Army knife on my keyring.

I had a Glock 21, two spare magazines, handcuffs and a SOG folder on my belt - but the screener wanted to take my keyring knife.

Eventually a supervisor arrived, the screener departed, and I flew away.
 
Stope Rat said:
Only marginally related to the OP - but . .

I had occasion to (legally) fly armed. I completed the check in procedures and had a ticket agent walk me to the security screen, where they told me I had to go through the metal detector. I pointed out that they already KNEW I had a gun, and they still said I had to go through the portal.

Then I was asked to empty my pockets, and they wanted to confiscate the Swiss Army knife on my keyring.

I had a Glock 21, two spare magazines, handcuffs and a SOG folder on my belt - but the screener wanted to take my keyring knife.

Eventually a supervisor arrived, the screener departed, and I flew away.
Click to expand...
LOL!
There just isn't ANY consistency, except perhaps, a lack of common sense!

My guy was cool but firm, and advised me for my own good on future flights...I was grateful for the info.
 
jfrey said:
They try to make criminals out of descent, law-abiding people with their nit pik regulations. .
Click to expand...

That is what the Feinsteins, Pelosis, Bloombergs, Obamas etc. etc. etc. of the world are here for

"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. When there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws." -Ayn Rand
 
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