Flying with a gun
 

Was just wondering if anybody has taken a rifle on Southwest Airlines. It says a gun can count as one of your free "checked bags" but it also says that max size of checked bags is 62 inches "Length x Width x Height. Well all of my gun cases are over 62 inches most of them 65-66 inches. Just wondering if anybody has dealt with something like this. Thanks

I've flown with southwest. I used a pelican 1750 case for my rifle. Just check in early and have ammo separate from your gun in factory boxes and you'll be good to go. Once they verified the weapon was unloaded and we put the form I signed in the case I locked it back and they passed it onto baggage. It arrived with me and no issues. Good luck on your trip

Did they charge you extra or was it free? It says anything over 62 total inches will be charged a $75 fee.

I would be more worried about the things I read baggage handlers do to obvious gun cases than paying extra to ship the gun. I made up my mind a long time ago, anywhere I hunt in the US, I will drive.

I'm with you on that one and I also don't trust anyone but myself with any of my firearms. Being retired helps in that I have plenty of time to drive wherever I hunt and not have to worry. People that have to fly just have to take the chance things will be safe and arrive on time, but if I was shipping any firearm there would darn sure be plenty of insurance on it just in case to at least cover the monetary loss.

It was free and m gun made it safely but I did gave a really good case. I did get a scare once I was flying to Utah to hunt and my flight was cancelled due t weather. I got another flight as a stand by and didn't get on but my gun and luggage did. I arrived 8 hours later and the baggage claim people collected my bags and gun and had them waiting for me. Just make sure you keep your keys. If they want to open the case they will call you to come open it.

I agree any time I hunt in the usa I prefer to drive, not only feel better about things NOT getting worked over maybe by some anti gun nut?
but allows me to bring more things with me , than flying ever would , without a ton of added costs and work.
But when I hunt in Canada or AK,, that hasn't been an option due to time frame issue's and well, AK< isn't the easiest to drive to LOL
on all my trips SO far, haven't had a single issue on gun case looking like its seen any damage
BUT twice going to Alberta, I had my gun shipped to a different destination,(once gun was sent to Texas, and once Utah)
could never get direct flights either time.
and YES Both times I paid extra for added bag, BUT I also had 3 bags, so think One of them could have been a gun for free

I Highly recommend flying in at least a day before you plan to head to your destination
as both times I had my guns some what miss shipped, it took 10-20 hrs for them to get them back to me.
and NO< airline's are NOT responsible if your bags get missed shipped, in, that if your on a guided hunt, they DON"T pay for any possible down time or lost funds on your hunt.

SO< I always fly into a hunt planning to stay near airport first night there? Just in case, as MOST places will get you, your lost bags/guns, in 24 hrs or less.

and YES I have also had bags go MIA at final destination, NOT Just my guns.
I used to fly a bunch, so?/
it happens and more than you think!

a second note I NEVER get to air port TOO early to check in, due to experiences I have had
I have a few times doing this, had bags NOT make it onto a plane, as they seem to load things, in the back order of when they get checked in, as in , First checked in, goes in plane LAST, if they run out of room, your bags DON"T make it on THAT plane!

I now wait till I see a few folks check in before I make the attempt, and TRY and sit near a window where I can watch them LOAD the plane, haven't had an issue since doing it this way!!

I have hunted Colorado for muleys and elk for the last 10 years and we always drove. Last year because of one of my partners time constraints we flew but had a friend drive the gear and guns out since he was driving. The rental was a disaster with poor tires and multiple flats which cost us hunting time and it taught me that something as serious as hunting you have to keep as much control over your destiny as possible. Once when my brother who was in the navy and coming home to hunt VT he plew with his gun. He got to camp and when he opened his Kevlar case the scope was bent from the eye piece down to the stock. Someone had to put that case into some hydraulics to bend it while it was still in the case. I would never bring a gun on an airline.

Also flying with such important equipment do yourself a favor and get yourself a GPS and put it in there with the case to your firearm.... So when the Airline says we can't find it you can pull it up on your phone and say "Here is my luggage" could save you a few days... It worked with me on TA50 equipment when going on the training for my unit. But to be honest in the lower 48 if you are hunting I drive especially if I friend goes with you. Cheaper and equipment is secure plus it is cool driving through other states and seeing the other scenery.

Something like this (I use this $40):

I agree. I drive also. It's a lot more comfortable and you don't have to be frisked in the TSA line. I don't have credit cards that provide air miles so it works out well.

Buy cheap TSA locks. Airlines are not the issue but TSA is. Fly Alaska Air from San Diego to Alaska and TSA locks good. Leaving Anchorage walk case to inspection and put TSA locks on. Get home and locks gone. Airline blames TSA. Grin and bare it with a smile. Back to Walmart for locks.

The rules are not crystal clear, but technically you should NOT have TSA locks, though nobody will stop you. The process is supposed to be:


1) Check in, declare firearms. Sign the little form and open the case, put form in and LOCK it
2) From here on you can't touch it, they take it and will typically suggest you don't go through security incase TSA wants to look in the case. They suggested 20 minutes to my wife and I. We grabbed a coffee, sat and chatted, then went through security no issue (note, some smaller airports might have TSA right there, then you're good!)


The fun is picking it up at baggage, that process seems to vary. In SD it came out in "oversized" section - so find that, it's around somewhere. In Boston we were called to the luggage office and had to show ID to get it back.


One other suggestion if driving isn't an option: Check first class prices, has the following benefits:
1) Typically your first two bags are free!
2) Typically your first two bags can weigh 70 lbs, not 50 lbs (matters when you check in and fly with boxed meat after a successful hunt)
3) Bags are marked "priority" lowering the chances that anything misses a flight.
4) Factor in drinks and food on the plane are free.


My wife and I flew home from our hunt in first class. When calculating the fee differences we figure we each "upgraded" for $50 for a cross country flight, which we then probably drank and ate that much :-) You do NOT have to go first class both ways.


We will drive from now on. to get where you are going to hunt, it takes a full day anyway, since you won't have a direct flight. We went Boston to Denver to SD. Most hunting spots are either near small airports or long drives once you land. You can drive most places in 2 days (for us, from NH to our WY hunt would have been 30 hours driving - 2 long days)


Plus you save significant baggage fees (still cost us $300 to bring home 2 deer and 2 antelope, on top of the free 4 bags we had)

last time i flew southwest the only airline i use as they are non stop from phoenix to buffalo and they never charge for my gun. matter of fact last time i flew with two check on bags my muzzleloader and a cooler with 50 lbs of deer meat and the girl didn't charge me any extra!!(maybe because her dad hunt's too)? but the gun's are pretty easy to fly with the only issue is getting someone that understands muzzleloaders because you have to show them your gun is unloaded so if you have a traditional rifle it's tough to prove if it's inline you can have it taken apart before you get there and store the parts in baggie in the gun case or like me i put them in my carry on backpack thinking if they stole the rifle (super 91) they would not be able to do anything with it unless they knew what they were doing!

I will never fly southwest again unless there are no other options...

Use real locks, not TSA locks. That's the law.
I fly out of NY, where the PD comes & does an inspection.