TSA Airport Frivolities Over Firearms
BY Herschel Smith
6 months, 3 weeks ago
I took 2 trips where I traveled with a firearm. 1 from Philadelphia to Wisconsin. The other from Philadelphia to Arizona. My trip to Wisconsin was smooth no issues. On the way back from Arizona. They ripped my bag apart, because they “didn’t” have a X-ray scanner. Then as I arrive in Philadelphia. I go to the area where they’re supposed to bring me my bag. My friend looks over at the baggage claim where the bags fall for.people to grab their luggage. There’s my bag clearly labeled that there’s a firearm in it just spinning around freely. The airport got mad at me because I was trying to report the incident and refused to talk to me on the premise. They even went as far as having me escorted out by the police when I wasn’t even raising my voice or causing a scene.
I just flew with my concealed carry (packed correctly, ammo in a box, blablabla) in it’s own hard case and checked under my boarding pass. It should be noted that my wife and I shared a large check luggage for our clothes, checked in under HER boarding pass. That bag is what got searched, I know this because they placed a placard inside our bag saying they opened and searched it, this happened twice, flying to destination as well as flying home. If it only happened once I wouldn’t be nearly as creeped out, possibly just a random search, but both flights?? Feels more like I’ve just volunteered my name onto a special list for being treated like a problem. Even though my ccw means I am “background checked” literally everyday, I should be the least profiled type of person ever. Anyone share my experience? This was the first time flying with my firearm, so I’m wondering if this is the perverbial “new normal” I’ve heard so much about.
I don’t know anything about a “new normal.” But the old normal is bad enough, and I’ve experienced the stupidity for years now.
There are those who say to avoid flying by air. It’s true enough that this is good advice, but it cannot always be followed. Some of us still have to travel by air for business purposes.
I have flown out of Charlotte many times before, and almost always have a good experience there. They seem knowledgeable and quite accustomed to dealing with firearms.
The same can’t be said at many other places. Denver is a bad place. They take luggage to a separate room and x-ray the entire piece of luggage, as if that’s going to prove anything.
Phoenix is even worse. A woman once took my luggage to a room, with me watching, and unpacked the entire contents of the luggage, clothes and all, looking for God only knows what, completely ignoring the firearm while showing no interest in whether it was truly unloaded (as if that makes thing safer anyway), then threw everything back into the luggage unfolded, gave it back to me, and walked away.
It’s the zaniest thing I’ve ever witnessed. It varies by airport, and while the TSA may tell you that the rules are understood and followed everywhere, they are lying to you. They are not, and they are not.
None of this adds to anyone’s safety. It’s all Kabuki security theater for the purpose of providing a jobs program to people too stupid or lazy to find good work doing anything else.
The only real advice I can give is to ensure that your firearm is inside a locked container where someone’s hands or a tool could be used to pry it open. Also, I like the boxes that have a cable that will attach to a structural member of the luggage. If you ever drop it off where it may be located outside (Denver is like that), watch it until it goes behind the wall.
Beyond that, it’s a crapshoot.
Quite obviously, the real reason for all of this is to prevent theft by airport employees and contractors, some of whom are being paid by your tax dollars.
On May 30, 2024 at 4:54 am, Mark Matis said:
It ain’t “ineptitude”.
It IS, however, PLANNED!
On May 30, 2024 at 11:10 am, Josey Wales said:
How many terrorists have the TSA caught so far with all this intense screening?
That’s right, boys and girls, NONE.
On May 30, 2024 at 12:04 pm, Bill Buppert said:
Some of my pro-tips:
1. I use ABUS heavy locks on Pelicans and will sometime put the Pelican in a steel-webbed PacSafe. I also put drill bit stop collars on the shank to make it even more difficult to “cut” the lock. Never use TSA locks.
2. If you travel with a scoped rifle, always make sure the scoped rifle is packed with the optic opposite the hinges.
3. Bring a printed copy of the TSA and airline firearms regulations in case you have to remind the staff of their own rules.
4. When they’re inspecting your unlocked gun case, NEVER let them do it without you being there to witness.
5. Yes, you can fly with up to eleven pounds of ammunition. Yes, you can transport in magazines just put them in a pouch and make sure the rounds aren’t exposed by securing vertically in the pouch.
6. I don’t have a real solution yet to keep folks from driving the pins out of the hinge on the Pelicans hence my occasional use of the PacSafe but a good quality chain or bike lock perpendicular and locked is an expedited solution.
On May 30, 2024 at 12:50 pm, LZ said:
I’ve lived in the Phoenix area for 40 years. Sky Harbor Airport is touted as the friendliest airport in America. Since 911 I fly many once a year. The TSA people at PHX have an ability to make one’s flight miserable. If you can fly into or out of the airport in Tucson, AZ instead.
On May 30, 2024 at 3:26 pm, ClaudeA said:
I took the 250 class at Gunsite years ago, and on the return to Sky Harbor Airport, had to declare my pistol etc. An airline employee, gender/sex female, asked to see the pistol and ascertain if it was empty. It had no magazine. I locked back the slide and peered through the chamber to the end of the barrel. Daylight. The she asked me “well, how do I know it is safe?”. In a courteous manner I asked if any other of her associates were available to assist her. Some man appeared, quick look and told her it was ok while rolling his eyes at me. She was very flummoxed by it all.
On May 30, 2024 at 3:57 pm, PGF said:
I don’t fly anymore but when I did, Kansas City MO was far and away the very best airport. You’re not going to be happy about why. They use a private contractor for security screening and have zero TSA. That’s right boys and girls, all those other major airports in every state accepted TSA but didn’t actually have to. States rights is a cruel joke.
On May 30, 2024 at 6:07 pm, Latigo Morgan said:
Before I quit flying at all, I have no horror stories regarding travel with firearms. The Reddit story sounds kind of hokey with the tag on the luggage saying there is a firearm inside. I’m not sure airlines even have such a tag, except the one they put inside the case after inspecting the firearm.
Airports included: Tucson, Phoenix, Seattle, LAX, Oakland, Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Reno, and Las Vegas. No problems, ever.
On June 1, 2024 at 4:36 pm, Steve Miller said:
I have a few to share. Phoenix arrived with two empty magazines. TSA staff called local PD who showed up and laughed their you know what off. Seattle FBI office I had a work related meeting there and showed up with an empty holster. The guy at the front counter had me hand him the empty holster then he put it in a locker and locked it up. Gave it back to me as I was leaving the building.
On June 2, 2024 at 10:03 am, Noway2 said:
As Bill alluded to above, follow the regulations. Nothing says you need to put a gun (container) inside soft, unlocked, luggage. Your outer, locked with real locks, container can be your luggage. I use a pelican case for this purpose. I was once asked why I didn’t just put a lockbox in regular baggage. I responded that I don’t consider that to be secure.
On June 3, 2024 at 8:44 am, Ned said:
Travelled through Phoenix with a 445 Supermag to an IHMSA shoot in the late 80s. The female at the counter (who inspected it) asked me if I was dangerous. I said “it depends upon what happens.”
Travelled to Idaho via Alaskan airlines for a bear hunt around the same time and they were awesome. Asked if we got any trophies.
I’ll go by ground now if I go – don’t trust DEI hires to properly maintain or fly the aircraft.