I had asked some questions about legally flying with a handgun and thought I would update on the experience. It went very smoothly.
I packed my handgun per TSA and airline specifications, ie, unloaded, in a locked hard side case. I had 2 empty magazines and a 25 round box of ammo in the same case. The case was locked with small padlocks. I placed the gun case inside my suitcase.
When I arrived at the airport I was flying out of, I went to the airline's ticket counter and declared the firearm. They had my fill out a firearm declaration card with my name, address, and phone number on it. They asked me to take out the locked case, and taped this card to the case. I was not asked to open the case. I then put the case back inside the suitcase. The airline gate agent then took the suitcase and placed it on the conveyor belt, and I was done. When I arrived at my destination, the suitcase containing the handgun case came out on the baggage claim luggage carousel like all the other bags. I picked it up, and left. TSA was never involved in the flight out.
When flying back, I repeated the process, but it was a little different. I declared the firearm to the ticket agent and filled out the declaration card at the ticket counter which was taped to gun case just like the first time, Gun case then went back in the suitcase. But this time, the ticket agent directed my to a nearby TSA guy. He took the suitcase, asked me if gun was unloaded, I said yes, and he put it on the conveyor belt. He didnt ask to see the handgun case or the handgun. When I arrived, the suitcase came out on the usual luggage carousel, and I picked it up and left.
Overall there were no issues, and it didnt really cause more than about a 5-10 min delay getting checking in.
It seems a little odd that there was variation in the process from one airport to the other, but whatever. All went well.
I packed my handgun per TSA and airline specifications, ie, unloaded, in a locked hard side case. I had 2 empty magazines and a 25 round box of ammo in the same case. The case was locked with small padlocks. I placed the gun case inside my suitcase.
When I arrived at the airport I was flying out of, I went to the airline's ticket counter and declared the firearm. They had my fill out a firearm declaration card with my name, address, and phone number on it. They asked me to take out the locked case, and taped this card to the case. I was not asked to open the case. I then put the case back inside the suitcase. The airline gate agent then took the suitcase and placed it on the conveyor belt, and I was done. When I arrived at my destination, the suitcase containing the handgun case came out on the baggage claim luggage carousel like all the other bags. I picked it up, and left. TSA was never involved in the flight out.
When flying back, I repeated the process, but it was a little different. I declared the firearm to the ticket agent and filled out the declaration card at the ticket counter which was taped to gun case just like the first time, Gun case then went back in the suitcase. But this time, the ticket agent directed my to a nearby TSA guy. He took the suitcase, asked me if gun was unloaded, I said yes, and he put it on the conveyor belt. He didnt ask to see the handgun case or the handgun. When I arrived, the suitcase came out on the usual luggage carousel, and I picked it up and left.
Overall there were no issues, and it didnt really cause more than about a 5-10 min delay getting checking in.
It seems a little odd that there was variation in the process from one airport to the other, but whatever. All went well.