Exterior Luggage locks for flying?

[p7fl]

I have a flight coming up. In my check in bag will be two pistols. Spoke to the airline about their rules. I have a small carry on sized Pelican that I will pack the guns in and within that is a small locking box.

(Ammo is original box and separate.)

In the past TSA has me lock the small interior box, but I don’t remember what their practice is for the outside locks.

How are the exterior locks handled by TSA. Should I bring my own, buy advertised TSA locks etc?

TIA

jon

[FranDoc]

I'll beat everybody to the punch here ... do a search using "TSA". There have been several recent threads.

Once TSA has searched the bag - in your presence - you may apply a non-TSA lock to the outermost bag. The bag is then carried directly to 'the belt', which will take it to the plane and bypass any further scanning/inspection.

[Carlos]

Drill holes in your hard case and U-lock both pistols to the inside of your suitcase through the bars at the back.

I am not joking. Unless you physically attach the pistols to the suitcase, they can be removed and easily take home by baggage handlers (they often get their hands on TSA master keys for the TSA approved locks).

TSA can insist that the bag not be locked or that a TSA lock be used. It is not up to them whether the guns are attached to something bigger - like your entire suitcase.

[p7fl]

"Search TSA"

I just slapped myself on the head.

[CSEMARTIN]

How are the exterior locks handled by TSA.?

[davidwiz]

Make sure that the TSA drone re-locks the case before it gets placed on the conveyor belt!!!! One rocket scientist almost did just that with a case containing my AR, M1S90 and 1911.

[blkbrd]

TSA will make up rules as they go without consulting the FAA approved airline rules the airline has to abide by. And the airline counter person may not know sht.

Check your airline web sight for the rules and carry a copy with you.

It is flat out illegal for a TSA person to open your locked firearm case without you personally present.

With a pistol to be in compliance a good move is to have your pistol locked in a case with non tsa locks inside your suitcase that is locked with a tsa lock.

For security, try a cable lock passing through the frame of your gun through the side of the pistol case and around the suitcase frame with a big old master lock. Works to keep your pistol and case from walking off.

On the outside of your pistol case which will be inside your suitcase, have a placard that reads. Per FAA and bfe airline policy the owner of this case must be present before opening. name, cell #.

No I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn select. I work for an airline and deal with TSA's ever changing policy's constantly.

[bgary]

A couple of tidbts (call this "voice of experience")

-- TSA will do whatever they want to do. Learn to live with it. As they quite succinctly said, while I was "discussing" something with them at one point, "Mr. Gary, there's really only one thing you have to decide right now, and that's do you want to get on an airplane or don't you. If you do, just follow my directions."

-- TSA will cut off external locks if they feel they "need" to. They will cut off *TSA* locks, if that's easier [for them] than finding their key. I've had TSA locks cut off, twice. Learn to live with it. I generally use "real" locks that only *I* have the key to, and I always pack a couple of "spare" locks into my luggage, so in case my bag shows up at my destination with cut locks, I can [re]lock it for my trip home.

-- MUCH of the headaches with TSA can be avoided if you ask to watch while they inspect your luggage. They're usually pretty congenial people if you engage them as "a person", and they're often intrigued by the guns they find and ask questions about the sport. That's A Good Thing.

-- TSA will generally want the bag to be unlocked when it reaches them. Counter agents want you to leave your bag unlocked to make it easier for TSA (some counter agents will even say they *require* it to be unlocked). Politely but firmly decline that. Federal law requires that your gun be in a *locked* case when it goes on a plane, and given the relative competence of counter-people, I'm not willing to "trust" that anyone but me will lock my bag. IMHO, it is against Federal law for you to put your gun into unlocked baggage, even if it is "someone else" who forgot to lock it. So, I am really reluctant to let it out of my sight if it isn't locked. If the counter agent wants you to unlock it, decline. Instead, leave it locked, tell them that you will be happy to accompany your bag to TSA, and be prepared to hand the key to TSA while you watch them inspect it (above).

-- TSA will generally NOT allow you to touch the bag after they have inspected it. They won't let you re-pack it. They won't let you put the lock back on it. Learn to live with it. Be prepared to watch cheerfully while they do their thing, and watch to make sure they lock it when they are done.

-- If your bag shows up on the carousel and the locks are missing, (IMHO) don't touch it. Go grab a customer service agent (not just the guy slinging bags onto the conveyor belt), drag them over, and tell them your concern: you had a firearm in your checked bag, it was locked when it cleared TSA, it is *not* locked now, and you want them available to watch/witness while you take possession of your bag and check to see if its contents are intact. If anything is missing, they won't have any way to say "but, how do we know it wasn't there when you took your bag off the carousel???"

-- Throughout *all* of this, have patience and a sense of humor. Nothing good happens when you argue with them. Lots of things go a lot smoother if you act like you've done this a million times, it is all part of a normal day, and you're cheerfully available to help *them* do it smoothly.

$.02

B

Edited February 18, 2009 by bgary

[Carlos]

Very good advice! At all times (except one) try to be as polite as possible and agree with *most* of what they ask (see above).

IF, in the sad event that your luggage containing your gun is missing upon arrival, THEN (and only then) make a big deal out of it. They usually have an office set up to deal with lost luggage. If they simply tell you "It seems to be lost." Then you might consider telling them:

"That bag contains a properly-checked firearm and ammunition. Since a weapon and ammunition appear to be unaccounted for in a controlled area of your airport, I am calling the FBI, TSA and FAA - and you must immediately lock down this entire airport until the weapon in your controlled area is located."

That might seem a bit dramatic at first. BUT, look at how the airports react when a single person somehow slips through their security screening: they shut down that terminal. Nothing goes out and EVERYONE is re-screened.

WHY should they ignore your lost firearm in their secure area? (Answer: they should treat it just as seriously as an unscreened passenger).

A couple of tidbts (call this "voice of experience")

-- If your bag shows up on the carousel and the locks are missing, (IMHO) don't touch it. Go grab a customer service agent (not just the guy slinging bags onto the conveyor belt), drag them over, and tell them your concern: you had a firearm in your checked bag, it was locked when it cleared TSA, it is *not* locked now, and you want them available to watch/witness while you take possession of your bag and check to see if its contents are intact. If anything is missing, they won't have any way to say "but, how do we know it wasn't there when you took your bag off the carousel???"

-- Throughout *all* of this, have patience and a sense of humor. Nothing good happens when you argue with them. Lots of things go a lot smoother if you act like you've done this a million times, it is all part of a normal day, and you're cheerfully available to help *them* do it smoothly.

$.02

B

[JKSNIPER]

In addition to the above good advice:

Pay for the extra insurance on your bags through the airline.

They are MUCH less likely to have something "disappear" when it is insured for multi thousand dollars.

If they can't provide enough insurance due to their "cap" on insurance amounts then contact your life ins agent or homeowners and see if you can get a policy to cover your firearms whlie you're traveling.

I paid for the extra at the counter of Southwest and they called over thier supervisor to approve the amount.

They conducted the inspection right there and had me lock the case (non-TSA locks) right there and put stickers on it saying "Insured Item" all over it before it went into luggage land.

I definitely felt that they treated my stuff much better when it was insured for loss/damage for 5 grand than they would have if I'd have just thrown it up there for them to do with according to their normal procedure.

Good luck,

JK

[gose]

My experiences so far:

- I've been told by several counter agents to lock my cases BEFORE going to TSA with them.

- I've always been asked to be present when they check my bags (except in Tulsa )

- I've specifically been told to NOT use TSA locks.

[CSEMARTIN]

Pay for the extra insurance on your bags through the airline.

If they can't provide enough insurance due to their "cap" on insurance amounts then contact your life ins agent or homeowners and see if you can get a policy to cover your firearms whlie you're traveling.

Very Good advice. However, some airlines won't insure firearms. And some homeowner's rider policies won't cover the firearm if you give up possession of that firearm.

And also remember that in some states such as Mass., you are guilty of a felony if your gun is stolen.

[davidwiz]

And also remember that in some states such as Mass., you are guilty of a felony if your gun is stolen.

Not being a Mass resident, but the NRA-ILA's page for Mass' gun laws just says that the firearm owner has to notify the executive director of the Criminal History Systems Board, and the licensing authority in the city or town where the owner resides is a firearm is lost, stolen, or recovered. Doesn't say anything about it being a felony to have your firearm stolen.

[Putty]

I just went through TSA to AZ. Check in luggage with gun in case , locked by your personal lock ( i used the cable locks that come with sti guns) and a TSA lock on the OUTSIDE of your luggage. Not mandatory to have a lock on the outside but if you do it has to be a TSA lock. Good extra insurance.