Episode 38 was filmed on December 17, 2025, flying Southwest Airlines from Las Vegas back to New Orleans. This was one of those trips where everything went extremely smoothly from start to finish.
Check-In at LAS
I walked up to the Southwest counter and let the agent know I was declaring firearms. She went through the usual questions, had me fill out the firearm declaration form, and I placed it into the FedEx sleeve attached to my Condition 1 hard-sided case. That case was locked and packed inside another piece of luggage.
The agent then asked me to wait by the flagpole, which is standard procedure at Harry Reid International Airport. That’s where TSA would come out if they needed to inspect the case. Since I use regular locks—not TSA-accepted locks—TSA would need me present to open the case if an inspection was required.
TSA regulations allow either type of lock, but I prefer using locks that only I have the key for. I waited the usual 15 minutes, no one came out, and I headed to security.
Arrival in New Orleans
After landing in New Orleans, I went to baggage claim. Since the hard-sided case was packed inside a regular piece of luggage, my bag came out on the carousel with the rest of the checked baggage.
When you check just a hard-sided firearm case by itself, it’s supposed to be hand-delivered to the airline office where you show ID to retrieve it. That said, it sometimes still ends up on the carousel, so it’s important to watch both places—the carousel and the airline office—just in case.
I grabbed my bag, checked the hard-sided case to make sure the locks were still intact, and was on my way.
Final Thoughts
This flight was a textbook example of how flying with firearms should go. Clear communication at check-in, a short wait in case TSA needed me, and a normal baggage pickup on the other end. When everyone understands the policies and follows the process, it’s smooth, predictable, and uneventful—in the best way possible.
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