Flying with Guns [Episode 22] – Slight Hiccup at Check-In

In Episode 22 of Flying with Guns, things didn’t go quite as smoothly as usual.

When declaring a firearm at the airline counter, TSA and airline staff usually don’t ask to open the locked firearm case when that lockbox is packed inside another piece of luggage. In those cases, the declaration form is simply taped to the outside of the locked box, and that’s it.

But this time, the counter agent asked me to open the lockbox. As soon as I did, she asked if the firearms were unloaded. I confirmed they were, locked it back up, and we finished the check-in process with no real issues.

Could I have asked for a manager? Sure. Technically, there was no reason to open the case. But I fly out of this airport weekly and often recognize the agents. Unless something is clearly wrong, I’d rather not make a scene or risk delays over a minor deviation from the norm. If it had gone further, I absolutely would have escalated it.

Check out the video below, and catch up on previous episodes of Flying with Guns to see how flying with firearms can vary depending on the airport, airline, and even the agent you get.