I just flew back in yesterday. I have been away, training some good guys who are in a tough situation and needed some help. I traveled with a couple Glocks.
Prior to flight, I went to the airlines website and printed off the instructions for putting weapons in checked bags. They had the hard side case requirements, locks, etc all on the website in very easy to follow format. I kept a copy of their rules with me when I went to the airport. I gave myself an hour extra since I have zero faith in TSA.
I literally had the airlines rules in hand and showed the person checking that I went down the very short list. The person looked at me, with my papers in hand and said " good enough for me". Then slipped his paperwork in the case and closed it. Never asked me to show the weapons clear.
Appearance is everything. If you look like you are 100% compliant and don't look like you are trying to pull a fast one, chances of problems are greatly reduced. I was done, start to finish in maybe 5-7 minutes.
Regular TSA screening to get to the gate takes longer.
Very much my experience, and my flight was into and out of O-Hare in Chicago. The "Appearance is everything" comment is really true. To make the Airline folks and TSA folks more at ease, I took a photocopy of my Drivers license and my four CCW permits and taped it down with clear taps to one side of my pistol box. I then taped a copy of my FFL (the TSA and Airline folks don't typically know the difference between a full and a C&R FFL) to the other side of the box. Stand tall but relaxed, and TELL the airline baggage agent that you need one of thier unloaded firearms declaration forms to sign. Having an old one in hand from a previous flight is a good idea, and say "like this one that I used on my last flight" in hand to show them is also helpful, IMO. looking like you are a knowledgeable, relaxed, compliant good guy with lots of paperwork in hand goes a long ways toward a smooth transfer.
I did not have the Airlines and TSA's rules in hand last time out to Chicago, but that is a grand idea that I plan to execute in the future.
At Chicago/O'Hare an airport official came and got my suitcase with the handgun in it and carried it to the TSA station, in JFK New York they actually called an airport/City Police officer to carry my firearms case over to TSA but no real heartburn moments. So far I have been very fortunate to have airport and police personell who were gun friendly and wanted to talk about the guns I had and was transproting. I do not count on this, however, and I am going to add Mackay Sagebrush's idea's AND Bluedreaux's ideas. AH64guy had very good insight and thoughts, too.
Even though I have flown with firearms some, I learned from this thread and will be even MORE prepared and equiped on my next flight!
Thanks to Crusader for starting this thread, and thanks to a couple of well educated and experienced guys for adding in their two cents worth (very valuable and helpful!) here.
