Flying with firearms
 

I have a trip planed to Idaho this fall and will be flying on Northwest Airlines. I want to take a rifle along with a handgun. In reading the rules on Northwest web site I'm not sure they would let me take 1 rifle and 1 handgun the the same case. They will let you have 4 rifles in a case. I dont want to get to the airport and have a problem..

Has anyone ever tried to take both in one case.
Thanks

RE: Flying with firearms
 

Call them!

RE: Flying with firearms
 

I haven't flown to a hunt but a friend of mine sends his guns either UPS of Fed Ex to the location. You can send it in plenty of time and call the guide to make sure they arrived. Then you don't have to worry about the airlines losing you're stuff

RE: Flying with firearms
 

When flying into canada years ago.....we got pulled aside because when asked my father said automatic.....semi automatic....rifle, our guide later told us just to say you have a couple of sporting rifles....or guns etc...

If they asked, Id just say I have 2 guns, or 2 firearms in the case.

But certainly calling and asking specifics might be the best thing to do, otherwise i relaly don't see why there would be an issue with a rifle/rifle or rifle/pistol.

RE: Flying with firearms
 

Actually, if they lose your luggage and you have a firearm in it, they are required to report it to the BATFE. It's a HUGE hassle for the airlines--I think it results in a mandatory investigation.

I have a friend who flies with a cheap revolver in his luggage everywhere. The one time they "lost" his luggage (which is usually they don't feel like finding out where it is right now), he simply pulled out his cell phone and said: "Am I calling the BATFE or are you?" Suddenly the beligerant desk worker at the airport got very, very polite. He had his bag 45 minutes later (which is light-speed by airline standards).

RE: Flying with firearms
 

BATFE? figure bureau alcohol tobacco firearms, but whats the E ?

I've mostly only heard "ATF" used....?

RE: Flying with firearms
 

"E" is for enforcement I belive. But anyway my buddy, a Marine sationed on Mirimar, brings his Springfield HD .45acp home every time when on leave. He said it is pretty simple. They just put some kind of tamper proof security seal on the case and then he puts it in his checked baggage. And he flys to Iowa from CA about 2 times a year. He usually comes home for late muzzle,I mean Christmas\New years with the family(or so he tells his wife), And then bow season or "thankgiving with the family" or so he says. I think all in all he spends about 1 or 2 days with the family then it's off to the farm for a week. I think he has a very understanding wife.

RE: Flying with firearms
 

The E is for Explosives.

Ive flown with guns several times, my hunting rifles as well as my military ones. We always pack our pistols in the same cases as our M4s.

RE: Flying with firearms
 

B:bureau
of
A:alcohol
T:tobacco
F: firearms
and
E:explosives

RE: Flying with firearms
 

I have flown Northwest for the past six years with guns (Boston through Minneapolis into Bozeman Montana). I've always arrived early and never had a "chip on my shoulder" (although travelling to airports with guns isn't fun) and have never had a problem. I've been lucky because all the ticket counter folks I dealt with have been great.

From my experience with Northwest, 2 guns max. in one case, ammo separate (I put it in with checked luggage, tell them at counter, and they'll make you open the bags to verify). Eleven pounds max. weight allowed for ammo (I got it checked of all places in the Bozeman airport where I would have thought the agents were used to seeing guns/ammo in the fall. I told agent I had two boxes of centerfire ammo which weighed at most 1.5 lbs each - but they weighed them anyway). Other than that, no problems with airline and personnel.