Question - Flying United Airlines w/ Firearm

[rman]

Hey all,

I am flying San Diego to San Francisco this month on United Airlines.

In addition to reading both the TSA guidelines and the UA guidelines, does anyone have any first hand experience with this?

I have read they are one of the worst airlines to fly with guns...

This is my first time flying with a gun and not sure what to expect, what is needed, etc...


Thanks!

[9mmepiphany]

I usually fly Southwest, in state, and they are great about guns. When flying across the country, I used to fly Continental (which has merged with United) and they were even nicer than SW

I've flow with guns on United a couple of times and didn't have any problems flying out of SMF. Part of it is your presentation...just act like it is the most normal thing in the world to do...and knowing the correct procedure (forms to fill out, where they go, locking hardcase, ready to demonstrate that they are unloaded)

I've heard printing out the company policy and bringing it with you to the ticket counter, is a good idea, but I've never done it and it never came up

[rman]

thanks... my main concern is all the horror stories I've read online. Apparently they tag the luggage with 7 F's under your name, making it an easy target for employees with sticky fingers..

Although the policy does state locking hardcase, in a hard-sided luggage, locked at the counter.

My other concern is flying into SFO.. the libtards can bite me I guess.

[IA300]

thanks... my main concern is all the horror stories I've read online. Apparently they tag the luggage with 7 F's under your name, making it an easy target for employees with sticky fingers..

Although the policy does state locking hardcase, in a hard-sided luggage, locked at the counter.

My other concern is flying into SFO.. the libtards can bite me I guess.

Or fly in to Oakland and take BART across, it seemed easier getting in and out at OAK than SFO...

[9mmepiphany]

Apparently they tag the luggage with 7 F's under your name, making it an easy target for employees with sticky fingers..

It is illegal to mark a case containing a firearm on it's exterior. If you see them do it, say something.

In reality, they don't have time for this. They just want to get the case to TSA and back to the next customer

[finyllw]

Flew Southwest out of John Wayne to Denver. Had a Pelican box, locked, in my soft side suitcase. At JW, all i had to do was fill out a small tag, the counter person wrote something on it also, taped it to the hard case and checked the bag, no big deal. Ammo was in plastic cases taped shut. Limit was 11 lbs. but I only took 100 rounds.

Coming home was a little different. Denver is an international airport. Went to counter filled out tag, tag was taped to hard case, an airport emplyee had to take my suitcase (with me following) to a TSA Inspection area. They X rayed the suitcase, then I had to follow my bag out to the curb where the employee loaded the bag into a conveyor belt. All said took 1/2 an hour extra for all this. Luckily I wasn't in a hurry.

Download and print all instructions from the airline website. CALL the airline to ask if any other precautions should be followed. Allow yourself extra time just in case. Be patient, polite, follow all instructions and you shouldn't have a problem.

[rman]

sounds good. I know United requires the firearms be locked in a hard case, again locked in a hard-sided luggage/check-in...

[Ronin2]

I have over 600,000 lifetime miles on United and have NEVER had a problem flying with a handgun domestically. Just have a locked hard case in your checked luggage. Declare the "unloaded firearm" to the ticket counter staff at check in. They usually don't even want to see the gun, they just have you fill out the international orange FAA "unloaded gun" declaration tag put it into the case and have you lock it up. Depending on the airport, you may have to take the luggage to a special TSA check point where you will be asked to unlock the case so it can be inspected before they put it into the baggage system for loading onto the plane. When you reach your destination, go to a discreet corner of the baggage claim area, open your luggage and confirm your gun is still there and go about your business.

You can put a box of ammo in your bag too (not in mags or gun case) without any declaration at all. It must be in its original manufacturers packaging however.




Cheers!

[Alexjr1967]

It's rather simple ... Must be transported unloaded in a locked hard case. ... Locks do not need to TSA locks ... When you arrive at the checkin counter ... Let the CS rep know you are declaring a firearm ... You fill out a form... The CS rep signs the form and it gets placed inside the locked container ... They may or may not ask you to wait around for 10-15 in the event that TSA requests the key verify the contents ... If they request it ... You give them the key and it gets brought back to you 5-10 mins...

I've checked firearms a handful times through UA and never had any issue what so ever ... And never have been asked for a key ... Have been asked to wait in the event TSA wants the key ... Only thing I've ever noticed on my luggage is a TSA inspection sticker on my luggage tag ... Every single time I've checked a firearm ... But I've also gotten the same sticker on other occasions w/ no firearm involved. ... So it leads me to believe that just identifies bags that have had additional screening ...

[onefortheroad]

I flew about a month ago on SW with a firearm and ammo. I followed SW instructions and everything went fine.

The lady back east wasn't too happy when I declared my firearm and gave me a huff. However, she did her job and didn't give me a hard time after the initial reaction. It was the morning of the navy shooting so maybe she was worked up to begin with.

I wouldn't worry about it. You're not doing anything wrong.

[Henry Shooter]

thanks... my main concern is all the horror stories I've read online. Apparently they tag the luggage with 7 F's under your name, making it an easy target for employees with sticky fingers..

Although the policy does state locking hardcase, in a hard-sided luggage, locked at the counter.

My other concern is flying into SFO.. the libtards can bite me I guess.

I have put many miles on United, not all of them with guns, but I do fly at least twice a year to points outside San Diego with firearms. Never have had a problem. With that said there are always those moments of WTF just happened. But they are rare.
I feel that your statements are unjust. I'm Not defending libtards, SFO or United, but the statements are rather uncanny. If you dont like United's rating off the internet Fly someone else.

Just my 2 cents.

[rman]

You can put a box of ammo in your bag too (not in mags or gun case) without any declaration at all. It must be in its original manufacturers packaging however.


Cheers!

I think I read on UA's website that it can be in the gun case...

I have put many miles on United, not all of them with guns, but I do fly at least twice a year to points outside San Diego with firearms. Never have had a problem. With that said there are always those moments of WTF just happened. But they are rare.
I feel that your statements are unjust. I'm Not defending libtards, SFO or United, but the statements are rather uncanny. If you dont like United's rating off the internet Fly someone else.

Just my 2 cents.

no worries. I was just going off what I read on TFL and THR... lot's of bad stories.

[9mmepiphany]

sounds good. I know United requires the firearms be locked in a hard case, again locked in a hard-sided luggage/check-in...

You've now posted this a couple of times and I'm a bit confused.

It is of course possible that they changed their rules, but when I flew with guns alot (couple of years ago) only the case holding the gun was required to be a hard case. I always put that case inside my nylon duffel. This was a couple of handguns

[Fjold]

United along with all the other US carriers only require that the gun is carried IAW with the US regulations, i.e. in a hard sided case, locked case.

As far as United goes it hit or miss depending on how knowledgeable the ticket agent and the supervisor is. I've had them take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2.5 hours to get my guns checked in when flying. If the final destination is in the US it seems to go quicker but last month it took the agents in SFO 1.5 hours to check our rifles through to Africa.

[baggss]

I wouldn't worry about it. You're not doing anything wrong.

Having traveled with my firearms in tow, this is the single biggest thing to keep in mind. You are not doing anything wrong. You are simply exercising your rights in the prescribed manner for safe air transport.

What is fun is when you leave the security area in an airport in a free state, grab your hard sided case and suitcase, break out your holster and bring out the weapon and wear in on your hip legally. I was nervous the first time I did this in VA, but I acted as if it was the most natural thing in the world and no seemed to notice. That being said, always know the rules at your destination, even free states, before traveling.