Pistols on a airline?????????

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  My girl friend and I are going to leave Tue. for a flight to visit relatives....I had not considered before, but now would like to take a pistol with me for the week we will be visiting....Before I have taken rifles, but in a large case...I think I read where a pistol can be transported in a piece of checked baggage....I know  some of you are frequent flyers...I have not flown for 10 years...I would like to take either my model 60 or Springfield Armory .40 along for protection once on the ground....If I lock my pistol in one of the cases that I got when I purchased it will that be ok??? ammo in the same bag? I will call the airline if I can? Just thought I would start here...What is the skinny??? Thanks....

[chobbs]

You definately want to get ahold of the airlines, and find out what they want you to do. There is some paperwork I believe you will want to fill out first.  It has to be in a locked case, and there can be no ammo in the same suitcase.  Each airline has their own rules, so get ahold of them.

[DennisB]

Your handgun needs to be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided case, and keep the key with you.  Pack the locked case in a bag you intend to take along as CHECKED baggage and TELL the airline agent when checking in that there's a weapon in the bag.  Do not let an agent just ask if its unloaded then say that it's OK--Have them give you a declaration form to sign and place with/next to the hard side case inside your bag.  The biggest hassle is not having a gun in your bag; rather it's not having one of those written declarations in there when those TSA guys screen your bag.  They'll call the cops if there's no written declaration.  By reg, ammo can go in the same bag as long as it's in its original packaging or a box like the MTM ones.  But, some airlines insist that it be in a separate bag; it's their airplane, so it wouldn't hurt to ask in advance.  Ammo cannot go with your carry on bags, nor can an extra magazine or other gun part.

[Dand]

yep check with the airline you'll be flying on and you might want to check with the state you are going to. I just carried long guns but I sure was surprised how Montana made me show my guns  in a private room before checking them thru. I think some airlines will refuse to carry you and your guns - at least there used to be some - United maybe??? Can't remember now. Alaska Airlines is usually ok with it - but I've only traveled inside Alaska with them and it was just like Dennis B said.

[teamnelson]

good advice all the way. I also print out copies of the TSA restrictions; put one in the locked case. One loose in the bag. One in my pocket, and hand one to the attendant. I've traveled with guns a couple times, and I've found they don't all know the policies.

[Tommyt]

When I  carry a contender and or a 1911 I have a older Typewriter Hard Plastic case that I have made Lockable
I took foam egg create and padded the inside along with Riveted Velcro strapping to hold the Guns in Place
If I'm hunting I load ammo in a Ammo tin If its the 45 only I may buy some on arrival or put a box in another Checked bag
I do as stated above with the Check in Process I like the type writer case because it doesn't look at all like a gun case

Tommyt

[Mike in Virginia]

Dennis is exactly correct.  I recently flew to Florida, and couldn't stand the notion of being there without a pistol.  It turned out to be no trouble at all.  Just see what the particual airline requires. 

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

   thanks..I must invest in a pistol case....

[baker1425]

My G23 went to florida twice in the new glock clamshell case with a keyed long lock on the grip area.

One word of caution, the baggage checkers at the airline can be idiots. If you run into trouble with checking your handgun per regs, ask for a supervisor.

[Horsefeathers]

It's true some airline employees are unfamiliar with the Regs. I flew to Florida pistol in baggage with no problem. Tennessee airline people were very knowligable and helpful. Pistol in locked box with orange tag marked "Unloaded Firearm" Leaving Florida  Baggage checker didnt have a clue what to do. He called for Homeland security Agent who told him "go by your airline Regs. He then called for his Supervisor Who didnt know what to do. She made a call, left for a while and then returned with the Orange firearms Tag. ILocked the gun in my bag.They said it was OK.............Whe I arrived at the baggage claim carousel Here came my Bag with the bright ORANGE Tag "firearm inside" on the outside of my bag for all to see.........Horsefeathers.

[Dand]

Yep I've found airline employees often don't know the rules. Last time I traveled I had gone to the airline's website and printed out their policies. When a ticket counter lady started telling me they had to inspect my gun I refused and showed them the policy and she relented. I kind of had to challenge the TSA guy too - I asked him if he was trained and knowledgeable to handle and inspect every firearm likely to come thru the airport and he had to admit he wasn't. I was respectful but very firm showing the policy statements. I might have printed out the TSA regs too - don't recall for sure. I'm glad there is only the requirement to have the firearm statement INSIDE the bag. There was a time when it was required on the outside - I called them "steal me" tags.

[Oldshooter]

"steal me" tags.

NO KIDDING! I just dont fly anymore, period!  If i cant drive , walk or float there, I aint going!


Good luck on the trip Wyo. Coyote Hunter! Let us know how it goes!

[Dand]

Check this out for a guy who got stranded in NJ on his way to another destination:

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=5679

 
Outrage Of The Week
 
Friday, April 02, 2010
 
This week's Outrage concerns a legal case that comes to us from New Jersey, where a well-meaning firearm owner, through a series of events that were no fault of his own, inadvertently ran afoul of the law (or, rather, an interpretation of the law).

Gun owner Gregg C. Revell was flying from Salt Lake City, UT, to Allentown, PA, by way of Minneapolis, MN, and Newark, NJ.  Revell had an unloaded firearm that was legally checked in his luggage, which he was to pick up upon his arrival in Allentown.

That was the plan, but things soon went awry.  Revell's flight into Newark was delayed, causing him to miss his connecting flight to Allentown.  He was able to book a seat on the next flight, but that course of action was changed by the airline. He then tried to take a bus, but his luggage didn't make it to the bus on time.  He retrieved his luggage, but missed the bus.  With no more connections to Allentown until the following morning, Revell went (with his luggage, of course) directly to, and stayed the night at, the Airport Sheraton Hotel.  By this time, Revell had been through a lot, but his real trouble was just beginning.

The next morning, Revell returned with his luggage directly to the airport.  He checked his luggage and, as he was supposed to, told the agent that he had an unloaded firearm stored in a locked case in his luggage.  It was at this point that Revell's destination changed from Allentown to a Newark jail cell.  He was arrested on the spot because New Jersey law requires a permit to possess a handgun (and also bans the hollow-point ammunition that Revell also had in a separate locked container in his luggage), and as soon as Revell's luggage became "readily accessible" to him (in this case, when he took possession of his luggage to go to the hotel) he violated state law.

Read the rest at the link above.....

[Oldshooter]

Ouch!, that'll cost him a bundle and maybe some jail time. One more reason why I just wont fly anymore!