Why even bother declaring at the airport?

[jimlongley]

It is not TSA's job to look for guns. If they are doing their job properly and there is nothing identified as a threat in the bag, the bag containing the gun is supposed to be passed. TSA is not supposed to check any log to see if a gun was declared, because it is not their job to look for guns. If Southwest keeps a log, it's a surprise to me, I spent an awful lot of time behind SWA counters during my time at TSA and I never saw any indication of a log, nor did I ever observe an entry made on a terminal that indicated a gun in a checked bag.

Unfortunately, every airport does it different, even if TSA is supposed to follow NATIONAL standards.

Generally, at Love Field, the ticket agents gave us a courtesy notice, and directed the passenger to come to the screening area where, if their bag passed otherwise, it went on its merry way, and so did the passenger.

I could often identify the gun just by the silhouette and used to chat with people about their guns.

Loaded guns were a different matter.

[FAAPOD]

I've been through this charade of security more times than the average bear due to my job travel. Quite frankly, the level of knowledge among both the airline personnel and the TSA is abysmal. Procedures vary at every airport, and are rarely in agreement with either law or airline policy.

Know both the law and the particular airline's policies yourself. Have them printed out and on your person when you travel. It's at least a 50% winning bet that you will have to train the airline and the TSA personnel.

Exactly my observations, also having flown a number of times through several airports and with different carriers.

[jdn181]

I typicaly fly southwest out of houston and they've been very good regarding checking guns. (Now the attendants at the southwest in the St. Louis hub are a different story - your would've thought I threw a live rattlesnack at the attendant by her reaction when I said "I am declaring a firearm"...)

Only had one instance where they (TSA) opened the gun case and that was just to drool over the contents a bit. Didn't mind in the slightest and just threw them the key to the locks lol. On the return trip out of St. Louis during Xmas season the attendant was like "Oh! You need to be in THAT line over there then". My repy - "nonsense. Let's talk to your supervisor...."

[tommyg]

What about the ammunition where do they want you to keep it