Alaska Airlines and firearms case

[Lrs183]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for some current information with regard to firearms cases and Alaska airlines. For context before anyone says I should contact Alaska airlines, I did this twice tonight. I by pure bad luck (with two hours between calls) got the exact same lady with customer service.

My question was this:

Rifle cases for a 300 win mag are basically impossible to find that will fall within the aggregate dimensions. The representatives immediate default was no matter what the bag is, if it is over the aggregate dimension it will fall under the oversized baggage price. Even I with how little I fly know this is not the case... Certain luggage can and does price out differently despite aggregate size.

Does a firearms case fall within this exception? I'd love to not pay 100 to the my rifle on given it'll be my second bag (or first however you look at it).

Thanks for the replies.

 

[cnelk]

I flew Alaska Airlines last Sept. I used a Pelican 2 gun case.
In that case I had a 340 Wby, a 30-06, and a revolver, along with some ammo.

Declared the gun case at the counter and off we went. No prob. Just counted as one of our bags.

I know your 300 win mag isn’t longer than my 340 Wby. You should be good to go.

 

[HoneyDew]

What are the dimensions of your case?

 

[ODB]

Should be considered sporting equipment, like skis. They are exempt from that extra baggage fee.

 

[Theringworm]

I have flown Alaskan Air 4 times with a rifle. Used a Pelican 1750 that has an overall length of 53”s. Never paid a dime for luggage or an oversized fee. Not to sound pretentious but it was a first class ticket and I do have an Alaskan Airlines card (sometimes you time it right and 1st class isn’t much more than coach so why not). Regardless, you should paid the standard “checked baggage fee“ and that’s it. As stated above, it’s considered a sporting good.

 

[LongWayAround]

Alaska Air will waive the oversized fee for certain sports items and allow them to be carried on or checked. Unfortunately, firearms aren't on that list.

Their website lays it out pretty clearly.

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/special-baggage/traveling-with-sporting-equipment

 

[Lrs183]

I have flown Alaskan Air 4 times with a rifle. Used a Pelican 1750 that has an overall length of 53”s. Never paid a dime for luggage or an oversized fee. Not to sound pretentious but it was a first class ticket and I do have an Alaskan Airlines card (sometimes you time it right and 1st class isn’t much more than coach so why not). Regardless, you should paid the standard “checked baggage fee“ and that’s it. As stated above, it’s considered a sporting good.

Well that's where I felt insult to injury. My return flight is first class because it was only a bit over 130 more for the return than standard. I said so my second free bag on the return means nothing? Held to her stance of it being oversized. Who knows.

 

[Lrs183]

Alaska Air will waive the oversized fee for certain sports items and allow them to be carried on or checked. Unfortunately, firearms aren't on that list.

Their website lays it out pretty clearly.

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/special-baggage/traveling-with-sporting-equipment

The reason I didn't pay much attention to this is it is clearly not marked in the bullets higher up. Along with that, it's considered additional sporting items and simply sends you to the rules on it.

Several months ago when I booked this flight I was considering using archery. The lady I spoke to then mentioned the bow even if oversized would fly for standard cost but not the rifle. Which, being closer to crunch time, has peaked curiosity.

 

[LongWayAround]

I have flown Alaskan Air 4 times with a rifle. Used a Pelican 1750 that has an overall length of 53”s. Never paid a dime for luggage or an oversized fee.

I believe that's because you were under 63" and 51lb. Or you got lucky.

I would bet that most of their baggage checkers don't bust out the tape measure very often, for what it's worth...

 

[Theringworm]

As long as your case is under 50 lbs you avoid the ”over weight fee”. Given that it’s a sporting good the “linear dimension fee” is not applied. This has been my experience with the buddies that have flown that flew coach or didn’t have an Alaskan Airlines card.

Batting your eyelashes and sweet talking the female agent assisting you doesn’t hurt either.……at least in Dallas.

Worse case it’s an extra $100 both ways for the linear dimension issue.

 

[HoneyDew]

As recently pointed out gun cases are NOT considered sporting goods and exempt from the oversized baggage fee. That being said I have flown on Alaska with my largest case (52x15x6=73” linear) multiple times without issue. Full disclosure I have status and the credit card. So it’s up to you how you want to play it. My experience says that since it’s a firearm and not outrageously sized they don’t focus on the dimension. They WILL hit you if it’s over 50lbs so make sure it isn’t (including locks). That being said you could also get the credit card if it helps as I imagine you’ll hopefully have some meat to bring back and the bags do add up.

 

[Lrs183]

View attachment 428650
As long as your case is under 50 lbs you avoid the ”over weight fee”. Given that it’s a sporting good the “linear dimension fee” is not applied. This has been my experience with the buddies that have flown that flew coach or didn’t have an Alaskan Airlines card.

My case runs the same dimensions as your 1750 and will only have the rifle and ammo in it. So it'll be well under 50. I just kinda hate that I've had such mixed reviews from reps directly with Alaska air. My first sample was months ago when I booked and then tonight. Though tonight's sample seemed highly uneducated to their own rules.

 

[HoneyDew]

Do you know what airports you’ll be checking the case at? This will impact the competence of the employees.

 

[Lrs183]

Do you know what airports you’ll be checking the case at? This will impact the competence of the employees.

Indy and Fairbanks.

 

[Theringworm]

My case runs the same dimensions as your 1750 and will only have the rifle and ammo in it. So it'll be well under 50. I just kinda hate that I've had such mixed reviews from reps directly with Alaska air. My first sample was months ago when I booked and then tonight. Though tonight's sample seemed highly uneducated to their own rules.

100% agree. No matter your status or card holder if it’s over 50lbs you are getting charged. I have never ever seen a tape measured pulled to run the dimensions on a gun case. Of all airlines, Alaska Airlines probably transports more rifle annually than all other combined (clearly just an uneducated guess but this isn’t their first rodeo).

 

[Desk Jockey]

Last time I flew Alaska with a rifle case - SKB 5009 = 55 inches long - all they cared about was weight. after a few recent shit shows with united, Alaska has actually become my preferred airline.

 

[cnelk]

We checked 12 bags on our flight(s) home from Alaska last fall - including moose rack

Alaska Airlines knows all about meat, guns and baggage

 

[MattB]

Don't overthink this. What an Alaska rep will tell you over the phone is policy because they have no idea who will help you at the counter or if you are the sort of person that deserves to be dealt policy. Most employees give and most customers will get leeway on this. I've flown Alaska a bunch of times with an SKB double bow case and a terraglide - neither of which has ever been charged as oversized. Be polite and you are virtually guaranteed not to have a problem.

 

[MattB]

100% agree. No matter your status or card holder if it’s over 50lbs you are getting charged. I have never ever seen a tape measured pulled to run the dimensions on a gun case. Of all airlines, Alaska Airlines probably transports more rifle annually than all other combined (clearly just an uneducated guess but this isn’t their first rodeo).

I've never been charged overweight even for some boxed that pushed 70# coming out of AK. Not saying it can't or hasn't happened, just sharing my experience. Agree on the tape measure.

 

[ODB]

Sadly I have found phone-in folks often less than clueless on stuff like this. Reason being is they aren’t dealing with real customers with real gun, etc.

The best experience i ever had with a gun was out of Dulles to salt lake. No sooner had I hit the counter did an older Indian chap approached me with a cart and said, “right this way sir.” Dude knew exactly what the deal was, took me through x-ray, told the scanner there to allow me to repack the case after they opened it, then tagged my case and off I went. Told me he wanted to make sure I was well taken care of.

Damn shame the industry isn’t filled with fellows like that.