Flying over Canada

[Beersoup45]

Hello and greetings to all from WI

I am new to this forum as of this post and have a rather dumb question to ask, but I MUST ask it. I have searched far and wide and just cannot get an exact answer to this question. Most answers are referring to those driving through Canada.

So this March, me and the woman will be moving to Thorne Bay, Alaska. We will be taking Amtrak to Seattle, and then Alaska Airlines to Ketchikan, Alaska.

I will be taking with us; DPMS 308, Wasr-10 AK variant, WWII German Mauser, and a Springfield .45 pistol.

My understanding is that Alaska Airlines should have no problem checking these and transporting them for us once properly checked and stowed away.

On the Alaska Airlines website it states under Internation Transport that "Handguns cannot be transported to or through Canada. Non-restricted hunting rifles or competition firearms do not require specialized documentation. Please call the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000 for additional information on firearms to or from Canada. A U.S. Customs declaration issued before departing the U.S. is required before bringing your firearms back to the United States. We cannot accept rifles, shotguns and other firearms between the United States and Canada without the required documentation."

I cannot for the life of me figure out if flying OVER Canada would fall under International Transport laws.

The "to or through" part is what gets me. We will be making a direct flight with no stops in Canada. We will be flying over Canada.

I can't believe flying 40,000ft over Canada should be considered traveling "through" Canada.

Any help would be greatly appreciated guys

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[Swedish K]

I am not an attorney, don't play one on TV and I didn't satay at a Holiday Inn Express last night - that said, if your flight does not require you to show a passport to travel then there should be no issue. My understanding is even if you had a connection in Vancouver, provided you did not have an extended layover and retrieved your bags you should be fine.
In your position I would most likely contact the airline and verify this with them.

 

[Beersoup45]

Hey thanks for your speedy and honest reply man. I can't believe this would be an issue and I certainly will contact the airline before travel.

I basically just want anyone with experience traveling by air over Canada to confirm I'm a complete idiot for worrying about this

 

[Modeler]

Maybe call Alaska Airlines and ask?

 

[Swedish K]

I don't know about "complete idiot" - concerns are real. Remember the guy who's flight was redirected to NJ and stuck there overnight? luggage was returned to them as they didn't know what flight/plane they would be leaving on and when he checked luggage back in they arrested him. That's not even leaving the country. Now that I think of it I wonder if the airlines have now put procedures in place to make sure this doesn't happen again.

 

[del_and_bones]

I fly back home all the time (Anchor Point, AK). It's a domestic flight, just check them like any other firearm. I've flown to AK with both title 1 and title 2 firearms.

 

[Ralgha]

In the extremely remote chance that your flight diverts to Canada, you'll be completely boned. I'd ship them.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus that ate your iPhone.

 

[powersbj]

In the extremely remote chance that your flight diverts to Canada, you'll be completely boned. I'd ship them.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus that ate your iPhone.

Lol, no you will not be. Flying over a country is not entry into the country your fine.

 

[mhasson30]

 

[mhasson30]

 

[rocky3]

If I were you I would ship them via UPS to a hotel in the city you are going to. On your return trip do the same.

 

[Ralgha]

Lol, no you will not be. Flying over a country is not entry into the country your fine.

"Diverts to Canada" means it LANDS in Canada. You'll be completely screwed.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus that ate your iPhone.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Lol, no you will not be. Flying over a country is not entry into the country your fine.

What about the rare emergency landing?

RCMP is notorious for having ZERO sense of humor

 

[Beersoup45]

So I would say the general consensus is that I should just ship them?

It appears I have an FFL located right on the island I will be living on that would accept shipment.

Handguns and long guns are treated the same when shipping via UPS correct? All in the same box is good, and telling them firearms are inside sufficient or does the handgun require special attention?

 

[Beersoup45]

Another thought, is shipping via UPS vs taking them to a local FFL and having them ship them better/worse? There is a difference I presume?

Never thought this would be such a hassle. My main problem is (not talking about here) but every time I go to search other forums you have 50% of the people saying with all confidence one thing, the other 50% saying with full confidence another.

We will be moving to Alaska, so I will have a set address, no hotel along the way. When I spoke to my father-in-law on the island, he stated he knows a couple who hold FFL's that I could ship them to. It is necessary to ship them to an FFL but not necessary to ship from an FFL?

Is there a pro/con to using an FFL to ship them out with? Or is UPS just fine?

 

[gehrheart]

Mine always fly with me (on Alaska airlines as well) every time I go back.

Never an issue.

If it diverts for weather or something else ( there is a very small window that the aircraft will have to land in Canada even if for an emergency) the wepeons will stay with the plane.
There is already a mess involved with this so they will do what they can to not land in Canada!

Its really not a problem.


....jelouse, miss that state..

 

[gehrheart]

Thorne bay...
Great place, All of POW is good!

 

[hermannr]

Hello and greetings to all from WI

I am new to this forum as of this post and have a rather dumb question to ask, but I MUST ask it. I have searched far and wide and just cannot get an exact answer to this question. Most answers are referring to those driving through Canada.

So this March, me and the woman will be moving to Thorne Bay, Alaska. We will be taking Amtrak to Seattle, and then Alaska Airlines to Ketchikan, Alaska.

I will be taking with us; DPMS 308, Wasr-10 AK variant, WWII German Mauser, and a Springfield .45 pistol.

My understanding is that Alaska Airlines should have no problem checking these and transporting them for us once properly checked and stowed away.

On the Alaska Airlines website it states under Internation Transport that "Handguns cannot be transported to or through Canada. Non-restricted hunting rifles or competition firearms do not require specialized documentation. Please call the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000 for additional information on firearms to or from Canada. A U.S. Customs declaration issued before departing the U.S. is required before bringing your firearms back to the United States. We cannot accept rifles, shotguns and other firearms between the United States and Canada without the required documentation."

I cannot for the life of me figure out if flying OVER Canada would fall under International Transport laws.

The "to or through" part is what gets me. We will be making a direct flight with no stops in Canada. We will be flying over Canada.

I can't believe flying 40,000ft over Canada should be considered traveling "through" Canada.

Any help would be greatly appreciated guys

You do not have to even think about Canada and their restrictions. Even if the aircraft makes an emergency landing in Canada, you baggage will be transfered (you will not have access to it, and it will NOT be inspected). Don't worry about Canada if you are flying from Seattle to Alaska, it is not a concern.

 

[Beersoup45]

Hey guys thanks a TON for your replies. Who knows, maybe I'll even get some sleep tonight now

I was thinking, when considering shipping them, what it must feel like to send your kids off to college LOL.

I'm exaggerating of course but they are my babies and would probably cry if they got "lost" or damaged while being shipped. I've heard first hand from people working at shipping companies how some packages are "handled" and by handled I mean kicked, crunched, and ran over.

PS- Greetings to all the washingtonians. Fun times in that state. I just remember on our way hotel staff laughing at us about how we said we "didn't mind rain." After a month of living in Olympia we started wishing we would just wake up with gills some morning. Pretty kick *** driving down the beach in Ocean Shores too I must say and a pretty memorable trip up to Neah Bay. Super cool state!

 

[gehrheart]

Well good thing you dont mind rain!! where you are going there will be even MORE of it!