Firearms in checked baggage

[Alamo]

And I still think you're cherry picking the regulation, the very same regulation the tells the aircraft operator he has to comply with the TSA's inspection procedures. You can't read one line or one subparagraph out of the CFR and expect to have the full story.

I suspect the whole bit about the key or combo has its history in some practice from decades ago where the pilot or the captain of the ship or whatever kept all the keys to firearms and valuables and such.

 

[actaeon277]

And I still think you're cherry picking the regulation, the very same regulation the tells the aircraft operator he has to comply with the TSA's inspection procedures. You can't read one line or one subparagraph out of the CFR and expect to have the full story.

I suspect the whole bit about the key or combo has its history in some practice from decades ago where the pilot or the captain of the ship or whatever kept all the keys to firearms and valuables and such.

I know my knowledge is incomplete, but I have never heard of such a rule.

 

[chipbennett]

And I still think you're cherry picking the regulation, the very same regulation the tells the aircraft operator he has to comply with the TSA's inspection procedures. You can't read one line or one subparagraph out of the CFR and expect to have the full story.

I suspect the whole bit about the key or combo has its history in some practice from decades ago where the pilot or the captain of the ship or whatever kept all the keys to firearms and valuables and such.

The regulations cannot self-contradict. They must be interpreted in the manner that does not cause such a contradiction.

 

[Droogie]

My experience:
-I don't use TSA locks.
-I put the locked case inside my regular bag.
-In Indy, I check my bag outside security, go through security, and then check at the glass security booth. The officer in the booth calls someone in the back to be sure the bag cleared OK.
-In other airports, they sometimes put the bag on the conveyor into the back and then peak through the curtains to be sure the bag clears OK.

 

[Drail]

The whole deal at the Brussells Terminal pretty much makes the TSA kind of redundant and exposes it for what it actually is. I always loved the logic of taking everyone's bottles away from them because they might be "dangerous" and then tossing them into a 55 gal. barrel in the inspection area - you know - where all the passengers are standing around like sheep. Makes me feel so safe.........

 

[Dirtebiker]

My experience:
-I don't use TSA locks.
-I put the locked case inside my regular bag.
-In Indy, I check my bag outside security, go through security, and then check at the glass security booth. The officer in the booth calls someone in the back to be sure the bag cleared OK.
-In other airports, they sometimes put the bag on the conveyor into the back and then peak through the curtains to be sure the bag clears OK.

I don't know about other airlines but with Southwest, you can not use curbside check in.

 

[Drail]

I have never seen an airport anywhere that allows curb check in with a firearm. Or in the case of the Indy airport there's rarely anyone working the curb checking bags. Just empty counters. I'm still trying to figure out how the Airport Authority can place "no weapons" signs at every door when you are supposed to take your weapon to a airline check in counter to declare it (which is located inside the building with the "no weapons" sign) Like I said, after the attack in Brussells none of this crap really matters to the "terrorists".

 

[Frost49]

Traveling to CO next June. What is considered an approved case? I have been on both the TSA and Frontier Airlines pages. I can't find "approved" cases in any area of the info. I'll be taking a Rock Island .45. It came with a hard plastic case that can be locked. Does that count as an approved case? I get the whole checked bag and declaring at the counter. But I don't want to think I am covered only to find out at the counter I am not.

 

[Droogie]

What is considered an approved case?

I use a cheap hard plastic case. I think anything that can be locked will pass.

It's really easy to travel with a firearm. Just be sure not to mix things up and take any guns/ammo through security.

 

[Drail]

There is no clear legal definition. Call your airline and ask them. I have always been allowed to use a cheap plastic Doskocil case with a big honkin' padlocked through both handles.

 

[Dirtebiker]

Traveling to CO next June. What is considered an approved case? I have been on both the TSA and Frontier Airlines pages. I can't find "approved" cases in any area of the info. I'll be taking a Rock Island .45. It came with a hard plastic case that can be locked. Does that count as an approved case? I get the whole checked bag and declaring at the counter. But I don't want to think I am covered only to find out at the counter I am not.

Any hard sided case that can't be "easily" pried or broke open.
that means you can use a hard sided suitcase as your gun case also.

 

[Dirtebiker]

I like locking the case itself, then running a cable lock from the case through the wire framing for the pull out handle.

 

[Alamo]

The regulations cannot self-contradict. They must be interpreted in the manner that does not cause such a contradiction.

It's not a contradiction to have an exception elsewhere in the regulation. If, indeed, an exception is even required. It may very well be that when the bag is under control of the TSA for inspection the carrier is relieved of responsibility for it.

See your PM for info you requested.

 

[mikebass78]

I just came back from Vegas, checked with American Airlines to see all the rules. It's pretty simple, Locked in a case, you and only you can possess key too, inside checked luggage. and NO AMMO !!!!

But then found out Vegas doesn't reciprocate TX CHL.... I felt very naked and alone my whole trip...

and one other thing about checked luggage, my brother used to travel alot, and they cut OPEN his Luggaed and took his Work computer, GPS, and work Cell Phone. And they don't cover missing items from luggage, just entire lost luggage !!!

So people will steal your stuff, so be careful...

 

[Drail]

Which is exactly why nobody needs to be poking around in your luggage for "any reason". For crying out loud, do they really believe that anyone wanting to hijack an airliner is going to bring their "tools" through the security checkpoint and have it inspected by the TSA? There are too many much easier ways to get stuff aboard an aircraft. They just don't get it.........but they want to make sure that you "feel safe".

 

[Alamo]

People poke around in the bags because bombs have been put in baggage that went right through the security checkpoint. More than once. Lockerbie, for example. None of the TSA people I have run into have been much interested in the gun, all the inspections have been for explosive residue. Frankly the threat from that quarter is much larger than anyone actually trying to hijack an airliner. I wish they would put more resources into ramp security and personnel security for everyone who touches an airliner than spend it on confiscating pointy things from passenger.

 

[Drail]

Actually TSA agents are prohibited by Federal law from even touching any firearm because they are not trained or qualified to do so - yet they do it every day. This is why Federal law requires that you do not give them the key or combination to your gun case or allow them to even open the case without you being present or to use a TSA lock. Believe it or not. The TSA uses what are known as Red Teams to test security by attempting to smuggle weapons and explosives through the TSA checkpoint. The last figures I have seen state that TSA missed those items 96% of the time andthey went on through. 96%. Yeah, they're really keeping us safe........ I have seen the entire Indianapolis Airport shut down and evacuated because one of the Red Team clowns forget to retrieve and secure a fake "explosive" device and left it in a bin at a checkpoint. The next day TSA agents found it and freaked out - they couldn't even tell that that it was one of their own devices and evacuated the terminal and caused hundreds of travelers to miss their flights. Really good work guys. It's not about safety - it's about compliance with their "authoritay". Just for the record - the term "explosive residue" is meaningless. In recent tests the "sniffers" were all set off by a certain brand of hand lotion. In one case they were set off by hand soap from the restrooms in the airport.

 

[LoriW]

and one other thing about checked luggage, my brother used to travel alot, and they cut OPEN his Luggaed and took his Work computer, GPS, and work Cell Phone. And they don't cover missing items from luggage, just entire lost luggage !!!

So people will steal your stuff, so be careful...

I had items stolen from my luggage in October when I came back from Phoenix. I filed a claim and got paid. So at least one airline WILL cover items missing from luggage.

 

[throttletony]

View attachment 45814
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Is it just me or does it look like 5 of 15 guns are m&p Shields? That's 33%... come on Shield owners... let's get our act together

 

[Dirtebiker]

I had items stolen from my luggage in October when I came back from Phoenix. I filed a claim and got paid. So at least one airline WILL cover items missing from luggage.

Did you have to prove somehow that things were stolen? Which airline?