[cc2k]

I was under the impression that baggage containing a declared firearm CANNOT be labeled as such. Someone please correct me if I am wrong -- am searching for a source, but if this is an error, it damages the credibility of the article.

I'm not sure what the federal regulations are (or whether they've been changed for "security"). I know that Delta requires that you check the bag with a firearm. You must have the rifle or shotgun or pistol in a hard sided, locked case, and you have to sign some special paperwork, declaring that the case contains a gun, that the gun is unloaded. I believe that you have to show the agent that the gun is unloaded (take it out of the case and show that the magazine is out or empty, or whatever depending on the type of gun) when you check the bag. Then, they watch you lock the case to make certain that it's locked. There's no question that some (low wage) airline employees know which bags have guns in them.

[dbbeebs]

I was under the impression that baggage containing a declared firearm CANNOT be labeled as such.

I travel on United with firearms frequently. Same precautions as Delta, but the "firearms" tag is to be placed
with the gun inside the baggage. Federal Air Reg (FARS) 108 is the governing regulation.

[tracer]

You are correct, and it is clear that the author of this piece has never traveled with a firearm and likely possesses little "real world" knowledge about that which he/she writes. But, then again, that never stops thousands of journalists from unknowingly disseminating incorrect information.

That said, the rest of the article, IMO, was on target and put forth a number of points that really need to be emphasized over and over -- until the "security experts" employed by the government, airlines, and airports get the message.........