Use Promo Code Randy for 20% off OutdoorClass

airline bagage regs vs gun cases

old man

Active member
Joined
Aug 14, 2011
Messages
436
Location
shelton CT.
united airlines wants to charge $150 for oversize baggage which is 63 liner inches (H+L+W) my gun case is L52 W14 H41/2=701/2 does anyone know if I am going to be charged the extra $150?
 
Alaska Airlines has a 62" limit and my gun case is 76.5". They have never charged me or even questioned the length in several trips. It has been my experience on several airlines that "sporting equipment" falls outside the length limitations (or at lease they give it a pass) whether it be skis/snowboards, wakeboards, surfboards, golf clubs etc.
 
excess baggage

I flew Alaska Airlines this fall and it was the same deal with them. No charge for my over-sized rifle case as long as it wasn't over their 50ish lb weight limit. On a side-note. I take the foam out of my rifle case and load my clothes and other gear inside my rifle case. That way I have 1 less bag to carry around the airport and charged for.
 
Here is the link to the United special baggage page: https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/sports.aspx

Print this along with the TSA rules on flying with firearms and take them with you to the airport. I have had to pull them out a couple of times, and it makes things much simpler.

Gun cases are part of the sporting equipment exemption for all of the major airlines including most foreign. Small regional airlines sometimes are a problem if they only run small planes. The charge will be for a standard checked bag. Just tell them it is a firearm, and they'll take care of it.

Here are a few other tips if you haven't done this much. I have, and it is really pretty easy.

Domestically, you can sometimes pack ammo in the same case. Internationally, NO ammo in the gun case. I usually pack it separately to avoid hassles.

Ditto on pulling the foam out of your hard case, and packing clothes in there with your rifle. I put my rifle in a lightweight soft case and pack clothes and other gear in my Pelican case with it.

Take a second set of locks for your case. TSA sometimes, for unexplained reasons, cuts them off. DO NOT use TSA locks on your gun case. Make them get the key from you to check it out.

Pack your optics and camera in your carry on if you can. The other option is your gun case for optics, but only if you can't carry them on. DON'T put a spare scope in your carry on put that in checked baggage.

If posting a link is a no-no, I can kill the link.

Jeremy
 
There is an old riddle based on this problem, but they used a fishing rod case in the riddle. The airline charged for anything over a certain length, and informed the traveler that he was oversized. He excused himself from the line, put the rod case diagonally into a box just under the length limit, and as the rod case was on the diagonal inside the box, it met the max length
 
Here is the link to the United special baggage page: https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/sports.aspx

Print this along with the TSA rules on flying with firearms and take them with you to the airport. I have had to pull them out a couple of times, and it makes things much simpler.

Gun cases are part of the sporting equipment exemption for all of the major airlines including most foreign. Small regional airlines sometimes are a problem if they only run small planes. The charge will be for a standard checked bag. Just tell them it is a firearm, and they'll take care of it.

Here are a few other tips if you haven't done this much. I have, and it is really pretty easy.

Domestically, you can sometimes pack ammo in the same case. Internationally, NO ammo in the gun case. I usually pack it separately to avoid hassles.

Ditto on pulling the foam out of your hard case, and packing clothes in there with your rifle. I put my rifle in a lightweight soft case and pack clothes and other gear in my Pelican case with it.

Take a second set of locks for your case. TSA sometimes, for unexplained reasons, cuts them off. DO NOT use TSA locks on your gun case. Make them get the key from you to check it out.

Pack your optics and camera in your carry on if you can. The other option is your gun case for optics, but only if you can't carry them on. DON'T put a spare scope in your carry on put that in checked baggage.

If posting a link is a no-no, I can kill the link.

Jeremy
Good stuff. Also I heard of ammo being confiscated in some cases so I also printed out the rules on it and put it in the bag that had the ammo.
 
great info guys. feel much better now, also had to figure a way to get my kuiu backpack to fit those measurements. had to take bag of frame and turn frame backwards.
 
Back
Top