Do you trust the airport staff?

COLTIMPALA

COLTIMPALA

Yo homie... is that my briefcase?
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As the title suggests, I'm curious how many of you have flown with a "declared" firearm on an airplane? Did you have any issues, such as theft/etc?

The reason I ask, is I'll be flying to a state where I'm no longer at the top of the food chain, and I'm weighing if I should buy a beater 44 mag just for this purpose as opposed to flying out there with something I'd actually be upset about if something happened to it. I've previously flown to other states with a Glock, but I have no sentimental attachment to those. But I won't be trusting a Glock to stop a bear.
 
I’ve taken hundreds of flights with declared firearm and have had 0 issues except for 1 time they called me back through security because one of my TSA locks had malfunctioned and they wanted me to verify everything that was in the case.
 
My answer has a caveat- depends on the airport and which carrier.
I flew out of Fayetteville several times with a firearm, but only once did a Delta baggage guy give me reason to quote federal regs at him. He claimed it was Delta policy to place a large white sticker on the outside of the bag.
I carried copies of the carrier & fed rules and told him quite bluntly that if my handgun came up missing I would bring the police directly to his door.
Nothing went wrong and that never happened again after that.
Just make sure you're prepared.
Perhaps if you name the airport others here can speak more directly about the airport staff.

Sent from notthedroidyourelookingfor
 
Dozen trips no issues. Some ticket agents are less informed than others.

Dad had one hardcase get all busted up.

A handgun I guess would be hardcase inside suitcase. Never done that would expect to be in the carousel. With large hardcases on arrival I have had them at the baggage office, on the carousel, and once some lost yahoo walking around with it so I ALWAYS go to the carousel first and watch everything going on around it until it is obviously not there.
 
COLTIMPALA said:
I'll be flying from rdu. And good idea on printed regs.
Click to expand...
You also might wanna print your airline's requirements, in case you get a newbie at checkin.
 
Ive flown about a dozen times and its different each time but never any problems. My gun rides in a clamshell cable locked to the suitcase.

Ive had my bags swabbed, show the gun, dont show the gun, search everything, breeze thru, get a lecture, get a nod and a smile, etc etc. Theyll put a red BSO tag on the bag and youll have to show ID and a claim ticket at the baggage service counter.
 
Havent checked a gun since before 9/11 but had a very spendy racegun in it's own anvil type brief case that I checked on a direct to Daytona. I was waiting at the bagage carousel when a door opened and a baggage handler just sat it on the floor and turned around and shut the door. Anyone could have picked it up and walked off. Checking a handgun in a suitcase sounds like the way to go. Still, I think I would insure an expensive gat. An to answer your original question...HELL NO I dont trust them.
 
With the stories I've seen on T.V. about the people who work in the baggage area I wouldn't trust one of them. The last time my wife and I flew when we got our bag they didn't even bother to zip up the bag they broke the small lock off of. :rolleyes: There was nothing of value in it anyway.
 
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You pack it away when you park the car.
 
Button Pusher said:
Good info in the Ammoland article. Always verify with the airline what their ammo policy is.

https://www.ammoland.com/2019/06/tr..._6f6fac3eaa-9a41a57061-20556737#axzz5qx8xMGJu
Click to expand...

Good article.

I've been flying with declared firearms since the early 1980's. Back then in Texas, the ticket agents would keep small cardboard boxes under the counter for you to place your firearm in (if you had no other checked luggage - such as for a day trip within the state).

Starting a year or so back every airline that I've flown tags the bag to be picked up at the gate agent instead of coming out on the carousel. I typically used a locked metal box inside with a cable attaching it to my bag handle.

It's really not that big of a hassle.
 
I brought a pistol out of CT many years ago... checked it in at the desk in CT. they flagged it and off it went...went to claim it at the "desk" in CLT and it was not there.... the numbnuts put the locked case with the red flag "firearms" right on the conveyor...….. WTF?
 
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