Flying With Firearm In Canada Question

[bowhuntr14]

I am hoping someone here can help with this question becasue AirCanada does not actually have anything on their website that I can find. My buddy and I are driving from the Detroit area to Tronto then flying from Toronto to Newfoundlad for our moose hunt the end of September on Air Canada. We have all our paperwork filled out to delcare our firearms at the border when we cross on the way to Toronto. The question is checking our guns in at the airport. We have trigger locks, ammo will be in our checked baggage, but they don't say if we need TSA locks on our gun cases or if we can use regular locks. Has anyone had any experience with this in Canada that can help out.
Thanks.

 

[Racer00]

I did the same trip in '21. We had regular locks. But you never can tell with Canada. I would have both with me. They had us open the cases so they could quickly look and put a paper in with the rifles. Charged my buddy about $50 more than they charged me. No clue why. When I flew back out of Deer Lake, they never checked anything. Just x-rayed and pushed them thru. When I landed in Toronto again, my rifle didn't come out with the luggage. Finally found it by over-sized luggage area. Sitting there by it's lonesome. No one around. Anyone could have picked it up. Luckily it was me.

 

[bowhuntr14]

I did the same trip in '21. We had regular locks. But you never can tell with Canada. I would have both with me. They had us open the cases so they could quickly look and put a paper in with the rifles. Charged my buddy about $50 more than they charged me. No clue why. When I flew back out of Deer Lake, they never checked anything. Just x-rayed and pushed them thru. When I landed in Toronto again, my rifle didn't come out with the luggage. Finally found it by over-sized luggage area. Sitting there by it's lonesome. No one around. Anyone could have picked it up. Luckily it was me.

Thanks for the information. I was thinking about having both locks as well. Also thanks for the heads up on finding you gun by the oversized baggage.

 

[tntrker]

Non-tsa locks are what is called for because you are the only one that should have access to your weapon. You'll open it and let them inspect it at the counter. ALSO, tip, fly 1st class into Deer Lake. They load the plan up until it reaches the load limit then leave everything else behind to be brought to Deer Lake "whenever". They prioritize 1st class when loading. My buddy didn't get his luggage until 3 days later in a fly in camp...be sure to have the paperwork for your ammo as well with it. I did on the way in but not on the way out and it got taken...You will also pick up your weapon at the "oversize" location at baggage area which is differant than your normal luggage..

 

[bowhuntr14]

Non-tsa locks are what is called for because you are the only one that should have access to your weapon. You'll open it and let them inspect it at the counter. ALSO, tip, fly 1st class into Deer Lake. They load the plan up until it reaches the load limit then leave everything else behind to be brought to Deer Lake "whenever". They prioritize 1st class when loading. My buddy didn't get his luggage until 3 days later in a fly in camp...be sure to have the paperwork for your ammo as well with it. I did on the way in but not on the way out and it got taken...You will also pick up your weapon at the "oversize" location at baggage area which is differant than your normal luggage..

tntrker, Thank you for your response. The lock thing makes sense. Question on the Ammo, what do you mean by paperwork? All paperwork I have found was our decleration paperwork for our firearms.

Thanks again.

 

[tntrker]

your ammo will need a "declaration form" in your checked bag with the ammo. You will get that at check in. BE SURE to mention it's in your bag when you check in or when it's scanned and they look with no form, they'll take it out. Just open your bag and put the form inside. Doesn't need to be attached to it, but they need to see the ammo and form...they rushed us through coming back and I didn't want to keep mentioning it and it cost me the ammo and it's case it was in. The case was extra, not required.. Look under Air Canada's Special Items in baggage, then hunt tab...