Air Travel with EDC

So this is off bullseye topic, but I thought many of you would have experience in this.  I am going to be doing some air travel next year and want to take my pocket pistol with me.  I understand all of the rules and regs about what kind of container.. unloaded etc, but I cant find one element of the process on TSA or Deltas web page.

When I have my pistol packed in its locked case, do I take it separately to the check-in counter or have it already packed in my checked luggage?

Thanks
Doc

They still may want to inspect it, so keep it separately until instructed to pack it in your checked luggage. That's how I usually do it.

Dockokol wrote:...I am going to be doing some air travel next year and want to take my pocket pistol with me. ...but I cant find one element of the process on TSA or Deltas web page.

WARNING!  Delta is VERY anti-gun.  This goes as far as marking baggage with firearms inside with tags stating "firearm inside", in violation of Federal law.  When this is pointed out, their response is "So go buy a ticket from someone else, we'll do what we want".

Agree w/ Javaduke, keep locked container separate from baggage until after inspection by Delta and TSA employees.  For future travel, choose another airline if possible - when traveling w/ firearms, I usually fly with Alaska Airlines.  Far less hassle, and the policy for travelling w. ammo in the lower 48 is - up to 50 lbs.  (NOT 5 kg, per most other airline policies.  Southwest Airlines' ammo limit is 5 kg, or 120 rounds, whichever is less.)

Alaska Airlines Firearms Policy:  https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/special-baggage/transporting-firearms

I travel on Delta 99% of the time, haven't noticed any specific anti-gun bias. That being said, I believe it highly depends on your location and the agent you talk to. Couple of times I've been subject to very thorough inspection, pretty much everything except cavity search (well, chamber inspection may count as such), but other times the agent at the counter just told me to put it into my checked bag, and I didn't have to do anything else, no checks, no forms, no tags. Just a regular bag, nothing to see here, move along, people. 
As long as your lock is non-TSA compliant and you keep the keys with you at all times, you should be good.

Agreed Alaska Airlines handles this very well. Occasionally on arrival they will chuck the bag on the carousel though, and not verify who grabs it. You want to be sure you get to the area first, and watch both the belt and the little door off to the side where the special stuff lands.

The smaller the locked container the better btw. And be sure the foam is not glued in. Sometimes the TSA will want to see under it. Don't argue.

If you're a true frequent flyer, whose airport routine is almost hardwired, be sure you keep your wits about you before you do something dumb. Your Trusted Traveler status will evaporate.

It's funny how in the beginning, you needed to have a TSA compliant lock to take a firearm. Then they figured out that was bad for them and changed it to a lock they could not open.

It may be out of date some, but it gives the basics.

https://youtu.be/-L9sHZDW0rw

I have found that both the airlines and the airport matter.   They all have different policies about how they handle luggage with firearms.   The procedure in Nashville, was totally different than the one in Denver.  

Southwest might have a restrictive ammo policy but two bits, they never remove it and weigh it.   I have never had them enforce many of their baggage policies at all.   Never even had them ask about the ammo.

Ammo is a good point. I've had some agents want to see all ammo removed from all mags. The regs technically call for it to be in factory boxes. But it does not need to be in a locked case like the firearms.

I've mostly left my ammo home, but I'm not bringing an EDC.