Flying to Ohio with my pistol
KimberPB

KimberPB

New member
I leave early tomorrow morning to fly up to Ohio for a family members wedding and to visit KimberRB (His bday is coming up so may even treat him to dinner! lol). This will be the first time I will have flown with a firearm so wish me luck. I went out and bought a nice hard shell case and 2 TSA approved locks so I should be good to go.

I'll post my experience when I get home. Hopefully it'll be an uneventful one!
 

KimberPB said:
I leave early tomorrow morning to fly up to Ohio for a family members wedding and to visit KimberRB (His bday is coming up so may even treat him to dinner! lol). This will be the first time I will have flown with a firearm so wish me luck. I went out and bought a nice hard shell case and 2 TSA approved locks so I should be good to go.

I'll post my experience when I get home. Hopefully it'll be an uneventful one!
Click to expand...


DO NOT use the "TSA locks" to secure your firearm. FAA regulations require that only you have the key or combinaiton to open the firearms case. Once the firearms declaration goes into the case and it's locked up (with only you having the key or combinaiton), it goes into the baggage area to be loaded onto the plane. The "TSA locks" you referenced are great for your luggage (like the one that's carrying the ammo), because the TSA agents are able to open them if they need to inspect your bag. They are however easily defeated, so hence my advice about not using them to secure your firearms.

I travel WAY too much and often know the regulations better then the TSA agents. :wink:



gf
 
Glock Fan said:
DO NOT use the "TSA locks" to secure your firearm. FAA regulations require that only you have the key or combinaiton to open the firearms case. Once the firearms declaration goes into the case and it's locked up (with only you having the key or combinaiton), it goes into the baggage area to be loaded onto the plane. The "TSA locks" you referenced are great for your luggage (like the one that's carrying the ammo), because the TSA agents are able to open them if they need to inspect your bag. They are however easily defeated, so hence my advice about not using them to secure your firearms.

I travel WAY too much and often know the regulations better then the TSA agents. :wink:



gf
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up Glock Fan I'll pick up some different locks.
 
Here's an in depth thread on the subject. I have flown quite often. Just got back from Florida last Monday and going to Houston next month.

The reg is 49 CFR 1540.111 with the relevant section being;

(c) In checked baggage. A passenger may not transport or offer for
transport in checked baggage:
(1) Any loaded firearm(s).
(2) Any unloaded firearm(s) unless--
​
(i) The passenger declares to the aircraft operator, either orally or in writing, before checking the baggage, that the passenger has a firearm in his or her bag and that it is unloaded;
(ii) The firearm is unloaded;
(iii) The firearm is carried in a hard-sided container; and
(iv) The container in which it is carried is locked, and only the passenger retains the key or combination.​

Therefore it is illegal to secure your firearm case with TSA locks as TSA agents have a key. They may refuse to clear the firearm case and allow it as checked baggage for this reason.
 
netentity said:
Here's an in depth thread on the subject. I have flown quite often. Just got back from Florida last Monday and going to Houston next month.

The reg is 49 CFR 1540.111 with the relevant section being;

(c) In checked baggage. A passenger may not transport or offer for
transport in checked baggage:
(1) Any loaded firearm(s).
(2) Any unloaded firearm(s) unless--
​
(i) The passenger declares to the aircraft operator, either orally or in writing, before checking the baggage, that the passenger has a firearm in his or her bag and that it is unloaded;
(ii) The firearm is unloaded;
(iii) The firearm is carried in a hard-sided container; and
(iv) The container in which it is carried is locked, and only the passenger retains the key or combination.​

Therefore it is illegal to secure your firearm case with TSA locks as TSA agents have a key. They may refuse to clear the firearm case and allow it as checked baggage for this reason.
Click to expand...

Thanks netentity. I went onto TSA.gov and printed out a copy of the rules to have with me tomorrow.
 
Ok I got back from Ohio yesterday and had a great time. My cousin’s wedding was wonderful and the reception a lot of fun. I was very pleased with United Airlines. The check in process at Tampa and Columbus went extremely well. I informed them I was checking in a firearm and they just smiled and said not a problem. I printed out the boarding passes, they checked my ID, and then asked to see that the firearm was unloaded. I unlocked the bag and the case. Inserted the unloaded firearm tag and locked everything back up. They escorted me to the x-ray machine had me wait till the scanned it. Gave me the thumbs up and to my gate I went.
 
Knowing the rules makes life a lot easier. Only place I've had problems were in places that were not so "gun friendly".



gf
 
My experiences...

I've only had two incidents while traveling with firearms;

  • The bag with my firearms were put on an earlier flight than me. My bag was waiting for me at the Southwest baggage claim service office at LAS.
  • The ticket agent accident gave me an armed passenger form for LEOs rather than the unloaded firearm declaration tag.
Both incidents were via Southwest from DAL (Dallas TX, Love Field) to LAS (Las Vegas NV) in Jan and May 2007 respectively.
 
Glock Fan said:
Great info Nick. I usually print the relevant info from their website the day before I travel. They update the website more frequently then the printed copy of regulations that are distributed among TSA agents.


gf
Click to expand...

Yep good info and I did actually print that out before I left just incase I was given a hard time.
 
KimberRB said:
Hay wheres my Dinner KimberPB?:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I did actually have the intent to take you and Scott out for your bdays but I wasn't expecting to spend so much time on the F.A.T.S system. But not to worry you'll be getting something that I think you'll like just as much.
 
Along with the TSA regs, be sure to check your airline's website for THEIR interpretation of the regs. You may be perfectly legal, but if the airline sees it differently, you might not fly. When I flew to Alaska recently, my locked, hard-side pistol case had to be in a hard-sided suitcase, not just a "lockable" case as described in TSA regs.
 
It's not really an issue of their interpretation, it's what their policy is. Some airlines charge excess baggage fees for firearms period regardless if it's in another piece of luggage. Some exclude lost firearms from lost baggage claims. Some plain don't allow firearms. Read their contract of carriage and their baggage policy thoroughly before you make your reservation. The better airlines defer to TSA regs and don't have any weasel clauses in their policies or contract of carriage.
 
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