🚫 Flare gun

A flare gun will be treated exactly like a firearm at the checkpoint — it will be immediately removed from your bag, and you may face significant delays, law enforcement involvement, and possible fines. It cannot be brought into the cabin under any circumstances. If you have one in your bag by mistake, declare it to the airline at check-in before reaching security.

An unloaded flare gun may be transported in checked baggage if it is declared as a firearm at check-in, stored in a hard-sided locked case, and handled according to your airline's firearms policy. Signal flares and pyrotechnic cartridges are a separate matter — they are classified as explosives and are prohibited in both carry-on and checked baggage on commercial flights.

Airlines and screeners treat flare guns under the same strict protocols as conventional firearms, because they are legally classified as such in most jurisdictions. If you are stopped, do not argue the point — cooperate fully, explain you did not intend to bring it through improperly, and follow the instructions of security staff and any law enforcement present. Proactively declaring it at check-in before reaching security is by far the safest approach.

Pack the unloaded flare gun in a hard-sided lockable case in your checked baggage and declare it as a firearm when you check in at the counter — do not attempt to bring it to the security checkpoint. Leave all flare cartridges at home, as pyrotechnic ammunition is prohibited in all aircraft baggage and must not be packed in any bag you intend to fly with.