TSA rules to fly with gun

[27hand]

I just came back from vacation to Cocoa Beach and Daytona beach.

I flew Airtran down nonstop and was supposed to fly United back but ended up on US Air with a layover.

I checked the TSA site and each airline site for procedure as i had never got on an aircraft with a handgun in checked baggage.

TSA said to verify any airline specific rules for flying with gun.

Both airline guidelines were not clear to me if the ammo could be in the same piece of luggage. Airtran rep could not definitley say. United said he was "pretty sure" the boxes of ammo had to be in separate luggage.

So, off I went to Greater Pitt airport, gun in locked case, ammo in metal box. Both items in same bag.

I declared the firearm at Airtran,was told the ammo had to be in other bag and was given a bright orange tag to put into the locked case with gun. I put ammo in wife's bag.
I had to then to go to TSA counter, remove lockbox,open it for inspection. TSA officer asked why the orange tag was in the lockbox. I explain the airline rep instructed me to do so. He qouted me some rule that it has to be tied to outside of box, did so and off we flew.

For the most part, pretty smooth and not too time consuming.


On the flight back from Orlando, I declare at US Air which I didn't check as my initial ticket said United , am instructed to once again put declaration into locked box and off to TSA screening area.

Orlando TSA doesn't ask any questions other than what bags contain what, doesn't open bags or check items and sends them on their way.

Completely different procedure (less time for me so I'm happy).

My kid had more trouble with some kind of hair gel and something else he had to give up at security.

I was wondering what a hassle it might be and some on this board assured me it was fairly simple.

One thing I didn't research as well as I should have is Fla restrictions for CCW areas and driving with a concealed firearm. Next time I'll read up .

Anyone else find differing requirements for flying with gun?

27

[NineseveN]

TSA
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...rial_1666.shtm

Airtran
http://www.airtran.com/policies/perm...d_items.aspx#6

Alaskan Airlines/Horizon
http://www.alaskaair.com/www2/help/f...latedItems.asp

Aloha Airlines (scroll down in the window at the bottom to 0195 "Special Items)
http://www.alohaairlines.com/travel_...f_carriage.php

American Airlines
http://www.aa.com/content/travelInfo...DSKIUQBFFRGVMD

Continental
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...ge/sports.aspx

Delta
http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...s/index.jsp#11

JetBlue (PDF file, scroll down to page#12)
http://www.jetblue.com/p/jetblue_coc.pdf

Northwest
http://www.nwa.com/travel/luggage/sp...tems.html#fire

Southwest
http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/guns.html

United
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,1360,1035,00.html

USAIR
http://usairways.com/awa/content/tra....aspx#firearms


Here's a Wiki list of airlines, you can visit the home page and check their policies...conversely, you could just Google the [airline name] and [firearm] and 9 times out of 10 that'll do it for ya.

Added Amtrak for good measure...
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conten...m2Copy&ssid=43


Both of the following from http://www.packing.org/state/florida/


Car Carry in Florida:
Date updated: Aug 27, 2005 @ 1:33 pm

790.25 (5)(5) Lawful Ownership, Possession, and Use of Firearms and Other Weapons

It is not necessary to have a license or permit to carry a loaded firearm in a private vehicle, so long as the gun is "securely encased". Florida law defines a weapon as being securely encased if the firearm is in a glove compartment, whether or not locked, in a snapped holster (not worn on your body!), in a zippered gun case or in a box or other container that requires a lid or cover to be lifted or opened in order to gain access to the firearm. These restrictions do not apply to any person who holds a valid Florida Concealed Weapon License or a reciprocal state license/permit.




Places off-limits while carrying

Date updated: Apr 30, 2007 @ 5:35 pm

THIS JUST IN - Effective October 1, 2006, Florida State Parks and National Forests in Florida are no longer off limits to concealed carry by permit holders. Effective July 1, 2006, permit holders will be able to carry concealed in Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).

790.06 (12) License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm

* Any place of nuisance as defined in s. 823.05
* any police, sheriff, or highway patrol station;
* any detention facility, prison, or jail;
* any courthouse; any courtroom, except that nothing in this section would preclude a judge from carrying a concealed weapon or determining who will carry a concealed weapon in his or her courtroom;
* any polling place;
* any meeting of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or special district;
* any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof;
* any school, college, or professional athletic event not related to firearms;
* any school administration building;
* any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, which portion of the establishment is primarily devoted to such purpose;
* any elementary or secondary school facility;
* any area vocational-technical center;
* any college or university facility unless the licensee is a registered student, employee, or faculty member of such college or university and the weapon is a stun gun or nonlethal electric weapon or device designed solely for defensive purposes and the weapon does not fire a dart or projectile;
* inside the passenger terminal and sterile area of any airport, provided that no person shall be prohibited from carrying any legal firearm into the terminal, which firearm is encased for shipment for purposes of checking such firearm as baggage to be lawfully transported on any aircraft; or
* any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law

Florida Statute 823.05 defines a place of nuisance as a "place which tends to annoy the community or injure the health of the community...or any house or place of prostitution, assignation, lewdness or place or building where games of chance are engaged in violation of law or any place where any law of the state is violated."
















My experiences in flying with a firearm have all been positive. I've taken as many as 3 handguns, 2 rifles and a few hundred rounds of ammo, mags and holsters and never had a problem.

[Lycanthrope]

Nineseven....

We need that as a "Sticky".

Lycangoodinfothrope

[27hand]

NineseveN,

Wish I would have talked to you first.

Thanks for posting that.

27couldhaveusedthatinfoearlierhand

[Ghost001]

If you all give me until tomorrow night I will get you the exact requirements for flying with a firearm (Declared in checked baggage). I will tell you this...

Firearms MUST be declared! (No matter what anyone tells you you MUST declare the firearm. Your checked baggage does get searched. If there is no declaration plan on missing the plane.) Firearms MUST be unloaded and stored in a hard sided, lockable case. Ammunition MUST be in a hard sided case in its original package OR it can be in a magazine that completely encloses the ammunition. Both cases can be stored in the same checked baggage. You DO NOT need to have them in seperate bags.


I work for DHS/TSA. No, I am not a screener. (The guys in the blue pants and white TSA shirts with the uber cool yellow badge.) I have a...different kinda job. Great post BTW NineseveN. The only thing I will add to it is this...

Not all airlines are the same, however, the rules and regulations set forth by the DHS/TSA are. (Federal)

[27hand]

CQB,

The bags at Orlando were NOT searched. When they were given to screener(TSA I believe), they were placing the bag onto the (X-ray ? ) machine belt. They were informed which bag contained gun and which had the ammo. When I saw no one was going to open my unlocked bag to check status of lockbox, I asked to lock the suitcase. They pulled the bag off and let me put a lock on the suitcase itself.

Both airlines stated the ammo had to be in separate checked bags although their individual websites were unclear on this. I interpreted the guideline as you said. They( Airtran and US Air) said otherwise. I was going to ask what had to happen if I only had one checked bag, but decided against this just to get through more quickly.

Also as I posted, one screener in PGH told me the declaration tag had to be affixed to the lockbox but the ticket counter person had me put it in the lockbox.The TSA guy had me remove the tag from the lockbox and affix it to the carry handle. He talked to me for a few minutes outlining procedure and was pleasant to talk to.

In Orlando, I was told by ticket counter person to put declaration into lockbox and since no one searched or said otherwise, there it stayed.

Thanks for your input. The reason for the post was to question the inconsistancy of each airport.

27hand