Nothing wrong with doing this, but I wouldn't count on getting much help from those documents, or any documents, in the event of any sort of hassle.nitrogen wrote:I'd go one step further. I'd print out the TSA rules, the airline rules, and federal laws. Specifically print out FOPA.AggieMM wrote: [*] Do your due diligence with the Airline and TSA policies before leaving.
Realise that the people you're dealing with probably almost never see guns and arent sure what to do. If a supervisor isn't available to too busy, having the printout can help speed things. It can also help correct a supervisor if they are wrong, and encourage them to check into something.
Any document can be edited. So the airline or TSA employee will not necessarily accept anything you show them regarding the law, TSA regulations, etc. as being valid. Nor will they necessarily be pursuaded by your interpretation of what the law or regulations mean, even if you are 1000% correct. If they have a procedure they are following, right or wrong, you are not likely to change the screener's mind with a legal argument - documents or no documents.
In my experience, the best way to resolve this kind of "problem" is to maintain a calm and friendly demeanor ("Nice" goes a long way!) and ask to speak with someone higher up in the chain of command if you feel the person you are dealing with is incorrect.
I've only had to do this once many years ago (pre-TSA) on a trip between RI and AZ. And FWIW, the airline representative (on the RI side of course) STILL didn't change the incorrect / illegal thing she was insisting be done - which was to put the "Unloaded Firearm" tag on the outside of the case. But she did end up following my request to have a representative of the airline's Lost & Found office intercept the case at my destination and hold it for me. I also got her name and informed her that if the firearm was lost, stolen, or turned up related to any sort of crime as a result of her misinterpretation (and violation) of federal law, I would hold both her and the airline responsible to the fullest extent of the law.