Opinion
Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- An advertising maxim says:
“You have to spell-out the ‘benefit of the benefit.’
People don’t buy quarter-inch drill bits. They buy quarter-inch holes, so they can hang photos of their children.”
A friend at TSA just sent me this link: https://upgradedpoints.com/tsa-precheck-review/
It contains good information for those of us who fly frequently, a definite improvement over what TSA has put-out previously. A lot of us, me included, fly many times per year, and we always have guns in checked baggage. My experience has been mostly positive, particularly in the past two years.
In most airports, TSA folks are used to guns in checked baggage and are most helpful and courteous.
Of course, guns in checked baggage are handled differently at every airport, but at least on UA and SW, which I fly on mostly, excessive delays are now pretty unusual.
I still highly recommend TSA-Pre status. You have to jump through some hoops in order to have it conferred upon you, but it repeatedly saves me significant time at airports.
I like the fact that TSA Web Page (above) frankly discusses mistakes and mistaken overreach by the agency. That is refreshing.
Most bureaucracies (private and public) tempestuously defend themselves against every hint of criticism, insisting not only that they’ve never been wrong, but are indeed incapable of being wrong!
There has been at least a little progress in that regard.
Again, guns need to be unloaded and in lockable (and locked), hard cases. Hard cases are then placed within the checked luggage, which also needs to be locked.
Guns need to be “declared” to the airline upon check-in. All airlines have “tags,” which you sign, and that is then placed on the outside of the hard case that contains the gun(s), but inside the luggage itself.
The best advice when flying commercially: DON’T FAIL THE ATTITUDE TEST!
- Be courteous and polite, but neutral, boring, and “non-memorable.”
- No loud colors. No flashy jewelry. No sunglasses. No smart-ass remarks. No “messages” on t-shirts.
- Be pleasant, but not chatty. Don’t volunteer information, and I don’t answer questions that weren’t asked.
- When you get to your destination, grab your luggage and get away from the airport without delay.
Yet, I’m not optimistic!
With every new terrorist incident, particularly those involving infrastructure, new restrictions, new hassles, new delays, a whole new layer of confusion follow quickly.
Right now, commercial air travel is at least tolerable. That could all change tomorrow morning [or with a new party in control, Vote November 6th]!
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor John Farnam will urge you, based on your own beliefs, to make up your mind in advance as to what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to make sure that their students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to the Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com