Key Takeaways
- Check-in at MSY was smooth, declaring the firearm and using a Vaultek Lifepod 2.0.
- Arrival in Houston had some confusion with baggage claim, initially directing to carousel 3, then 4, and finally finding the bag on carousel 5.
- Patience paid off as the bag was retrieved after some inquiry at the Southwest office.
- Overall, check-in was textbook, but baggage pickup reminded that flying with guns may have complications.
- Staying calm and asking the right people is key to getting your bag in the end.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Episode 53 was filmed April 16th, flying Southwest from New Orleans to Houston for the NRA Annual Meetings. Check-in was smooth. Pickup was a different story — but everything worked out.
Check-In at MSY
Walked up, declared my firearm, went through the usual process. I was using my Vaultek Lifepod 2.0 inside a regular piece of luggage. No issues, no delays. As straightforward as it gets.
Waited my usual 15 minutes just in case TSA needed access. They didn’t so I headed through security.
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Arrival in Houston
This is where things got a little interesting. Flight attendants told us baggage would be on carousel 3. Got to baggage claim and they updated it to carousel 4. Waited there, and the bag never showed. Turns out it came out on carousel 5 — without any announcement — got pulled off, and ended up sitting with a Southwest agent. Nobody knew until a few of us walked over to the Southwest office and asked.
Not a crisis, just a reminder that the pickup side doesn’t always go by the book. You get the bag in the end. That’s what matters.
I did run into someone in baggage claim who was also headed to the NRA show. When I finally tracked down my bag, I mentioned it had been just sitting there with a gun in it. Not something I’d say to just anyone, but the context was right.
Final Thoughts
Check-in was textbook. Pickup took a little extra patience. That’s part of flying with guns if you’re going to do it consistently — most trips are routine, and occasionally it can get a little messy. Just stay calm, ask the right people, and you get your bag.