keith44spl
Member
A few years ago, I was catching a flight out of DFW and TSA paged me
to come to the luggage area to open my suitcase and the pistol case for them.
Again, no big deal.......
.
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Airline reminder
- Thread starter ISCS Yoda
- Start date
A few years ago, I was catching a flight out of DFW and TSA paged me
to come to the luggage area to open my suitcase and the pistol case for them.
Again, no big deal.......
.
OP
Just FYI, I understand that this is acceptable - I'm just telling you that was not the original intent of the law. The lack of clarity in the language led to where we are today.
The video above shows a small, lockable case going into a larger case - but the larger case is also hard sided and lockable! it is not one of today's typical soft sided cases.
And using a case that screams "gun" might not be wise but there are a host of hard sided cases, as I showed in my original post, that work. Besides using a real, hard sided, locking suitcase (my usual method), I have used a locking, aluminum, briefcase sized "Americase" (R) brand of gun case - it suggests "gun", perhaps, but doesn't scream it, and the variety of cases that people check make it virtually unnoticeable.
Americase
(c) Americase 2016
There are many vintage suitcases that can be used for this purpose also, as long as you can get them with a key for the locks. I have one small one that looks like a child's little suitcase, it locks, and the only thing in it actually is one of those inexpensive plastic gun cases - it keeps the gun from moving around plus it's packed with foam so the little case doesn't move, either. TSA doesn't even blink when I use it - it must be nearly 60 or 65 years old, too!
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OP
Further remarks - sorry....
TSA gives you your keys back - naturally, anything that someone can easily open will not be approved. TSA locks are for normal luggage, not gun cases. There is an assumption - if the TSA can open it, anyone can open it.
This is why I cannot understand the current "state of the art", so to speak. Anyone can cut open a soft sided case and remove a locked, hard sided case inside of it. The use of a locked, hard gun case inside a soft piece of luggage doesn't seem to me to meet this definition.
TSA gives you your keys back - naturally, anything that someone can easily open will not be approved. TSA locks are for normal luggage, not gun cases. There is an assumption - if the TSA can open it, anyone can open it.
This is why I cannot understand the current "state of the art", so to speak. Anyone can cut open a soft sided case and remove a locked, hard sided case inside of it. The use of a locked, hard gun case inside a soft piece of luggage doesn't seem to me to meet this definition.
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No one has to cut a soft sided case, they can just open it. Same with a hard sided case. They are rarely locked, and if they are locked with a TSA approved lock, who knows how many people have master keys.
Which is why I cable the box to the rail of the suitcase no matter what style of suit case I'm using.
The TSA is not supposed to take your keys from you. They are supposed to bring you to where your suitcase is so that you can open it in their presence.
The TSA does that at some airports (Logan, DFW), but does not at others (Pensacola, and I think NOLA). In all cases the TSA staff will insist that their interpretation of the rules is the only correct one and that every other airport does it wrong.
Which is why I cable the box to the rail of the suitcase no matter what style of suit case I'm using.
The TSA is not supposed to take your keys from you. They are supposed to bring you to where your suitcase is so that you can open it in their presence.
The TSA does that at some airports (Logan, DFW), but does not at others (Pensacola, and I think NOLA). In all cases the TSA staff will insist that their interpretation of the rules is the only correct one and that every other airport does it wrong.
Further remarks - sorry....
TSA gives you your keys back - naturally, anything that someone can easily open will not be approved. TSA locks are for normal luggage, not gun cases. There is an assumption - if the TSA can open it, anyone can open it.
This is why I cannot understand the current "state of the art", so to speak. Anyone can cut open a soft sided case and remove a locked, hard sided case inside of it. The use of a locked, hard gun case inside a soft piece of luggage doesn't seem to me to meet this definition.
OP
Sorry - so much misinformation....
I don't understand how anyone was abused like that by TSA. I have never used a TSA lock on my lockable, hard sided luggage because either the locks are built internally into the luggage itself (see the Americase above or any modern Delsey lockable hard sided luggage, for example) and there is no place for a padlock or I used (on one particular case) my own, extremely durable padlocks, big ones, not those silly, little things. The problem seems to be that TSA doesn't understand it's own rules and neither do the airlines.
Back in the day the airlines required you to declare your firearms and show it was unloaded. Then they figured out it wasn't their job to check so TSA started doing. Now, depending on the airport, you get one of these:
1. Airline personnel check the gun, give you the tag, you put it into the suitcase, lock it, and they take the luggage.
2. Airline personnel issue you the tag, you toss it into the luggage, lock it, TSA takes it, x-rays it, done and done.
3. Airline personnel check the gun, give you the tag, you put it into the suitcase, lock it, and they escort you to TSA where they check it again - or not, as the case may be. It will be x-rayed. Sometimes they ask you if the tag is inside.
4. Airline personnel hand you the tag after you make the declaration and they take the bag and wheel it to TSA while you walk alongside, TSA takes it, ensures that the tag is inside, you lock it, they give you the key, they x-ray, done and done.
There are a couple of other variations but you get the point. I've seen them all, including the time they took my locked suitcase and tossed it onto a conveyor belt and I protested, saying there was a gun and a procedure, they said don't worry about it.....
I don't understand how anyone was abused like that by TSA. I have never used a TSA lock on my lockable, hard sided luggage because either the locks are built internally into the luggage itself (see the Americase above or any modern Delsey lockable hard sided luggage, for example) and there is no place for a padlock or I used (on one particular case) my own, extremely durable padlocks, big ones, not those silly, little things. The problem seems to be that TSA doesn't understand it's own rules and neither do the airlines.
Back in the day the airlines required you to declare your firearms and show it was unloaded. Then they figured out it wasn't their job to check so TSA started doing. Now, depending on the airport, you get one of these:
1. Airline personnel check the gun, give you the tag, you put it into the suitcase, lock it, and they take the luggage.
2. Airline personnel issue you the tag, you toss it into the luggage, lock it, TSA takes it, x-rays it, done and done.
3. Airline personnel check the gun, give you the tag, you put it into the suitcase, lock it, and they escort you to TSA where they check it again - or not, as the case may be. It will be x-rayed. Sometimes they ask you if the tag is inside.
4. Airline personnel hand you the tag after you make the declaration and they take the bag and wheel it to TSA while you walk alongside, TSA takes it, ensures that the tag is inside, you lock it, they give you the key, they x-ray, done and done.
There are a couple of other variations but you get the point. I've seen them all, including the time they took my locked suitcase and tossed it onto a conveyor belt and I protested, saying there was a gun and a procedure, they said don't worry about it.....
OP
Quite true. I forget that the checked bags of luggage are routinely not locked because (a) I don't use soft sided luggage where guns are concerned and (b) my soft sided cases are always zip-tied/locked. TSA can cut them open but, if they do, they always zip-tie them closed again. In the past, anyway.
"Smile and be polite no matter what. Airline staff and the TSA deal with a lot of angry and nasty people. A smile, a few kind words, and a comment or two about how hard it is to fix some of the problems they encounter sometimes work wonders with airline staff. If the person in front of you is nasty, be especially nice when it's your turn. "
I've flown almost two million miles, and this is the best advice anyone can give you when dealing with Airline personnel. You would be amazed at how helpful they can be if you smile and are polite.
I've flown almost two million miles, and this is the best advice anyone can give you when dealing with Airline personnel. You would be amazed at how helpful they can be if you smile and are polite.
Smiling and being polite was the difference between having to find a hotel on my own, getting transportation to and from the airport, and mean vouchers and being on my own. It was a rough night for the airline staff because flights were cancelled for a number of reasons. In my case it went from weather to "mechanical trouble".
I fly with me. Kinda kills that rule . . .
Sorry - so much misinformation....
I don't understand how anyone was abused like that by TSA. I have never used a TSA lock on my lockable, hard sided luggage because either the locks are built internally into the luggage itself (see the Americase above or any modern Delsey lockable hard sided luggage, for example) and there is no place for a padlock or I used (on one particular case) my own, extremely durable padlocks, big ones, not those silly, little things. The problem seems to be that TSA doesn't understand it's own rules and neither do the airlines.
Back in the day the airlines required you to declare your firearms and show it was unloaded. Then they figured out it wasn't their job to check so TSA started doing. Now, depending on the airport, you get one of these:
1. Airline personnel check the gun, give you the tag, you put it into the suitcase, lock it, and they take the luggage.
2. Airline personnel issue you the tag, you toss it into the luggage, lock it, TSA takes it, x-rays it, done and done.
3. Airline personnel check the gun, give you the tag, you put it into the suitcase, lock it, and they escort you to TSA where they check it again - or not, as the case may be. It will be x-rayed. Sometimes they ask you if the tag is inside.
4. Airline personnel hand you the tag after you make the declaration and they take the bag and wheel it to TSA while you walk alongside, TSA takes it, ensures that the tag is inside, you lock it, they give you the key, they x-ray, done and done.
There are a couple of other variations but you get the point. I've seen them all, including the time they took my locked suitcase and tossed it onto a conveyor belt and I protested, saying there was a gun and a procedure, they said don't worry about it.....
Like I've posted here and on other threads. Do what the fella' blocking your entry to the airplane says. Don't tell him/her they're doing it wrong . . .
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