Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Flying thru London with rifles, how did it go.

Things may have changed, but it used to be you could not fly AA to London and transfer your gun to BA. That language is no longer on the AA website, but that does not means anything. You will need to call AA and see if they will make the transfer. I would suggest flying BA to London and then BA onwards. On BA you call them, and give them the brand , serial number and caliber. Several weeks before you fly and the confirm about three days before you depart. At the airport you will fill out the paperwork and keep a copy with you for your return flight back home. It’s very easy, but expensive.

Well after much confusion on my part and getting little info from the airlines, this is what I have found. Now we don't fly out until June, so we will see how it all works. We booked our tickets with American Airlines and that is all AA has to do with it. We go to the British Airways counter, fly on BA planes and follow BA rules. As stated above, call BA 3 months ahead of time and give them firearms info and again 3 days before your flight. Check in your bags and gun case and pay a fee of about 160.00 and fill out a form there at the counter and that is suppose to be it. lf this all the case, it shouldn't be to bad. I will repost after we get back. Thank you all for your imput, Patrick

I suggest using Travel With Guns. They know the details about flights. Never ever try doing it yourself unless you are very experienced.

I'll echo this. I'll never clear customs again in Atlanta. ANY other option is better.

I have a "funny" story from a trip home from Namibia several years ago. Outbound via Newark-Heathrow-Joburg-Windhoek was no problem with gun in one locked "golf" case (stuffed with the majority of my related hunting gear) and ammo in a separate standard luggage. I had a good week-long hunt bagging gold metal Kudu, Zebra, and Gemsbok. I then traveled the country for a month as a standard tourist before heading back home. On return flights my mistake was I left all my loaded 30-06 ammo with my PH, but kept a single fired brass shell in my gear as a souvenir. It happened to be in the same locked case as my rifle. MISTAKE! Upon plane transfer in London, I had taken my seat on the flight, the stew came on PA saying there was a departure delay, and a HUGE security agent in full armor came aboard, was led to my seat, and asked (actually, ordered) me to come off the plane with him. I was led to the tarmac near a baggage cart, I was shown my golf case, and a second security agent opened his hand to display the fired cartridge they had removed from it (via TSA key). They asked me if I had any other ammunition or components anywhere. I didn't. Then he told me the cartridge case (luckily not the rifle or entire locking case) was being seized. They led me back to the gangway and let me reboard. Luckily the whole thing only delayed the flight about 20 minutes, and while the agents were professional and even a little humorous, the most flak I got was from the gate agent who complained I didn't inform her I was traveling with a firearm in checked luggage. Of course, there was no requirement (at least in 2005) to do so, as I hadn't touched the case since Windhoek.

The British Bulldog lost its nuts a long time ago.

I made the trip from Denver to JNB on BA in Sept 2016. I would never do it again. I found SAA flight from JFK a better fit for me. Just get on the plane and get it over with. The long lay over in London was torture, making the trip seem much longer. The British Airway's staff where a bunch of pricks in Denver and didn't seem to have a clue on how to check our guns, and to make matters worse, the guns where checked through on the way home from Zim and we ended up in the basement of the airport in JNB on the way home with the South African police looking for a bribe after a young angry looking black man at the BA desk sent us to have our guns checked out. I would personally avoid British Airways and JNB like the plague. Depending on your final destination much better ways to get there

I know it doesn't make much sense for most or all Americans, but I've flown through Amsterdam twice with no issues. I would do it again. I have to apply for a free transit permit for the rifle and ammo, but it is easy to do.

KLM is a great airline. Great entertainment and food. The dam Airbus seats could be wider, but the 777 seats were fine. Great staff.

What does Customs have to do with Delta?

This

If I go to Namibia again I will avoid J'burg completely. Probably have to go the Qatar to Windhoek route with a few hour layover in Doha on the way. Quatar is way cheaper than Delta anyway.

I understand that KLM and Luthansa both were flying to Windhoek pre-Covid.