ArizonaShooting.ORG

Interesting - this dude's experience was very different than mine. I've flown with firearms out of Sky Harbor and Williams Gateway to and from a few places... Salt Lake City, Kalispell MT, Rapid City SD... Never had an issue - and the process at Sky Harbor was really simple - they do the paperwork at the check bag counter - then tell you to carry your locked case over to an old TSA guy - like older than dirt - sitting in a chair near a spur on the baggage conveyer system. You walk over to him, he tells you to unlock the case, he confirms that the gun is not loaded, has you close the case, and if memory serves he put a tag or sticker, or some other indicator that it has been TSA cleared, and then has me stick the case on the conveyer. That's it... done...

Return flights followed a similar process although there was some variance (like - they called a TSA guy to do the inspection at the luggage check counter)...

I guess the fact that all my flights were to and from relatively gun friendly places, might have been played a part...

I guess I should say - I'm glad to have seen his experience - I'm thinking I might just throw a couple extra padlocks in the carry-on bag the next time - in case I run into something like this...

Interesting.........I used to fly with my competition pistol quite a bit from Sky Harbor to the Carolinas, TX, NV, MO, and similar, and never had a problem. But was some years ago, although later the 9/11. The procedure was to verify the pistol was unloaded at the check-in counter, insert a carbon copy of a firearm form into the locked pistol case, inside of my checked regular suitcase, and then they put a tag on the suitcase indicating a pistol was included and had been "Checked" by the airline personel, and sent it down the conveyor belt. Never had a problem, and the checked bag always came off the carousal intact. Sounds like a lot more complicated (and unorganized) now. Good info, as I may be flying out of state again soon, and will more than likely be wanting to take a handgun with me to let a relative try it out.

I've flown to Montana twice with a firearm and California once with a firearm with no issues. All 3 flights in the last 8 years with California being the most recent about 2.5 years ago.

Oh,...and by the way,...in case you were wondering how trustworthy the TSA pukes are,....


https://www.tmz.com/2023/09/14/tsa-agen ... nce-video/

Funny thing for me has been flying out of Hawaii brings guns to Arizona. Used American and Southwest.

Both were relatively OK once they got a counter person that had a clue how to handle the tag and all.

American did want to see the locked pistol case inside the luggage, Southwest just took the locked rifle case to TSA. Felt bad for the woman with the rifle case, had to have another help her carry it. Thought about telling about the wheels, but some Duddly Do-Right might think I was interefering.
Rifle case was easy to pick up at baggage service, the luggage with pistol case came down the carousel with everything else.

All locks were non-TSA stuff.

I love checking firearms. Means my bag is the very first off of the plane. Everyone else is lining up around the carousel and mine shows up at the claim office.