Continental Airlines travel Question

[blackdog8200]

Sorry if this has been covered but searches did not hit the specifics:

My question is specific to Continental airlines but I suspect the answer should be the same for all airlines.

From http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/co ... ports.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The firearm must be packaged in a hard-sided container capable of being locked. The container must be locked and the key or combination must remain in the customer's possession. If a hard-sided container is needed, see the container section of this site.
Handguns must be packed in hard-side lockable luggage. Baggage containing handguns must be locked at the time of acceptance by Continental Airlines and the key or combination retained in the passenger's custody.


So, I know my handgun must be in a locked case per TSA rules but the question is, will a locked handgun case placed inside a soft sided bag (ie rolling duffle or typical rolling bag) not some American tourister hard suitcase, be ok?
Previously, I have traveled with long guns in a standard lockable gun case as a seperate piece of checked baggage and had no problem.

The TSA sets the basics but the individual airline has its own guidlines too.

I am thinking of this:



Any other "tidbits" the members might share in the ever changing world ot air travel would be great too.

Thanks!

[Bennies]

Last year my sister in law traveled on CAL out of Houston with her hand gun. She had it in the locked hard side case but her bag she put it in was a soft sided roller board. She had no problems but like I said this was a year ago. Who knows now if the policy has changed. I would call the airline for sure so you don't get to the airport and have the wrong bag

[ELB]

The verbiage certainly seems to say the entire suitcase must be hardsided, rather than putting a small hardsided case inside of a softside bag (which is what I have done may times on various airlines). However, this is so contrary to my experience with many other airlines, it seems like it must be just poor wording. However, best to call (and good luck getting a straight answer!) In any case I would not send a small handgun-sized hardcase as checked baggage all by itself. That's just too easy to identify and walk off with...

Good luck, and let us know what "the answer" is.

[blackdog8200]

The verbiage certainly seems to say the entire suitcase must be hardsided, rather than putting a small hardsided case inside of a softside bag (which is what I have done may times on various airlines). However, this is so contrary to my experience with many other airlines, it seems like it must be just poor wording. However, best to call (and good luck getting a straight answer!) In any case I would not send a small handgun-sized hardcase as checked baggage all by itself. That's just too easy to identify and walk off with...

Good luck, and let us know what "the answer" is.

ELB, your experience with the other airlines is what I expect from Continental and figure someone here will have been through it lately. I also have your expectations about calling the airline and getting a straight answer

Someone has the answer I hope

[jimlongley]

If I were you I would call Continental for clarification, but don't just take one person's word for it. TSA says just a locked hard sided box, and I have even seen handguns checked in, in just the box, no baggage around the box.

Remember that the airlines may set their own requirements above TSA's but they are not allowed to negate a TSA rquirement, so if Continental has decided to require handguns to be in hard sided locked containers inside hard sided lockable luggage, that is their prerogative just as it is yours to fly on another airline.

When I was with TSA I don't recall Continental having such a restriction.

Also remember that it is not TSA's job to enforce airlines' restrictions.

[RHenriksen]

While you *can* put a small, locked container inside a soft-sided, unsecured suitcase, I don't think you *should*.

A small, locked container screams, 'I've got something valuable! Steal me!' to all the people who touch your luggage as it travels on its parallel journey to yours.

Using a full-size, hard-sided piece of luggage accomplishes two things:

Your firearm is far more likely to have a safe trip
You can put other valuable things you ordinarily wouldn't check (camera, laptop, etc) inside that piece of luggage along w. your firearm.

I highly recommend Deviant Ollam's work on this subject. Lots of reading & a ~40 minute video presentation here: http://deviating.net/firearms/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've followed his recommendations to the letter, down to using an army surplus steel case for my checked luggage. Have flown w. a pistol three times so far out of Houston on Continental, all three trips have been very simple & pleasant w/respect to declaring the firearm & going through the TSA check.

RNH

[Crossfire]

I have not flown Continental, but I have flown several other airlines and not had a problem. I ALWAYS put my pistol case inside my non-hard sided luggage after it has been checked.

I do that for a couple of reasons - first, this way I don't have to pay the extra $25 for having another bag. Second, a pistol case looks like a pistol case. I don't want to see it come off the luggage carousel all by itself. Or, more specificaly, I don't want someone ELSE to see it come off the carousel before I do.

[Crossfire]

I just noticed this was posted in 2 forums, so I merged it into one thread.

Sorry if this has been covered but searches did not hit the specifics:

My question is specific to Continental airlines but I suspect the answer should be the same for all airlines.

From http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/co ... ports.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The firearm must be packaged in a hard-sided container capable of being locked. The container must be locked and the key or combination must remain in the customer's possession. If a hard-sided container is needed, see the container section of this site.
Handguns must be packed in hard-side lockable luggage. Baggage containing handguns must be locked at the time of acceptance by Continental Airlines and the key or combination retained in the passenger's custody.


So, I know my handgun must be in a locked case per TSA rules but the question is, will a locked handgun case placed inside a soft sided bag (ie rolling duffle or typical rolling bag) not some American tourister hard suitcase, be ok?
Previously, I have traveled with long guns in a standard lockable gun case as a seperate piece of checked baggage and had no problem.

The TSA sets the basics but the individual airline has its own guidlines too.

I am thinking of this:



Any other "tidbits" the members might share in the ever changing world ot air travel would be great too.

Thanks!

[CWOOD]

Blackdog, good luck on all this. With bit of care all should go well.

As for your specific question about bags, as has been mentioned, call to confirm. I strongly recommend that you PRINT out the TSA and Continental info pages and have them in hand when you approach the ticket counter. Official printed word from the source is hard to argue with if you get some insuficiently trained clerk. If you make a phone call, get a persons name and call back number if you rely on info over the phone.

As for the steel boxes you noted, they will work very well. I have used them flying and in my vehicle at times when I couldn't carry like voting recently.

A SUGGESTION

A couple of years ago I made a trip from Austin to Atlanta on Continental. Their website seems to have the same wording. I got a big Samsonite hardsided case on craigslist for $10. I got it home and drilled two small holes in the metal frame and installed two eye-bolts and secured them by damaging the small bit of exposed threads. When it came time to fly I ran the cable of my steel box through the eyebolts and locked it in place.

One of the greatest threats is theivery by airport personnel. With the cable through the eyebolts the opportunity for snatch and grab to conceal the steel box to get it to a secluded location is essentially eliminated. The box can be concealed and if they get it to a remote location they WILL get into it, but even if they didn't you have lost your firearm. The cable and eyebolt system makes them have to drag the whole big Samsonite around and that is WAY too obvious. It is an easy , cheap and effective way to help ensure that you and your pistol arrive at the same destination.

Just so you will know, I found the Continental staff to be very courteous and professional in their dealings with me. I also would suggest that you allow some extra time for this process, expecially if you are on a high traffic flight. I did not need much of the extra time I allowed because I was flying at an off peak time.

If you know the rules/laws, follow them and have documentation in hand all should go well. I had a very smooth experience.

Good luck and safe travels

[hirundo82]

Like the others who have posted, I use a small (padlocked) hard-sided case (I have a Pelican case I bought for this specific reason) inside my (locked w/TSA lock) soft-sided luggage when I fly with handguns. I have used Continental along with other airlines, and neither they nor TSA have ever had an issue with my method.

I don't worry terribly much about theft of firearms from checked baggage. Airlines are extremely paranoid about theft of firearms; since they are an interstate carrier such theft would trigger an ATF investigation (in addition to very bad publicity). Many professional photographers fly with a starter pistol in with their camera equipment because of the care airlines take with firearms--starter pistols have to be declared as firearms but aren't considered firearms under any state law.

[blackdog8200]

UPDATE:

According to Gale at the Continental Baggage Center, (Easier call than I thought, got through to a human after one menu...) :

Handguns must be in a LOCKED Hard Sided case (see tsa for requirements) and that case may be placed inside soft sided (rolling duffel for example) baggage that is checked. She did seem familiar with the question and didn't have to ask a supervisor etc.

She added to arrive a few minutes early so that paperwork could be completed. On a side note she mentioned they notify the pilot that a weapon is on board. I did not insinuate I was a LEO and only discused checked baggage, so I'm not sure what to make of that. Guess I'll behave while on board

I think I'll go with the case in the photos and as CWOOD described, run the cable though the inside supports of the bag. They could always steal the bag but that should slow down the casual thief.

I won't be traveling until June, but I'll report back as to the details of the process then. Anyone that has been through the process lately on CAL, please add anything to this as well.

Thanks All!

[ELB]

... Airlines are extremely paranoid about theft of firearms; since they are an interstate carrier such theft would trigger an ATF investigation (in addition to very bad publicity). Many professional photographers fly with a starter pistol in with their camera equipment because of the care airlines take with firearms--starter pistols have to be declared as firearms but aren't considered firearms under any state law.

Airlines do not take any special care of "firearms" baggage. Bags with firearms by law cannot be marked as such, they travel like any other, and once your bag and gun go through screening, it's just cargo like the rest (which is good, because marking it just makes it easier for thieves to identify). More than once when I was delayed getting the bagage area, I have found my bag -- with my gun in it -- just sitting all by its lonesome next to the carousel. Theft from airline baggage, including guns, is pretty common. With the huge number of bags involved, the chances for any one particular bag being stolen (from) are still small, but thefts themselves seem to be pretty regular. The photographers who are flying with starter pistols are adding to their bureaucratic burden with no gain in security.

This http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... smartbrief" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
was the latest article I know of on baggage theft in general, but last year or so there were a series of articles by a newspaper up in the northwest on it, and it included statistics and a database for each major airport. Was quite the eyeopener. Unfortunately, they took the series off their website after not too long, and I lost track of it. And yes it included guns. Airlines don't like the publicity, sure, but neither does the TSA/government, so valid statistics are hard to come by.