Southwest Firearm Check In Experience at OAK

[splithoof]

I had no other container so one of the deputies went to his car and brought back an empty ammo box and let me have it. I use that box every time I fly now and I've never had another issue.

Awesome!......He went above and beyond to make the flying experience better for the citizen. I would write a letter of appreciation to his supervisor.

[CalArkansas]

I flew out of OAK on southwest in may with 1911, P238, Glock 20, XD9, non featureless ar15 (separated) that I built, at least two mags for each, and some ammo all packed neatly in a rifle case. I had NO issues at all. I opened the case for the agent to declare the items. I did not have to wait, we walked the guns over to the oversize baggage and I said good by. I never gave them my keys and would not give them my combination if I had one. You are required to be present when the case is opened.

My guns arrived in Arkansas and I picked them up at the baggage counter. When I left Arkansas, it was just a simple to ship the guns back. When I arrived in Oakland, three baggage guys where waiting for me with my case. They we friendly and all was good to go.

I was not harassed or anything for my guns... Needless to say, but I will say it... I am a black guy.

Again, I had many guns, many mags, and ammo in one case. No mags were in the guns and all guns had safety flags in them. The case was locked with a few locks all around. I had music stickers on it to at least make it seem more like a guitar/keyboard case.

I would ship my guns again... Just be cool and make sure all is visible in the case. Be ready to comply within your rights. Follow the rules. I ship with sporting goods like fishing equipment and bikes all the time.

[nszzya]

I never gave them my keys and would not give them my combination if I had one. You are required to be present when the case is opened.

This sounds good, but twice now they've insisted on opening the case without me present. I have had to decide whether it's worth taking a stand for my right to be present vs. potentially missing my flight. On both occasions I've opted to allow them to open the case without me.

[edgerly779]

I have not had an issue with ammo in mags except on American the tsa agent gave me tape to close exposed ammo in mags so none could escape mag in flight. He was retired gunnery sergeant nice guy. I now duct tape mouth of mags.

[dwalker]

This sounds good, but twice now they've insisted on opening the case without me present. I have had to decide whether it's worth taking a stand for my right to be present vs. potentially missing my flight. On both occasions I've opted to allow them to open the case without me.

It is literally against Federal Regulations for them to do so, and you should print out those regs the next time you fly and make sure you understand them. I lock my case right after the declaration card is put into it, and have the only keys.

[nszzya]

It is literally against Federal Regulations for them to do so, and you should print out those regs the next time you fly and make sure you understand them. I lock my case right after the declaration card is put into it, and have the only keys.

Agreed. Thank you.

With the last flight, I was armed with printed regulations from TSA and Southwest. I'll continue to carry them each time I fly to hopefully avoid these issues.

[farmerjoe]

I've literally flown hundreds of times over the past dozen years on American, Southwest, Delta and JetBlue. Mostly out of Ontario or John Wayne to Sacramento, Oakland, SFO, Dulles, Reagan, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Nashville, etc etc.

MOST of the time TSA and the ticket agents have been golden. They swab the interior of the suitcase, check to see that the magazine well is empty and the magazines are secure (inside a carry pouch) and I lock up the gun case (Pelican) as well as the suitcase and never surrender the keys. I've been asked several times to stay at the ticket counter for a few minutes (mostly at Ontario) until the bags that TSA inspected clear all their internal malarkey. Price one pays for flying with a weapon.

Only real problem I ever had was at Dulles. New TSA supervisor picks up my unloaded UPS45 and starts waving it around, looking in the mag well. I spoke up and she said she knew what she was doing.

When we were done, I walked over and reported her to the on-duty manager. Surveillance cameras work both ways. Yelling at a moron is just going to frustrate me and upset the moron. Make the bosses earthier keep.