First Time Flying on Plane with Firearm ???

[FLIPCO]

Next month I will be flying from Denver to Phoenix, AZ and I want to check in my rifle as baggage at DIA....I'll be flying on Frontier Airlines RT air....This is my first time / experience to check in firearm baggage on a plane and would like to know from anyone's experience on what the proper procedure I should take and what I will expect at the airport.

I have a hard case that can be pad locked multiple times. I will not be transporting any ammo. The only thing that will be in the hard case is my AR and a couple of mags. Everything will be unloaded. I will also be running a cable lock through the mag well and ejection port area while all is locked in the hard case.

I am told to never hand over any pad lock key to anyone, including TSA.....That the key will always remain on my person and that I am the only one to unlock the pad locks myself.

Some of my questions are:

1) when at the baggage check in counter, do I tell them I am checking in a firearm?....I mean it is a hard case but guitars and keyboards also get transported in a hard case too.

2) If I have to mention I am checking in a firearm, do I have to open up the hard case to show them for inspection and verify that it is indeed unloaded?.....Or do I not open the hard case at all cause it's none of their business what type of firearm it is ???

3) If all goes smooth,....when I arrive at Phoenix airport, Does my rifle hard case end up at baggage claim where it shoots down the baggage carousel or does it get sent to a special room to claim it ??.....same on return flight back at DIA ??

Thanks for any helpful info.

This is the case I will check in with

[Wulf202]

If youre the only one with the key. Theyll cut the lock.

Print frontier regs and faa regs about flying w guns. Keep one copy on you and one with the gun.

They will inspect it.

[Lars]

They will cut the lock if you do not have TSA approved locks on the case. You must declare the firearm and after checking the rest of your baggage you will be sent to have your gun inspected. After they inspect the gun and do their swabs (looking for bomb making material) they will have you lock the case and then send it on to the plane. You head to your gate. When you arrive you will have to go to the special pickup just so they can verify who is picking up.

[FLIPCO]

After they inspect the gun and do their swabs (looking for bomb making material) they will have you lock the case and then send it on to the plane.

Once screening of case is done, approved by TSA and I lock it up myself......does TSA have the right and ability to open the case up again without me being present at any time?

[hollohas]

Lars has it about right. You check in and tell them you have firearm. They tag your bags/case and you will be sent to another window where it will be inspected. You hand them the key, they inspect, lock back up and give the key back to you.

When you arrive you will have to pick it up at a special room. Usually the same place you get oversized bags, carseats or report missing bags. At least that's the case everywhere I have flown except SFO. Once I flew there my shotgun came out on the regular baggage claim. You should have seen the faces of all those hippies when I grabbed an obvious gun case from the baggage claim! Ha!

[KS63]

This should help you:

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-informat...and-ammunition
As far as TSA approved locks on a firearm case, I can find no proof that it is required by law. In fact, a quick Google search will find a majority say to the contrary. Look over the TSA rules regarding firearms and the airline carrier rules as the carrier may have their own specific rules that others don't. Declare your firearms at check-in, follow their instructions and you'll be fine.

[rbeau30]

I went last month, they didn't even open up the case. My pistol was in a hard sided case locked up with a non tsa lock, and inside unlocked luggage. They basically gave me a tag to put in the baggage, and they brought my bag to the TSA screeners, they put it in their machine, and the TSA guys said I was good to go.

Pretty much the same way coming back. It took 15 minutes extra check in time. I went from DIA to Milwaukee, WI Noone asked to look inside the case at all. but I wouldn't be against it. And I was prepared to open it up with my key if they asked me to. They (TSA) asked me if I was the only one with the key that was it.


Travelling with a checked Firearm is pretty much routine for these airlines. Just follow the specific rules that your airline says. (I had to put masking tape over the exposed ammo in the mags)

[hollohas]

Yeah. I never used a TSA lock.

[asmo]

If youre the only one with the key. Theyll cut the lock.

They will cut the lock if you do not have TSA approved locks on the case.

Holy fuck. If you don't know the answer then keep your mouth shut. You NEVER EVER put a TSA lock on a declared firearm. The whole purpose of you supplying your OWN DAMN LOCK is so that the TSA cannot steal your firearm. You *will* be present when they inspect it..


I have flown from DIA to Sky Harbor multiple times with guns multiple times. Both places are incredibly easy.

When you go up to the counter you say to the nice lady "Hello. I would like to declare an unloaded firearm". She will give you a small form to fill out and call a TSA person over. The TSA person will escort you, and your baggage, to a special little room they have set-up for just this. There they will x-ray your items while you stand there. If all is good they will send you on your way. If they see anything weird they will ask you to open the case and allow them to inspect it (the case).

When you get to Sky Harbor you will go to the baggage claim office (it used to come down the normal baggage line - still does in some places). You will tell them you are picking up a bag. They will go fetch it for you and you will be on your way.

Same thing in reverse - except you and the TSA will not go to a special room. They will do the X-Ray right there (its how Sky Harbor is setup).

Note that the last time I did this was April of 2013 so it may have changed slightly.

[Fentonite]

I've flown with both a pistol in a locked case within my suitcase, and also with a rather obvious Pelican rifle case by itself. Always declare it. They've had me open mine right at the normal counter to peak in and put a pice of paper in the case, and other times I've gone over to a special booth where they had me open it. I used Master combo locks, and they didn't say a thing. What I've found concerning is that I've never had to pick it up anywhere special; it always just came down the carousel. DIA, Atlanta and Houston, each just spit it out on the luggage carousel. Get there quickly.