I hate flying. Somehow, despite my profession, I ended up on the "no fly list" (maybe it is an Alaskan thing -- Sen Stevens' wife was on there, so is our Congressman, Don Young...). I often get selected for extra screening, my checked luggage gets rummaged through and delayed, I can't check in online or at the kiosk (thus meaning extra waits...) and so on. I have almost missed flights before. It is obnoxious.
Well, someone hit on a genius idea. It doesn't solve all the problems but it helps with the checked baggage issues: fly with a gun!
You can transport a firearm in your checked luggage. In fact, all sorts of things count as firearms for travel purposes such as starter pistols, flare guns, gun parts, airsoft, etc. so even if flying to a gun-unfriendly jurisdiction you may be able to do this. If you do this, you can transport your luggage in a hard case with a lock on it. A lock with which you are legally required to NOT give anyone else access to, including TSA. That means no searches of your luggage other than x-rays and the sniffer machine.
Additionally, while the airline can't label the case as having a firearm (that would be like a sign that says "Steal me!"), it can put it in the "Don't Lose this Luggage, Seriously Baggage Dudes" pile. That means you're less likely to have your luggage lost or delayed.
It seems like a really good idea to me. I may start trying this to reduce hassle when I fly.
WARNING: The link above is Not Safe for Work. I do not endorse, support, or otherwise encourage "hacking" or any other questionable activity that the above link refers to. I just think the guy has a great idea for enhancing privacy and reducing hassle while flying.
Forbes Article on Why NRA Won
28 minutes ago
You have some baloney here.
ReplyDeleteThe TSA MOST CERTAINLY CAN LOOK in your gun case, and if they want to, you had better be close by with the key or combo or guess what case is NOT going on the plane? That's why you need to stand by the TSA screening area as they Xray the bag with your gun case in it. If you just wander off to the gate and they can't contact you because you didn't hear the page while you were in the john, your bag will not fly.
It is true that the TSA is not supposed to handle your gun, and you should register a complaint if they do, but they can have you open it, or take your key and open it, to check any other items in that gun case that look funny on the Xray. And the more stuff you put in with your gun -- especially techy looking stuff, that might look like bomb parts -- the more likely they are going to want to open the case and see it in person.
I have flown my guns a lot -- most times they go thru without a look, but sometimes not. I am always there, and the TSA guys have always been professional and hassle free about it.
Airlines don't give a rat's whatsit about whether your bag has a gun in it or not once they hand it off to the TSA. The TSA screens it, and it goes on the pile with all the other bags. No special piles. And that is probably a good thing, because "special" means "steal me." That's why they got rid of the stickers they used to put on bags that had guns many moons ago.
There is one case where it might speed things up -- Continental in Denver has people checking odd things go to special check-in counter, which usually has a much shorter line than the normal check in counters. "Odd" things include skis, golf clubs, pets, and guns. The downside is that the TSA screening area is clear across the airport, so a baggage agent takes your bag (you can't touch it), and you follow him, for five minute walk to the screening area -- and a five minute walk back to throw it on the baggage conveyer.
True, TSA can still screen it. I've flown with firearms before and that is the case. However, they screen it right in front of you (because you're the only one with the key). There's none of those cards that you find in your rummaged luggage that say, "Hey, we tossed your bag at some point in the journey, have a nice day" to surprise you. At least at Ted Stevens here in AK, they usually screen other bags elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteWe also have a shorter check in line for the "special" bags too.
I don't know if the airline handles it differently. I've heard that they put a different barcode on there; they aren't allowed to use an obvious marking as we all know. I'd be interested to talk to someone from the airlines and see what they say.
In any event, I think the advantage of not having your luggage searched not in front of you is of value. Anything else would just be gravy.