Airline Tips for the Tactical Traveler

[Jason Falla]

These are my words of advice for the tactical traveller!

1. Check the regulations for "traveling with guns" with your preferred air carrier. (The more you know the better. You will end up knowing the laws better than the check in agent. That's a double edged sword!)

2. Suck up the excess baggage charges. (travel with your guns on the same flight as you. Use a Pelican style, hard sided case with approved TSA padlocks. Even if you are only traveling with a pistol, I would check it in a large Pelican case. This will deter the sticky fingered baggage handler from swiping your goods!)

3. Don't pack more guns in one case than the regulations allow. (I mention this because I ran into this one traveling to a military training course out of state. I needed to get 3 carbines and 2 pistols to the activity. The regulations state that the limit is 3 weapons per case. I had to do some quick thinking and broke the weapons down so they just looked like parts and not complete guns! This worked on this occasion but I wouldn't rely on it.)

4. Give yourself an extra 30 mins prior to departure. (This will account for the check agent that has never dealt with the tactical traveler!)

5. Do a 100% check for live rounds. (Check and check again for the presence of live rounds "not in original packaging" in your gun case or kit bag. I was taken off a flight and ordered to report to the TSA baggage scanning area only to find the TSA agent holding a single 9mm round in his hand and a Dirty Harry look on his face! I grabbed the round from him, ran outside and tossed it into a garbage can. Then ran back to my flight! I couldn't miss this one as I was upgraded to business class!)

6. Check the limitations on traveling with live rounds. (I think it is 11lbs total. This equates to about 400 rounds. Not enough for a high round count class, so you might need to ship the bullets or procure them at the other end. You can have the rounds in your gun case so long as they are in original packaging. I traveled back from Miami with 400 rounds of 9mm in boxes in my carbine case.)

7. Look like a military service member! (This is not easy for everyone to pull off, but when done correctly you can steamline some of the processing and the agents and TSA don't look at you like a terrorist when they open up your gun case and see the man slayer complete with flashlights and lasers!)

8. Don't place any gung-ho ass kickin stickers on your gun case. (This will only draw more attention from sticky fingers tossing your luggage around like an olympic discus thrower!)

9. Weigh your gun case prior to arriving at the check in if possible. (Get a cheapish luggage weighing device to check the total packed weight of your heaters before you get to the airport. This will stop the three card monty act of transferring sights and magazines from your gun case to your soft bag in front of 40 frustrated travelers.)

10. Let the check in agent know that you are checking guns. (You will need to fill in a red card, stating that the weapons are unloaded. The agent will also log the guns into the system and your luggage tag will have a special notation (coded) that distinguishes that particular bag as containing guns.

11. Don't use your gun case to store any explosive material! (This seems like it's common sense but, I have a case that contained large amounts of explosive material and I must remember not to travel with it, unless I want to spend several hours explaining myself to TSA finest!)

12. Make sure that your weapons are unloaded with magazines removed. (The check in agent will always ask if your guns are unloaded. Normally with a terrified facial expression! TSA will also open your case, swipe with explosive material and ask for your red card if not already in case and your padlocks. Play along with there rules and regulations, even though your clearly know more about shooting then they do! Don't miss your flight due to an argument with the frosty TSA agent over THEIR rules!)

13. Keep your ID handy at the other end! (If you are traveling to and from an airport that has plenty of military personnel traveling through it. Norfolk International is a good example. You will have to show ID to reclaim your gun case. This will normally be done at the claim office. However, if traveling though the left wing regions like the Republic of Kalifornia, be sure to keep your eyes up looking for your gun case. It will most likely get spat out of the conveyer belt or at the oversized baggage claim area. So position yourself to keep eyes on both areas so no pilferer looking for a five fingered discount on your guns walks off with your case!)

14. Be prepared for your guns to be a no show! (If you have any tight connections or delay due to fowl weather or booking with American Airlines! Be prepared to be separated from your tools of Jihad destruction. I haven't lost any weapons traveling to this point. I have had some tight connections resulting in a delay of my guns arriving on the next flight. So when booking flights, keep connections generous and be flexible at the other end.

Final thoughts, there is always a risk traveling with your guns. But so long as you follow all of the rules and regulations put out by the Airlines and TSA you should be in good shape for you training trip. Follow my tips for the tactical traveller and it should relieve some of the heart burn associated with bringing your guns with you!

Happy travels!

[HawaiianM4]

Thanks for a great post!

[Shark]

Excellent post, Jason! With this info I may do more classes in your AO.

[BSWilson]

Good stuff. Just to expand on a bit:

#8: It might even be worthwhile to get relatively benign stickers for your case: locations, music bands, or other things that will make people think that it's a guitar or other instrument.

#10: The orange "steal me" sticker they give you when checking firearms goes on the INSIDE of your case. You'd be amazed at how many people (employees and flyers alike) don't know this. There's been more than one occasion in which I've had to kindly inform the person checking my luggage.

#12: When clearing your firearm(s) for the checker's satisfaction, wait for their instruction and inform them that you're doing so. Many simply don't care whether or not they're loaded, and may get freaked out when you start racking guns when they weren't expecting it.

[Preliator]

Unless rules have changed, you are NOT supposed to use one of the locks that TSA has access to. Use a private padlock, prefferably the most secure lock you can find. You will be asked to open the case for inspection prior to it being checked, and generally speaking it will then be hand carried by you to the secure loading area.

Other wise, good tips.

S/F

[Ironman8]

I was under the impression you weren't supposed to use TSA locks either.

Another tip that I got somewhere on (I believe) M4C was that if you can find a shorter case in which you can break down the rifles, you should put the case into a duffle bag before loading it so that it looks like a normal bag when being handled by the loaders or on the conveyer belt moving past people who may like snatching things. Should keep the weight down too. I am in the process of making my own case out of a sturdy, o-ring sealed, 28" Stanley tool box that I picked up at Home Depot. The only part I'm not sure of is the locks....any insight?

Thanks for the post Jason.

[kartoffel]

Unless rules have changed, you are NOT supposed to use one of the locks that TSA has access to. Use a private padlock, prefferably the most secure lock you can find. You will be asked to open the case for inspection prior to it being checked, and generally speaking it will then be hand carried by you to the secure loading area.

Other wise, good tips.

S/F

Agreed with the above.

When checking firearms, they get inspected once and then locked up for good for the rest of your flight(s). The only person who shall hold the key to the locks is the owner of the firearms. DO NOT use "TSA locks" on a firearm case. Using "TSA locks" only encourages uninformed TSA personnel to break the law and damage your property.

Once your guns get inspected at check-in, that shit gets locked up like a bank vault. Moses himself is not authorized to split open your case without first contacting the owner and having him/her present.

[cj5_dude]

The locks seem to be an arguable topic in this thread. Here's from the TSA's website...

- The container must be locked. A locked container is defined as one that completely secures the firearm from being accessed. Cases that can be pulled open with little effort cannot be brought aboard the aircraft. Federal regulations prohibit unlocked gun cases (or cases with broken locks) on aircraft.

- TSA inspects all firearm cases at the ticket counter. Travelers should remain in the area designated by the aircraft operator or TSA representative to take the key back after the container is cleared for transportation. If travelers are not present and the security officer must open the container, TSA or the airline will make a reasonable attempt to contact the owner. If contact is not made, the container will not be placed on the aircraft.

So you should absolutely use non TSA locks and carry the key with you. You and only you should have access to it. If TSA wants to see inside they need to find you and have you there when they open it.

[infidelprodigy]

I have been flying with firearms for over 5 years now. I have always used a TSA lock on my gun case. I used private locks once, when I claimed my case they werent on it. They were inside cut with a note from TSA statin they cut them for "inspection". Never again. I always put TSA locks on. It saves me sometimes having to wait with my case and always makes the process smoother.

Although I have had more than one TSA numbskull ask for the key to my TSA locks *facepalm*.......

Good tips Jason, I have been doing those things for years (hey, we all don't have Aussie accents to swoon the agents!)

The best airport expierience with firearms was at Dulles. They jay assumed I was part of a secret .gov organization (guess painted M4s and Glocks are proof...) and treated me with the utmost courtesy. Even waived the overweight bag fee!!

[TomD]

For 100% safety & assurance of all arriving together, DRIVE!! I do realize that this isn't always an option.