Checking firearms
Jan 16, 2013, 10:19 am
#91
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
The US form isn't available online, you have to obtain it and complete it at the airport. In PHX, this means giving yourself up to an hour extra time, as the GA finding the form isn't always the swiftest process, and the TSA can be very obtuse when it comes to examining the case.
From their site:
"US Airways will allow passengers to transport firearms in accordance with Federal Law.
Items of shooting equipment will be accepted as checked baggage only.
A passenger who presents checked baggage that contains a firearm must declare the weapon and sign a written acknowledgement that the firearm is unloaded.
Firearms must be packed in a manufacturer’s hard–sided container specifically designed for the firearm, a locked hard–sided gun case, or a locked hard–sided piece of luggage. Handguns may be packed in a locked hard–sided gun case, and then packed inside an unlocked soft–sided piece of luggage. However, a Conditional Acceptance Tag must be used in this case.
Baggage containing firearms must be locked at all times and the key or lock combination retained by the passenger.
A Firearm Unloaded Declaration form (available only at the airport) must be signed and placed inside the bag or gun case.
Checked ammunition may not exceed 11 lbs/5 kg per person. Ammunition clips with ammunition loaded are not accepted. Ammunition must be packed in the original manufacturing package or constructed of wood, fiber, plastic, or metal and provide separation for cartridges. Ammunition may be checked in the same piece of luggage as a firearm. No additional documentation is required.
There is no limit to the number of items contained in rifle, shotgun or pistol case, up to 50 lbs/23 kg, 62 in/157 cm in maximum.
A passenger who presents a firearm to be checked to an international destination must be in possession of all required import documentation for their international destination city and any international transit points. It is the responsibility of the passenger to acquire the required documentation from the applicable government entity prior to travel (usually a consulate or embassy). Firearms will not be accepted for transport if international import requirements have not been met."
Images from older, completed forms online:
http://www.arkansascarry.com/uploads...rways_back.jpg
and
http://thegunzone.com/images/declarationform.jpg
From their site:
"US Airways will allow passengers to transport firearms in accordance with Federal Law.
Items of shooting equipment will be accepted as checked baggage only.
A passenger who presents checked baggage that contains a firearm must declare the weapon and sign a written acknowledgement that the firearm is unloaded.
Firearms must be packed in a manufacturer’s hard–sided container specifically designed for the firearm, a locked hard–sided gun case, or a locked hard–sided piece of luggage. Handguns may be packed in a locked hard–sided gun case, and then packed inside an unlocked soft–sided piece of luggage. However, a Conditional Acceptance Tag must be used in this case.
Baggage containing firearms must be locked at all times and the key or lock combination retained by the passenger.
A Firearm Unloaded Declaration form (available only at the airport) must be signed and placed inside the bag or gun case.
Checked ammunition may not exceed 11 lbs/5 kg per person. Ammunition clips with ammunition loaded are not accepted. Ammunition must be packed in the original manufacturing package or constructed of wood, fiber, plastic, or metal and provide separation for cartridges. Ammunition may be checked in the same piece of luggage as a firearm. No additional documentation is required.
There is no limit to the number of items contained in rifle, shotgun or pistol case, up to 50 lbs/23 kg, 62 in/157 cm in maximum.
A passenger who presents a firearm to be checked to an international destination must be in possession of all required import documentation for their international destination city and any international transit points. It is the responsibility of the passenger to acquire the required documentation from the applicable government entity prior to travel (usually a consulate or embassy). Firearms will not be accepted for transport if international import requirements have not been met."
Images from older, completed forms online:
http://www.arkansascarry.com/uploads...rways_back.jpg
and
http://thegunzone.com/images/declarationform.jpg
Form is less than I expected, which is good. ^ Thanks for posting the link. ^
Jan 17, 2013, 9:36 am
#92
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Programs: AA 2MM - UA 1P / Hyatt Diamond - SPG Plat / Hertz 5* - Avis 1st
Posts: 3,886
Yes, very sophisticated, isn't it?
Almost as sophisticated as the TSA goober in another city, who, upon receiving my large, obvious gun cases with reliefs of hunting scenes and multiple padlocks and a bright pink Declaration form attached to it ran it through the xray and exclaimed, "There's a gun in there!"
Enjoy the modern experience of transporting your firearms by air, and be prepared for similar demonstrations of intelligence.
Almost as sophisticated as the TSA goober in another city, who, upon receiving my large, obvious gun cases with reliefs of hunting scenes and multiple padlocks and a bright pink Declaration form attached to it ran it through the xray and exclaimed, "There's a gun in there!"
Enjoy the modern experience of transporting your firearms by air, and be prepared for similar demonstrations of intelligence.
Jan 18, 2013, 1:13 pm
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,607
Apr 9, 2013, 6:27 am
#94
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Arizona
Programs: Southwest, US Airways, Hilton Marriott
Posts: 32
I'm PHX based and the TSA firearm inspection team are very professional and friendly. Because I travel each week I've gotten to know them and their own firearm likes and dislikes. Whether I'm traveling to a match or just a normal business trip it's nice to see that some of the TSA are people are not just the automatons that we see too often.
Apr 9, 2013, 2:13 pm
#95
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
I'm PHX based and the TSA firearm inspection team are very professional and friendly. Because I travel each week I've gotten to know them and their own firearm likes and dislikes. Whether I'm traveling to a match or just a normal business trip it's nice to see that some of the TSA are people are not just the automatons that we see too often.
One thing I didn't realize - we didn't have to declare extra magazines we had packed in the suitcase. We had them locked up in a hard case, but TSA told us we didn't have to - didn't even have to let them know. I was quite surprised.
Another interesting tidbit - US limited us to one locked case each with firearms. It wasn't published on their website but the CP line let me know. You can have multiple guns in case (we had two pistols in one), but only one case per traveler.