Traveling with Firearms: Different TSA Procedures/Experiences

[runcible]

That would be a corporate entity trying to persuade you to perform a procedural and CFR violation for their convenience and with risk only to you; it’s not uncommon, but it’s not in your best interest either. You being called back in the first place is primarily due to them failing to arrange proper screening of the baggage upon check-in, and you being asked to surrender a key, combination, and/or use a “TSA approved lock” on baggage containing a firearm is them stacking the deck in case they’re called-out for failing to arrange proper screening prior to the bag continuing on. Implying or threatening that locks will be cut off in the event that you do not, is preying upon the general ignorance of the flying public. In the event that you have locks cut off of baggage containing firearms, I would strongly recommend that you describe the event to TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov such that if a trend is identified the airline personnel involved might be kindly re-educated on the matter.

[GardoneVT]

I agree, and to be clear the airline minions didn’t insist that I use the TSA locks. They were basically just warning me that if I chose to use non-TSA locks, the process was going to take longer than it had previously, which it definitely did.

At one airport (West Palm Beach, FL), the airline minion wouldn’t even give me my ID back or my ticket until TSA gave their blessing.


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The best practices I follow are twofold; one is arrive with at least two and a half hours of time ahead of departure. Best case scenario I breeze through and gain time to kill at an airport lounge. Worst case , I have bufffer time if TSA or the airline throws a fit. It’s tough to wait for escalation when the clocks ticking on your departure.

Next is to keep two copies of the latest TSA publication on how to handle the locks, with a timestamp on the printouts. This saved me some grief flying out of LA once ; I was able to educate the misinformed gate agent on the spot by simply showing her the documentation. She read Copy #2 and we got on with the task at hand. Make sure you keep the papers in your carry on!

[nalesq]

That's crazy. What was procedure when you got to desk? Did she walk you over the tsa luggage check or did you have to wait for them to come to you?

She told me to wait near the ticket counter until the TSA called her to either give the all-clear or for me to have to go to the screening area to unlock my pistol case. Then the TSA called me on my cell phone, and insisted that I give them the combination to my locks. I complied, and then he hung up on me. Then I told the airline minions what had happened. Then she radioed the baggage people, who then eventually (like 15 minutes later) confirmed to her that the TSA released my bag to them to load onto the aircraft.

All told, this entire shenanigan took about 30 minutes. In the past, at this same airport/airline, checking a firearm took almost no time at all, because the airport minion was the one verifying that the gun was unloaded.

For what it’s worth, the airport minion agreed that this new procedure was dumb, needlessly complicated, and time consuming for everyone involved.



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[runcible]

Yeahhhh, unless there’s been a major policy change the screeners are off the res there both in not having you present to observe the screening and in asking/demanding the combination with you absent.

You’d be well within your rights to reclaim your ID from the airline representative, though it is important to emphasize that politeness and a non-aggressive comportment are pretty important if you just reach over and take it.

You’d be welcome to politely inquire with that email address something along the lines of, “what’s the best way to stay abreast of such changes at xxx airport wherein I am now required to deviate from the procedures detailed on your site at (URL)?” And then roll from there.

[jetfire]

Yeahhhh, unless there’s been a major policy change the screeners are off the res there both in not having you present to observe the screening and in asking/demanding the combination with you absent.

You’d be well within your rights to reclaim your ID from the airline representative, though it is important to emphasize that politeness and a non-aggressive comportment are pretty important if you just reach over and take it.

You’d be welcome to politely inquire with that email address something along the lines of, “what’s the best way to stay abreast of such changes at xxx airport wherein I am now required to deviate from the procedures detailed on your site at (URL)?” And then roll from there.

For what it’s worth, there has been a policy. It’s no longer required for you to be present when your case gets opened. They now interpret this line: “Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations“ to mean that TSA can request your key and then fuck off to wherever and go through your shit.

Of course, this varies from airport to airport based on their own screening procedures. I’ve had some airports do the whole “wait here and we’ll call you if we need to open your bag” then other airports will have you stand there while they scan/search it at oversize. It’s all a total crapshoot.

[runcible]

Understanding that this may not be a worthwhile fight for many, and that I may read as argumentative: that doesn’t describe a policy change. Rather, that describes a local deviation from policy; perhaps in the name of expediency or perhaps emerging from ambivalence.

Nevertheless, such persist until such a time as a member of the traveling public announces them to the TSA’s higher, thus providing the means and justification for that local airport to be recentered on the national policy as they are intended to be. While local deviations are understandable and to be expected, there is very little leeway in that organization.

It either matters to you or it doesn’t; but if tolerated, such undesirable behavior will continue to be the norm.

[jetfire]

Understanding that this may not be a worthwhile fight for many, and that I may read as argumentative: that doesn’t describe a policy change. Rather, that describes a local deviation from policy; perhaps in the name of expediency or perhaps emerging from ambivalence.

Nevertheless, such persist until such a time as a member of the traveling public announces them to the TSA’s higher, thus providing the means and justification for that local airport to be recentered on the national policy as they are intended to be. While local deviations are understandable and to be expected, there is very little leeway in that organization.

It either matters to you or it doesn’t; but if tolerated, such undesirable behavior will continue to be the norm.

Do you have the actual policy in writing somewhere? Without that, DHS can easily say that different airports can operate according to their own local OIs.

[runcible]

Do you have the actual policy in writing somewhere? Without that, DHS can easily say that different airports can operate according to their own local OIs.

That’s a very reasonable question to ask; for which I must apologize that here, is where I must bow out of the conversation.

[jetfire]

That’s a very reasonable question to ask; for which I must apologize that here, is where I must bow out of the conversation.

That is one of the oddest non-answers I’ve ever gotten.

[blues]

That is one of the oddest non-answers I’ve ever gotten.

I thought maybe it was just me...