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Good advice above. What airline? (It matters) I'll post more once I know the airline. I have been making about 40 trips a year with firearms for the past decade, next one tomorrow. If you search you might find some others but I'll fill in here once I know the carrier.How does this work?
I have a trip coming to a constitutional carry state and would like to carry while there
Whats the process for having a gun in checked bags?
Anyone have experience with doing this?
Flying out of PDX to Tulsa
SouthwestGood advice above. What airline? (It matters) I'll post more once I know the airline. I have been making about 40 trips a year with firearms for the past decade, next one tomorrow. If you search you might find some others but I'll fill in here once I know the carrier.
As others have said, start with the TSA and Southwest website.Southwest
One BIG word of warning here. The system was set up to be easy. A LOT of people will tell you its easy and not to worry. The problem is the easy system is run by humans. Now and then you run into one who is a moron, hates guns, or both. If this happens you need to allow time for someone who is not a moron to come and deal with it. So first of course check the rules CAREFULLY. They are found online. Next get to the place EARLY. Take something to entertain yourself after you get past screening. If you get there just in time, and are one of the unlucky ones who runs up against some idiot you may miss your flight. No one there is going to care that you missed your flight due to the idiot. So give yourself a good cushion of time to get past the screening.Southwest
Yes, anything with a bit of metal is going to set off the detector. Last time I flew I wore a money belt that is all nylon. One way the checker spotted it said have to take the belt off. So way back I had belt covered. They asked me if I was wearing a belt and I just said no. figured if it was found would say forgot. Went right through. Same thing last time I was on Jury duty. At court house wore same belt. They would ask every time if I had a belt and I would say no. Also wore suspenders that are all nylon just in case. The suspenders they can see and do not seem to care about but for some reason they have a problem with belts.On this same theme, anyone ever fly with a Bigfoot steel lined belt? I bought one of these a few years back and now if I have pants on, I have the belt on. Would one have issues getting through security with one?
Wife and I both paid for that extra and it was WELL worth it. When I was coming back last time at Phoenix the line was LONG. No one at the line for those of us who paid. I strolled over to that line, someone came right over and checked me through. Boy could I feel the daggers being stared at my back as I walked off. Sorry folks you could have paid tooHere was my experience today. Arrived just over two hours before my flight. I have status with Southwest so I can use the priority lane that had no one in it while the regular customer assistance line had two people (but beware, I've seen it with 50+). Advised I had one bag to check with a firearm and also advised, as politely as possible to not come across as a jerk, that I can fill out the form myself if she would like me to. I've worked with this particular agent many times and she handed me the card. Had the flight info up on my phone to make it easier to fill out the form (some agents will just have you fill out your info). Signed the back and then advised here (before she tore off some tape (they use this to tape the card to your box) that I have a clear plastic holder already attached to my case so the card is secure and visible (super extra credit here). She noted this was not my first rodeo.
She asked me to wait 10 minutes in the area before going through screening; I waited 12. With TSA PreCheck getting through security is much faster and easier. Made sure my water bottle was empty and patted myself down before security. My 5.11 belt goes through the metal detector at PDX fine but not usually EUG, so left it on. Collected my stuff and picked up a bacon, egg, and pesto breakfast sandwich and a cup of Earl Grey tea from the Country Cat just inside security. After breakfast had about 25 minutes to kill at the gate before boarding. I have an Air Tag in my bag now...my bride tracks it as I don't use iPhone. (But interestingly, some Android devices know you have an Air Tag with you. Started doing this after a bag that was supposed to be in Edinburgh was still at Heathrow (yea, no gun that trip).
This boring process is what I strive for.
What is scary is if they found that many how many slipped past them? They don't make it easy to find but there seems to be too many times the gun is caught after the bag has already been screened at least once.TSA finds 6,737 guns in 2023
TSA Detects 6,737 Firearms at Airport Security Checkpoints in 2023 | All About Arizona News
During 2023, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intercepted a total of 6,737 firearms at airport security checkpoints, preventing them from getting into the secure areas of the airport…www.allaboutarizonanews.com
What status is that?Here was my experience today. Arrived just over two hours before my flight. I have status with Southwest so I can use the priority lane
If you are A-List or A-List Select with Southwest, there is a special line you can go through at the ticket counter that usually only has either no one or a few travelers, so it is very fast (there was no one in the line today...I'm traveling back home). You can also buy the expensive "Business Select" fare and I think this gets you into this line as well. I travel frequently so I've been A-List for several years now.What status is that?
They changed it so you only need 20 flights to make A-list this year or if you purchase the business select or anytime fares you receive access to the priority lanes. At PDX, if you get there plenty early, it is usually not too bad in the standard "passenger assistance" lane (they have made the self-check-in very efficient reducing the load). If you leave yourself enough time (2 hours minimum, 2 1/2 plus if you are at a super busy (or a not very efficient) airport) there is usually not an issue. Plenty of good places to eat at PDX.We have a Southwest "anytime fare" round trip booked to Houston in April. Does that get us access to the A-List line?
Looks like no. You need 25 flights first to qualify https://www.creditkarma.com/credit-cards/i/southwest-a-list