Account of Flying with Firearms

Ben Making sense of co-branded flights operated by partnered airlines.
IAD --> PDX 2009-12-21	PDX --> IAD 2009-12-27

Luggage & Gear
Ben took this trip to Oregon with a Pelican 1630 case (with wheels and a pull handle, weights 35 lbs empty) secured with two Abloy Protec executive (PL 321) padlocks. Ben was carrying a Glock 33 and Smith & Wesson 329PD with one box of ammo each and three empty magazines in two Maxpedition 8X12 padded pistol cases inside a duffel bag with all his other gear (oc holster, gun holsters, map pouch, etc.). All of this was then placed inside the locked hard-sided Pelican case.

Outbound Travel
Ben was kind enough to provide a highly-detailed summary in full, descriptive sentences and therefore we are more than happy to feature the exact text of his words here...

I went to the U.S. Airways ticket counter since my ticket said "U.S. Airways (operated by United)," but saw a sign that said "U.S. Airways flights with #s between 'X' and 'XX' go to United counter." So, I went to the United counter to check in. The counter staff were absolutely terrible in terms of helping people check in. I waited in line and then when I got up to the counter there was no person helping me, only an automated check-in type computer. So, I checked in at the computer, but since no one was there helping me I waited to declare my firearms until the computer printed a tag for my luggage and a United worker came over to put it on my bag and throw it on the conveyor belt. At that point, I said, "Wait, I need to declare two firearms I'm traveling with in my checked baggage today." The guy was like, "?."

Turns out he didn't speak English. So I grabbed my bag so he couldn't put the luggage tag on it and said I would wait to talk to this other United lady helping somebody else at that time. Anyway, I finally got her attention, said I needed to declare two firearms in my bag, and she scolded me for not telling her immediately once I got to the ticket counter. So, I apologized, said I messed up, and asked what to do next. She said because I had an "oversized" bag (which it actually wasn't according to United's definition on their website), I had to go to this other line.

So, I waited in the other line, but when I finally got to the counter and talked to an actual person, the guy knew the procedure. He was very helpful and had obviously checked people with guns before. He had me fill out the orange tag, put it in my duffel bag with my two guns, lock my bag back up, and then he took the bag to the TSA screeners at the secondary screening area right by the ticket counter, and then actually put my bag in front of everyone else's who was waiting and told the TSA people I had firearms in my bag. He said to just wait around until they had screened it and given me the O.K., before heading to the gate. I did this, TSA said everything was O.K., and I went on my way to the gate with no problems.

arrived at PDX with no problems, picked up my bag off the baggage carousel, and was on my way.

Homebound Travel
Once again, checked in at the United ticket counter (not U.S. Airways). Told the woman directing people that I had two firearms to declare in my checked bag right up front (actually, I was already in line and remembered to tell her). She said I was in the right line for checking the guns.

When I got to the counter, the woman was very nice and helpful but seemed like she hadn't checked any firearms before. She gave me the orange tag but had to ask one of her co-workers to verify whether I was supposed to put inside my bag on top of the duffel with my guns or actually inside the zipped duffel with the guns. I told them they had me put them inside the actual zipped duffel on my flight to PDX, and they agreed with me and I put them in the duffel. Her co-worker did ask me at that point if I had any ammunition. I said yes, two boxes. He asked to see the ammunition. I pulled out one of the soft gun cases from the duffel, unzipped it, and showed him the factory box of ammo, and he said that was O.K. and didn't ask me to show him the second box in the second soft case with my second gun.

I took my bag from there to the TSA secondary screening area (again very close to the ticket counter), they took it and said to wait on the other side for their O.K. before leaving for the gate.. I did that, they O.K'd it once they ran it through the screener, and I was on my way to the gate.

I arrived at IDA with no problems. Picked up my bag from the carousel and was on my way, although one of the latches on my Pelican case was in the "up" position (not "down" like it should be) when I got my bag, but nothing was missing since it was double locked and all the other latches were down. It probably flipped up inadvertently when someone was handling it on the way to the plane or off the plane at IDA.

Final Details & Thoughts
From a firearms perspective, I would definitely fly United again.

Air Travel Ratings
If you don't have the time or the desire to read the full text of someone's account of air travel, you can simply refer to the rating shown at the conclusion of each portion of that person's journey. The following criteria are used in assigning these ratings...

Four Stars	check-in - no hassle, no delay screening - in full view, lock and unlock yourself luggage - all on time and intact
Three Stars	check-in - some delay or mild hassle screening - somewhat obscured, locking and unlocking yourself or it's done directly in front of you luggage - all on time and intact
Two Stars	check-in - major delay or major hassle screening - in a room or area that you could not enter and could barely observe luggage - luggage opened non-destructively
One Star	check-in - flight missed or passenger delayed from flying, properly packed items denied as luggage screening - luggage unlocked and opened totally in another area fully removed from you luggage - destructive entry into luggage and/or tampering with firearms
Zero Stars	This is a special category for outright theft, loss, or damage of firearms during air travel
half-star results are possible... naturally, they involve partial or mitigated problems that somehow fall in-between the above categories