https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/legal/domestic-contract-of-carriage/019-conditions-and-charges-for-acceptance-of-special-items

Rule 19
A1c

https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/legal/domestic-contract-of-carriage/019-conditions-and-charges-for-acceptance-of-special-items

Rule 19
A1c

Thank you for the link 

(actually the reference is A1e) 

I too will miss the drive-thru check-in.  When I fly outer island it is usually without checked bags, however, when I do take bags, I always used the drive-thru.  They were far easier for firearm and ammunition check-in at the drive-thru. 

With the indoor Kiosks, I guess you need to get an agent to assist with the firearm check-in or more likely you need to stand in the customer service line?  Large rifle cases, they always have you take your case to the oversized baggage area for TSA inspection.  They inspect and let you lock it right there.

As a simplified way of doing it, I usually place the ammunition in a separate checked bag if I had more than one bag.  I have traveled with only 1 bag with firearm and ammunition but kept the firearm in its own locked container within the suitcase.  This has sufficed as "separate" but it really is not clearly defined the way it is written by Hawaiian Air.   

Make sure to dress appropriately ......

Packed up and ready to go. Ended up putting ammo in my other checked bag to distribute the weight. Think my rifle case was a little over 50 with the ammo. I’ll try to remember to ask whoever helps me about ammo in the rifle case.

Little stress on the way out today. Super long lines at checking. Just made the flight with maybe 10 mins to spare. Then both my bags don’t show up at the baggage claim. It was on the next flight, so not too bad.

Regarding ammo, lady who helped me said I could have had in my rifle case. She also asked if my ammo case in my other checked bag was locked. I said yes, which it was. She didnt inspect the ammo box nor rifle case. Just asked me what was inside the rifle case. She did mention that just need to be specific on ammo since it needs to be in a specific compartment on this specific plane.

Saw a couple others traveling with firearms. Chatted with them a little at the baggage claim and sounds like their agent had a little different procedure upon check in.

Made it here. Little late, but here.  With guns and amp, so that’s the main thing.

Forget everything, it's a crapshoot. 

Told Luggage containing ammo is "tagged" so it can be stored in "special"  area of plane during flight.
Passenger 1
Ammo in locked hard case inside soft sided luggage, rifles in hard sided rifle case, neither inspected  = passed, soft sided luggage tagged for ammo

Passenger 2
Ammo inside unlocked ammo can inside locked hard cased luggage, rifles in rifle case.
Told to separate ammo by putting half of ammo into lockable rifle case with rifles   = passed, rifle case  tagged for ammo 

Passenger 3
Ammo locked inside ammo can which is locked to a locked hard cased luggage, rifles in rifle case.
Told to remove ammo from can so it could be weighed, then returned to it's original state, glanced at opened rifle case  = passed,  hard sided luggage tagged for ammo

    All three pretty much in line together, Last 2 passengers were side by side with separate "Customer Service " personnel.
Our rifle cases made it with us , but our luggage (ammo) did not arrive with us but were retrieved after the next flight an hr later.

   On the other hand, Big Island Hawaiian Air was fast, friendly efficient and generally awesome. 

I travel interisland all the time with firearms. No issue with gate agents.  Firearms are always checked in separate from ammo.  Both are hard lockable cases.

Forget everything, it's a crapshoot. 

Told Luggage containing ammo is "tagged" so it can be stored in "special"  area of plane during flight.
Passenger 1
Ammo in locked hard case inside soft sided luggage, rifles in hard sided rifle case, neither inspected  = passed, soft sided luggage tagged for ammo

Passenger 2
Ammo inside unlocked ammo can inside locked hard cased luggage, rifles in rifle case.
Told to separate ammo by putting half of ammo into lockable rifle case with rifles   = passed, rifle case  tagged for ammo 

Passenger 3
Ammo locked inside ammo can which is locked to a locked hard cased luggage, rifles in rifle case.
Told to remove ammo from can so it could be weighed, then returned to it's original state, glanced at opened rifle case  = passed,  hard sided luggage tagged for ammo

    All three pretty much in line together, Last 2 passengers were side by side with separate "Customer Service " personnel.
Our rifle cases made it with us , but our luggage (ammo) did not arrive with us but were retrieved after the next flight an hr later.

   On the other hand, Big Island Hawaiian Air was fast, friendly efficient and generally awesome. 

Yeah, it was strange that we all had different experiences.  However, that is not unexpected.

Going to Hilo, the lady just had me open the main case and put in the tag on the top of the inner rifle bag.  Coming back home, the agent asked to inspect inside the rifle bag.  I have a rifle bag that is tailored to fit exactly inside the Pelican case.  I had padded around the guns with some towels and dirty laundry.  So I opened the case and exposed maybe a third of the rifle.  By that time, another agent had come by and just asked "is it loaded?" and "any ammunition?", both responded no.  So the first agent said OK and close up and lock the case. 

Going to Hilo, the agent also tested my locks.  After I put on the locks, she opened the latches and tried to see if she could pry the case open to get to the guns, which of course couldn't.  I recall that from the TSA language, but first time anyone had checked.  I have seen some much flimsier cases get through.

Overall, a pleasant experience.  For me, I'm not sharing my experience as criticism of the folks working the counter, but to share with those who will fly with the firearms in the future.  For me, I just go with the flow and in the "get it done" mindset.  Yeah, I would argue with them if they insisted on TSA locks for example, but otherwise, I was trying to be ready to just do what it takes to get my stuff to where I'm going.  In Rocky's example above, I probably would have argued, but this was maybe 20 minutes before the flight. 

I travel interisland all the time with firearms. No issue with gate agents.  Firearms are always checked in separate from ammo.  Both are hard lockable cases.

I had a lockable case for my ammo that went in my checked bag.  So something to be wary of if you plan on taking ammo in your "plain" checked bag as opposed to your firearm case.  I've also seen where TSA taped up the ammo that went into a "plain" checked bag. 

I've read many stories about TSA and flimsy cases.  If they can touch the gun by separating the case open, it's a no-go.  That's why I bought a pelican for the pistols vs. using the case the gun came with.

But again it all depends who you get.  But why take chances.

As noted, drive-thru check-in closed.  Went inside to check-in with ammunition only.  Wasn't sure if Kiosk was good to go for ammo only and since there was no one in line at the First Class/Premier customer service line I checked in there.  I told the girls that I always check-in outside and wasn't sure of the "indoor process" for ammunition and Kiosks.  She just giggled about the indoor vs. outdoor process, as if others are also thrown off by the closure of the drive-thru.  She didn't ask any questions, tagged my suitcase with the "ammunition" tag, for special stowage and that was that.  Please note that the standard customer service line can be long, so plan accordingly.

They do tear off the tag for special stowage, I guess so that people don't know what is in the bag when it comes out at the baggage claim.  Kind of funny because cases like Pelicans are pretty obvious and there is little security for picking up bags.

I will also add that the Hilo side of things is generally way smoother than on Oahu outbound.

Learned a few things from this past trip.  I kinda caught the perfect storm.

I arrived at the airport around 1 pm for my flight at 2:40 pm.  First thing was waited in line to get my luggage tag.  Kiosk said unable to process, need to see agent.  Well, I needed to see a CS agent to declare my firearm and ammo anyways.  When I got into the CS line, it was LONG!  Eventually, more agents came out and helped the line move, but I was already preparing for catching a later flight since that line was moving so slow. 

Asked why things were so crazy.  This is where the perfect storm hit.  The closing of the drive through made an already busy time SUPER busy.  That and with interisland flights happening all day, the 10 am to 1 pm flights are super popular, which I recall from when I traveled to outer islands for work.  Those times tend to be popular for both tour groups and the international flights that arrive in the morning.  Then there's the mainland flights that are in the 10 am to 2 pm window.  That's about the time where I know one of the popular Vegas flights departs. 

The check-in area was slammed from when I got there around 1 pm to just about 2 pm and then it was much less crowded. 

Then the conveyor belt for the interisland side broke and there was a huge backlog of bags stuck before the scan.  I assume that's why my bags missed the flight.  When I saw the other two rifle cases come out and mine wasn't, I was already thinking of what gun I would get to replace them.   

Coming back to HNL, my rifle case came out on the conveyor belt.  That actually happened with United before.  All other times, I had to either show ID to an airline rep, or claim it at the baggage CS counter.  Not a big deal, but little unnerving to see the rifle case out on the belt.  Like mentioned above, Pelican cases mostly do scream "I have guns".  That said, there were a few FEMA folks on my flight and they had Pelican cases for equipment. 

After all of that, I think I will never travel with a firearm.
So much Bullpuckey. I will find another way.
We used to go back and forth to Kona with guns all the time, but not any more.
Aloha, I think

After all of that, I think I will never travel with a firearm.
So much Bullpuckey. I will find another way.
We used to go back and forth to Kona with guns all the time, but not any more.
Aloha, I think

Nah.  Don't take that recent experience posted as a deterrent.  It wasn't that bad.  My points were that one must be aware of both TSA and airline policy and also be somewhat prepared to go with the flow.  Many airline agents aren't aware of TSAs policy nor their own airline's policy, which is sort of understandable as I don't think that many folks travel with firearms in Hawaii.  In places like Alaska and Texas, I've noticed that things go much smoother, which I guessed was due to more folks traveling there with firearms.  First time I went to Alaska, there was a pretty good sized group going there for a hunting and fishing trip with many rifle cases.