Flying to Tennessee. Advice / Tips wanted.

[dragonballzz]

2. Ammunition does not have to go inside the locked case. It does have to be in a box designed for ammunition. That can be the box it came in or an aftermarket box.

3. DO NOT use TSA locks. Use a quality lock. I use a keyed lock and bring two keys, just in case.

As of this morning, the declaration card is being taped on the outside of the case if it's inside a suitcase. That's so TSA knows what's in the box. TSA really only cares about the box if it alarms. Other than that they don't routinely ask to open them. It's up to the airline to make sure it's unloaded.

This morning in Austin the SWA folks asked me ir the gun was unloaded, but didn't ask me to open the box. At Logan last week they did.

I don't know if having Pre Check makes a difference in this or not.

I recommend using a cable to tether the box to the frame of the suitcase. There is no benefit to running a cable through the firearm itself.

Enjoy Nashville, it's a great city.

I bought a "better" cheap case for $6 with sliding latches. After some thinking, I am going to drill a couple of holes in it and run the steel cable though the gun. It adds an extra step for stealing the gun.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LN4LKG/

 

[Garys]

did they change something with the declaration card going on the outside in the past ~3 years? I've always had it shoved right inside of the bag..Seems like a bad idea to call that out to the baggage handlers who already have a reputation of thievery..

It goes back and forth. Last fall it went on the inside. This year it's back to being taped on the outside. The only consistency is inconsistency.

 

[drgrant]

It goes back and forth. Last fall it went on the inside. This year it's back to being taped on the outside. The only consistency is inconsistency.

If you grind into federal law it stipulates that there shouldn't be an external declaration.

-Mike

 

[DispositionMatrix]

If you grind into federal law it stipulates that there shouldn't be an external declaration.

-Mike

Yep. The card is placed inside a standalone, dedicated gun case and outside the gun case _if_ that case is packed in luggage. So the card is always inside something. But I have seen OMG GUN! stickers placed on standalone cases.

 

[Garys]

Yep. The card is placed inside a standalone, dedicated gun case and outside the gun case _if_ that case is packed in luggage. So the card is always inside something. But I have seen OMG GUN! stickers placed on standalone cases.

Yes. I've never had a stand alone case have the declaration card on the outside. There is an oversized/special handling tag, but that just tells them the case goes to the baggage office for pickup, not on the carousel. Cases inside suitcases just go on the carousel.

 

[JackOfAllTrades]

I went through this when I traveled to Texas on American Airlines back in December.

I purchased a "safety cable" for theater lights from a national musical instrument chain store. Less than $10. I ground the thimble out of the small end and took the clip off so I have a piece of stainless aircraft cable with a big loop and a small loop. I unzipped the lining of my suitcase and passed the small loop through the large loop after going around the frame of the suitcase. Then I zipped up the liner. Now I have a piece of aircraft cable with a small loop sticking out of my luggage.

I used a Pelican 1170 case and a padlock with a long shackle. The small loop goes through the shackle and the shackle goes through the pelican case. Now the case is secure to the luggage. You can't pry the Pelican case open with one side locked, so it meets TSA requirements. The case is secured to a much bigger piece of luggage, but could be flipped out of it for inspection purposes.

I taped my contact information to the Pelican case and put a copy inside the case.

I brought copies of the federal law, TSA regulations, and airline policy.

I also brought a spare long shackle padlock in my carry-on luggage in case for some reason I needed to replace the one on the Pelican case.

The firearm rode to the airport in the Pelican case with a chamber flag, case locked and secured to the luggage, exactly as it was going to fly.

I bypassed all the kiosks and whatnot and went straight to a counter.

I informed them that I needed to declare that I was traveling with an unloaded firearm.

The guy behind the counter produced the paperwork, I signed it, we placed it on the outside of the Pelican case which was inside my luggage. I took a picture of the locked case/notice/etc. for my records. He tagged the bag "priority", but that was it. I hung around until he told me it cleared TSA and I was on my way. The airline agent never even asked to look inside the case.

In Texas, the bag was delivered to the "special" area instead of the the carousel.

Leaving Texas, I did the same thing as before. This time, the agent wanted to see inside the case and be sure the firearm was unloaded. I showed him that there was a chamber flag in it and no magazine in the well. He was happy. Again, lock case, sign paper, place on outside of case, take picture, over to TSA, cleared through TSA, and on my way.

This time there was no special handling at all. My bag arrived on the carousel with everything else.

 

[CatSnoutSoup]

At the risk of hijacking the thread.

Has anyone had to deal with Jet Blue's corperate rule about ammo having to be in a seperate case from the firearm?

I have a locking box for 3x5" index cards just the right size for a couple 20 round boxes of Federal HST. I would like to place it in the accessory pocket of my three pistol case. So that would be a small locked ammo box inside a locked standalone pistol case with two pistols.

If they did not check for the ammo, or did not know what they were looking at, then I suppose it would be OK, but I am going to guess that it will not fly (pun intended). Just seems a shame to have to check a second bag just to carry 40 rounds of ammo.

 

[Garys]

Not for a while, since I haven't flown Jet Blue in a few years. As I recall it had to be a totally separate box, but I don't recall it having to be locked. I guess they were worried that the ammunition might jump into the gun if they were in the same box. AirTran had the same rule before they were acquired by SWA.

BTW, this was the worst SWA flight I ever had. What should have been a 4 hour direct flight turned into a 10 hour ordeal. The only thing that didn't get screwed up with checking the gun.

At the risk of hijacking the thread.

Has anyone had to deal with Jet Blue's corperate rule about ammo having to be in a seperate case from the firearm?

I have a locking box for 3x5" index cards just the right size for a couple 20 round boxes of Federal HST. I would like to place it in the accessory pocket of my three pistol case. So that would be a small locked ammo box inside a locked standalone pistol case with two pistols.

If they did not check for the ammo, or did not know what they were looking at, then I suppose it would be OK, but I am going to guess that it will not fly (pun intended). Just seems a shame to have to check a second bag just to carry 40 rounds of ammo.