Got a case for air travel today

[chrisaka]

Picked it up at Guitar Center (it's designed for music equipment), and spent a little time getting all of the foam cut out to fit. This will become my range case, I think. I'll just need something else to hold eye/ear protection, more ammo, targets, etc.

Right now it holds my Springfield 1911 Trophy Match, my XD9SC, 3 magazines for each, a box of 9mm JHP and a box of .45 JHP. I will eventually add cleaning supplies in the second layer (the box of 9mm is under the box of .45).

I plan to use it tomorrow as I travel to Florida on business. I've traveled via US before with a checked firearm, and I anticipate it will go smoothly.


Chris

[ScaredOnce]

I fly about every other week and have been looking into transporting friearms on flights. I found this on USAir's website:

US Airways will allow passengers to transport firearms in accordance with Federal Law. The following conditions must be met:
Items of shooting equipment will be accepted as checked baggage only.
A passenger who presents baggage containing a firearm must declare and demonstrate that the weapon is unloaded.
Firearms must be packed in a manufacturer’s hard–sided container specifically designed for the firearm, a locked hard–sided gun case, or a locked hard–sided piece of luggage. Handguns packed in a hard–sided gun case may be packed inside a soft–sided piece of luggage. A Conditional Acceptance Tag must be used in this case.
Baggage containing firearms must be locked at all times and the key or lock combination retained by the passenger.
A Firearm Unloaded Declaration form (available only at the airport) must be signed and placed inside the bag or gun case.
Ammunition must be packed in the original manufacturing package or metal/wood box, with a maximum of 11 pounds/5 kg per passenger.
There is no limit to the number of items contained in rifle, shotgun or pistol case, up to 50 lbs./23 kg, 62 inches/157 cm in maximum.

I'm hungup on the issues of "manufacturer's case"? Does that mean the case the firearm was sold in? The info seems contradictory on this point. Airlines' rules differ from location to location just like what the TSA chooses to enforce. So, I'd worry that my case was good enough at PIT and then wouldn't cut it at PHX or something. Then, I'd be trying to FedEx my firearms home 2hrs before departure? That'd be a hassel for sure.

And I don't know why I chose to look at USAir's webpage for the info. Since their all but departure from PIT, I've been using a variety of airlines. In that case, I may have to book travel arrangements as a function of their firearms policy in the future... Man, why can't we just carry on commercial aircraft?!

[chrisaka]

Firearms must be packed in a manufacturer’s hard–sided container specifically designed for the firearm, a locked hard–sided gun case, or a locked hard–sided piece of luggage.

Way I read that was the manufacturer's case or a locked, hard-sided case. It doesn't have the be the manufacturer's case. If it is a hard case and locks, you should be fine. Ammo must be in its original packaging.

Chris

[ScaredOnce]

Okay, I gotcha. I didn't read that thoroughly enough.

But, I'm still wary of the different interpretations of these firearms related policies from airport to airport. Does anyone have any other commercial flight related experiences that they'd be willing to share?

Thanks...

[PennsyPlinker]

Good luck getting coherent information out of the airline people. I had much more success with the TSA. I flew to FL last year (first time since 1979) and was taking a revolver with me. When I called the airline, Airtran, to get details, here is how my first conversation went:

Me: Hello, I am flying to FL and I want to take my revolver with me. I know it needs to be in checked luggage, and I am calling to ask for details on that.

ATLady: Oh sir, I don't think you would want to put your gun in checked luggage. You should keep it in your carry on bag with you so nothing will happen to it.

Me:

After my heart started up again, I said, "As much as I might agree with you ma'am, I think the TSA would take a dim view of that."

ATLady: Let me get my manager.

Manager: It is not a good idea to take a gun on our plane. Why don't you mail it to yourself wherever you are going?

Me: That is illegal. It is not illegal to take it on the plane in checked luggage. I just want to know how you want me to do it.

Manager: I don't know. Call TSA.

I called TSA and got the details, unloaded gun in locked case, ammo separate, etc.

But THEN, I had to call Airtran back about the tools I would be taking with me as well.

Me: Hello, I need to ask about the acceptable way to bring my woodworking tools with me on the plane. I know they have to be in checked luggage.

ATLady (a different one): Sir, are your tools longer than nine inches?

Me: Snicker. Yes, they are long. They are for a wood lathe.

ATLAdy: Well sir, then there is no way you can take the tools on the plane, checked or otherwise. It is forbidden.

Me: Why!?! I can bring a gun on the plane in checked luggage, why not the tools?

ATLady: Sir, a gun needs bullets to work, and you won't have any bullets with you on the plane. (this completely ignores the fact that I WILL have bullets with me in my checked luggage, but can't reach them anyway!)

Me: Ma'am, these are woodworking tools I am bringing. I will not have any wood with me, so they will not work either.

ATLady" Giggle, giggle. Sir, I think you need to call TSA on this one. Giggle.

Me: Sigh.

So I called TSA, and they told me not to worry. They did open my tool box to inspect it though - lots of odd metal shapes probably gave someone heartburn for a few minutes.

The TSA guys in Philly could not have cared less. On my return trip, I was detained briefly by the agent inspecting my bags, but that was because we were discussing different options for outfitting an AR.

[gnbrotz]

Ammo must be in its original packaging.

Nope. Everyone seems to be missing the "OR" between the various acceptable requirements.

Ammunition must be packed in the original manufacturing package or metal/wood box, with a maximum of 11 pounds/5 kg per passenger.

[imperialism2024]

Hmm, if AirTran is letting its customers transport their guns in carry-on luggage, I think I might start flying again.

Those 19-hour drives to Florida would get a lot shorter...

[KeithPA]

The airlines never actually see what is inside your case. When you declare it, depending on airport size, you take the case to either a TSA agent or some type of bomb x ray machine. Then lock it up and the TSA delivers it to your plane.

Seems every airline has a different policy that contradict.

[chrisaka]

Yep, I declared it at check-in and filled out the unloaded slip. Then it went to TSA where they opened, inspected, and filled out the rest of the slip.

Made it safely to me in FL.

Chris

[steveforopen]

I have flown with my firearm back and forth between Cleveland-Pittsburgh-Erie to LAX-ONT-Vegas so many times I stopped counting. Just make sure you have a lock for your bag and a lock for your hard-sided case. I don't even bother bringing ammunition to the airport anymore because carriers policies differ regarding its stowage.

I have never had a real problem besides a time where they lost my bag with my firearm in it (which remained inside locked bag until it was delivered to me by bonded drivers) between Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. But that is a story for another time.