I thought this experience could be useful to someone. Back around Thanksgiving, I was flying home to western Colorado and decided to bring my new Taurus 4" .22LR revolver and try it out. Also I wanted for the first time to learn how to properly transport firearms on an airline. After reading hours of advice online, TSA regulations, and calling the airline (United) ahead of time, I decided to purchase a minimal plastic gun case and combination lock, and carry this lockable case INSIDE my suitcase. Afterall, a small gun case would not only stick out like a sore thumb (in fact the airlines are forbidden from marking the outside of your luggage as containing a firearm), but very likely would not make it through the luggage conveyor.
When I notified the lady at the ticket counter at check-in that I had a firearm to check, the words were barely out of my mouth, when she went into panic/stress mode. I asked her if there was a form I needed to fill out, and she got it for me and started barking orders. The first thing I needed to do was open the case and verify that the handgun was not loaded. From years of training in gun safety, my first response would have been to open it and show her that it was indeed unloaded, but as soon as my hands started to get close to touching the gun, she yelled at me not to touch it! From there I backed off a good 5' from the counter, just to put her at ease.
The next hurdle was that she thought I could not put my gun inside my suitcase. I had already printed out the instructions from United which I showed her, and told her that as long as my gun is inside the locked case, there is nothing saying you cannot put that case inside your checked luggage. And afterall, where else was I supposed to put it, being a triangular case that obviously held a handgun? Fortunately another employee stepped in and told her it was alright. From there we had no more issues.
Lessons learned: First I would say that how you word "I have a handgun" [that I would like to check] is extremely important. Perhaps it would be better to start off with something like, "I have a regulated item that I need to declare," to prepare her ahead of time, before you say what it is. In fact I think it would be a good idea if the airline allowed you to declare it when you check in online, just like you declare other checked bags. This could help avoid panic and also the bad situation of you forgetting to declare it (possibly missing your flight while you explain to security that you really did forget). Another thing that I thought I will do in the future is to use something like a cable lock to visibly verify to someone unfamiliar with firearms that it is not operable.
The return flight, leaving a small western redneck town where hunters fly in and out all the time, was uneventful and routine. Those ladies were used to guns, and no more alarmed by a firearm than if it were a fishing rod. What a relief that was, and made me homesick!
When I notified the lady at the ticket counter at check-in that I had a firearm to check, the words were barely out of my mouth, when she went into panic/stress mode. I asked her if there was a form I needed to fill out, and she got it for me and started barking orders. The first thing I needed to do was open the case and verify that the handgun was not loaded. From years of training in gun safety, my first response would have been to open it and show her that it was indeed unloaded, but as soon as my hands started to get close to touching the gun, she yelled at me not to touch it! From there I backed off a good 5' from the counter, just to put her at ease.
The next hurdle was that she thought I could not put my gun inside my suitcase. I had already printed out the instructions from United which I showed her, and told her that as long as my gun is inside the locked case, there is nothing saying you cannot put that case inside your checked luggage. And afterall, where else was I supposed to put it, being a triangular case that obviously held a handgun? Fortunately another employee stepped in and told her it was alright. From there we had no more issues.
Lessons learned: First I would say that how you word "I have a handgun" [that I would like to check] is extremely important. Perhaps it would be better to start off with something like, "I have a regulated item that I need to declare," to prepare her ahead of time, before you say what it is. In fact I think it would be a good idea if the airline allowed you to declare it when you check in online, just like you declare other checked bags. This could help avoid panic and also the bad situation of you forgetting to declare it (possibly missing your flight while you explain to security that you really did forget). Another thing that I thought I will do in the future is to use something like a cable lock to visibly verify to someone unfamiliar with firearms that it is not operable.
The return flight, leaving a small western redneck town where hunters fly in and out all the time, was uneventful and routine. Those ladies were used to guns, and no more alarmed by a firearm than if it were a fishing rod. What a relief that was, and made me homesick!
