I have a few questions regarding firearms and air travel. I am planning to fly to Anchorage Alaska next month for a job interview.I would like to take a .44 revolver along as I may do some hiking and driving around between appointments.I have never flown before let alone fly with a firearm. Is a handgun any different getting through an airport than a long gun?Do you have to notify the airport beforehand?Ammo with gun or separate? Is there any additional cost? I have a PA license to carry that AK honors so thats not a problem. I imagine I would have to pack it in a separate container,not in with my other luggage. Any tips, suggestions,experiences, anecdotes,horror storys or other pertinent info would be appreciated,thanks. I will probably call airport anyway to find out more information,just interested in anybodys thoughts.

Have a good trip Roklok,

I suggest you call the airline as they all might want something different. Better to be safe then sorry.

On a side note Alaska doesn't have carry permits anymore: www.dps.state.ak.us/Pe...sing/achp/

Quote::

HB 102, signed by the Governor on June 11, 2003 changes Alaska Statute 11.61.220 to allow anyone 21 or older, other than convicted felons, who may legally carry a firearm to also carry it concealed without having to obtain a special permit.

And this:

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A person 21 or older may be charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon under AS 11.61.220 if s/he 1. fails to immediately inform a peace officer that s/he is carrying a concealed handgun 2. fails to allow the officer to secure the weapon or fails to secure the weapon at the direction of the peace officer, or 3. carries the weapon concealed within another person’s residence, unless s/he has first obtained the express permission of an adult residing there, whether or not the person has a concealed handgun permit. The effective date of this law change is September 9th, 2003.

On another forum someone asked how you can get a permit in a state and if people had sample tests and someone from Alaska mentioned that and I just remembered that so I looked it up

Dimitri

From prior trips with a handgun.

1) You must check in at the counter and inform the staff that you have a firearm to check in with your bagage.

2) The firearm "MUST" be in a locked container/case, "Unloaded" and no ammunition can be in the case.

3) All ammunition must be in a seperate piece of luggage, no more than 11 pounds and generally in a manufacturers box. This should also be in a locked container. (** I carry it in a small locked plastic pistol case inside my luggage.**)

4) ***SUGGESTION*** I pack using two pieces of check in luggage, one has my ammo in a locked container in it and the other has my handgun, also in a seperate locked case that is packed within another piece of luggage. DO NOT LET THE AIRLINES PUT A PLACKARD ON THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR LUGGAGE, IF they want to plackard your case with the pistol in it go ahead as this will be inside another locked piece of luggage unseen by baggage handlers. I learned this the hardway as American Airlined lost my Custom Built 1911 back in 1987, they paid dearly and also apologised but I was still out my .45 and the FBI was not too pleased with the airlines either!!!! They found the luggage and a lot of my other belongings that same day I reported it in a dumpster just outside of the baggage handling area. .

Article from Handguns Magazine.
www.handgunsmag.com/ta..._firearms/

Federal Rules and Regulations. Scroll down to Airlines.
www.nraila.org/GunLaws...aspx?ID=59

Several Airline Requirements.
www.bigspur.com/airlines.htm

Hope that this helps you out, know the law make a copy of it and carry it with you as a back up if they give you a hard time.

** CAUTION** DO NOT FLY INTO NEW YORK WITH A HANDGUN AND DO NOT FLY INTO MASS. WITH A HANDGUN. THERE ARE TOO MANY CASES BEING FOUGHT AS PEOPLE ARE BEING ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH VIOLATIONS OF THOSE STATES LAWS FOR NOT HAVING A STATE PERMIT. THESE STATES DISTRICT ATTYS. DO NOT FEEL THAT THE "FOPA" COVERS ANYONE FLYING INTO THEIR STATE.

Flint54, you pretty much said it all. I have travelled a lot with hand guns and long guns. (knock-on-wood), I have never had a problem. Two years ago I went to Prescott, Az. to visit my father. I took my GP100 with me and came back with 3 hand guns, 2 shot guns, and 2 22 rifles. Not any issues........as long as you COMMUNICATE up front at the ticket counter what ya got.

Is also a good idea to have a grip on the laws pertaining to all this , and to check in as early as possible , as some check in people are scared of them .. Also be prepared to explain the airlines requirements to the ticket counter .. Is wise to check with the airline , as each is a bit different ..

But all this aside , it is IMO much easier to fly with firearms post 9/11 , than before 9/11 ..

You think so Groovy ??

Is it because all the airlines have standard security polices now compared to before or something ?? Never flown in a long time and never with a gun so I'm interested to hear

Dimitri

I used to fly from Hawaii to Portland, Oregon and back. Hitch hike to Coos Bay Ore. and get rides with State police with a SAA Colt and ammunition hung over my shoulder in a gun belt and holster. The Colt went on with me in an AWOL bag. And the airlines knew I had the Ol' Colt at my seat. Caused no problems what so ever. 'course this was 1966. I flew all over the place with that colt at my seat. Wasn't even locked up. Just in that AWOL bag (zip up over night bag for those that don't know what an AWOL bag is...(military term)

Flint 54 is right on the New York thing......LICENSED RESIDENTS OF NY STATE are the ONLY civilian folk allowed to carry/possess.......

Many states honor my NY CWL, but NY will not allow non residents in with one for ANY reason....

All this talk about handguns and New York Reminded me of this:

www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=137

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The arrest of a man identified by Fox News as a bodyguard for anti-gun film director Michael Moore by New York Port Authority Police Wednesday evening proves that Moore is an elitist who thinks it is fine for him to have armed security, while he has endeavored to disarm other law-abiding Americans, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) said today. Adding to the irony, said SAF Founder Alan M. Gottlieb, is the fact that bodyguard Patrick Burke was arrested for violating the kind of Draconian gun law that Moore and his extremist gun control contemporaries would support. Burke was reportedly arrested at JFK International Airport when he declared his firearm at the ticket counter, as required by law when traveling. New York authorities habitually arrest private citizens at airports around the state when they declare firearms as required by law, and do not have a New York firearms license. It is a technicality that has tripped up many travelers who may simply be going through the state on their way to or from other destinations.

Bushmaster,

Guns in carry on baggage

Dimitri

Yup...Back before you were born...

Thanks for the info everyone,I learned quite a few things and it has been helpful. Doesnt sound as hard as I thought it might be.

Don't mistake NYC for NY.......there's lotsa laws down there in the Big Apple which us Upstaters don't hafta fool with...........

It's two different worlds......that's a fact not known much in places like Texas....

That said....my CWL is worthless inside the Big Citys' limits.......................

Dimitri , It's probably because they are looking for a real threat and they finally realize a locked firearm isn't a threat ..
Bushy , notice things were a lot simpler before Dimitri was born ..
Maybe he's to blame ??

Ah Bushy , AWOL bag , dittty bag , douche bag , ah the GOOD OLE DAYS !!

See where they did a sinkex on the Oriskany this week ??

GroovyJack,

Maybe but you need to add 20 years my age before I'm old enough to be the person to blame

Dimitri