By no stretch of the imagination is this Emirates fault.

One should do due diligence whenever traveling.

Especially with guns.

quote:

Originally posted by MD375:

quote:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

quote:

Originally posted by Balule:
Sunshine, any update on this?

Yes, indeed. The rifle is now with the airport police at Joburg. The flight from Zuerich to Jo‘burg was done by Emirates, the one from Jo‘burg to Cape Town was Airlink. However I only have one ticket: the one from Emirates. Emirates did book my Airlink flight. Emirats‘ duty was getting my baggage to Cape Town no matter how.

The police is refusing to forward the gun to Cape Town, they want me to collect it in Jo‘burg! Which means I have to buy a return ticket Cape Town Jo‘burg Cape Town. I‘m trying to get the money for that ticket from Emirates, they had given me permission to put the gun case on board for the entire flight: Zuerich to Cape Town.

Very sorry to hear this, it makes me frustrated hearing stories like this.

When you filled out your export permit, which point of exit did you fill in? OR TAMBO or Cape Town International. If your export permit says OR Tambo/JHB you would have to clear your gun first irrespective if checked all the way through to CT. If CT is listed as exit then they were supposed to send the firearm to CT SAPS to clear.

PORT OF EXIT: CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT


There is nothing I can do. Even the local DFO told me: It‘s your rifle, we are unable to assist.

quote:

Originally posted by fulvio:
One should avoid short layovers and ensure a minimum of at least 2hrs between connecting flights.

Another setback which can result in short-landed baggage is checking in early as your baggage will be loaded first and unloaded last.

I book 4hr layovers...

Every time I have flown internationally with a firearm I have had to pick it up at the airport of entry and recheck it for additional flights within that country, to include the US.

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
Every time I have flown internationally with a firearm I have had to pick it up at the airport of entry and recheck it for additional flights within that country, to include the US.

That makes sense. However Emirates booked my AirLink flight to Cape Town without considering that I have to clear the rifle in Johannesburg. Because Emirates had given me permission to take the rifle along, I was under the impression in this case I would get the rifle in Cape Town.

Would I have cleared the rifle in Jo’burg I would have missed the flight to Cape Town plus the shuttle to the final destination

quote:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
Every time I have flown internationally with a firearm I have had to pick it up at the airport of entry and recheck it for additional flights within that country, to include the US.

That makes sense. However Emirates booked my AirLink flight to Cape Town without considering that I have to clear the rifle in Johannesburg. Because Emirates had given me permission to take the rifle along, I was under the impression in this case I would get the rifle in Cape Town.

Would I have cleared the rifle in Jo’burg I would have missed the flight to Cape Town plus the shuttle to the final destination

With all the hassle we see reported here about going through Johannesburg, it really was your job to see what is the best options for you.

Emirates has no control over what other airlines do.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
Every time I have flown internationally with a firearm I have had to pick it up at the airport of entry and recheck it for additional flights within that country, to include the US.

That makes sense. However Emirates booked my AirLink flight to Cape Town without considering that I have to clear the rifle in Johannesburg. Because Emirates had given me permission to take the rifle along, I was under the impression in this case I would get the rifle in Cape Town.

Would I have cleared the rifle in Jo’burg I would have missed the flight to Cape Town plus the shuttle to the final destination

With all the hassle we see reported here about going through Johannesburg, it really was your job to see what is the best options for you.

Emirates has no control over what other airlines do.

It had nothing to do with "other airlines". There was hardly time to get onto the new flight after landing. I just reached the connection flight in time. Clearly Emirates should have booked a later flight for me - and obviously I should have noticed that something isn’t right…

I try for a minimum of 3 hours at a port of entry airport. That has been sufficient for most foreign airports but not necessarily in the US, especially if you're in the International terminal and your departing flight is at the other end of the airport. Had a really bad time in Houston last time on a flight arriving from New Zealand. Had to claim baggage and rifle at separate locations, open the gun in Customs, open it again when rechecking at the United ticket counter for the flight home, but not at TSA. Made my gate as the plane was loading and got a call from TSA. They wanted me to come back to ticketing and open the case for them but I decided "screw them" and left on my flight. Of course the gun didn't make the flight but it did arrive the next day and I had to go back to the airport and pick it up. BUT a much smaller airport so it was in and out pretty quickly.

3 hours at port of entry ino the USA? If you are arriving from New Zealand as a non-citizen at LAX you wont even get out of immigration in 3 hours and that's before you hit customs. We had 6 hours to catch a flight to Canada for the Calgary Stampede and only just made the flight!
Saeed hates Heathrow but LAX is in a class of it's own!

US citizen. I've also entered through LAX and that's why I went through Houston the last time. Not much better really. Long lines and government employees going nowhere. Arriving in Auckland wasn't too bad.

quote:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
Every time I have flown internationally with a firearm I have had to pick it up at the airport of entry and recheck it for additional flights within that country, to include the US.

That makes sense. However Emirates booked my AirLink flight to Cape Town without considering that I have to clear the rifle in Johannesburg. Because Emirates had given me permission to take the rifle along, I was under the impression in this case I would get the rifle in Cape Town.

Would I have cleared the rifle in Jo’burg I would have missed the flight to Cape Town plus the shuttle to the final destination

With all the hassle we see reported here about going through Johannesburg, it really was your job to see what is the best options for you.

Emirates has no control over what other airlines do.

It had nothing to do with "other airlines". There was hardly time to get onto the new flight after landing. I just reached the connection flight in time. Clearly Emirates should have booked a later flight for me - and obviously I should have noticed that something isn’t right…

The airline always books the earliest flight available.

They don't take into consideration that you have rifles which require you to have time to sort out.

It clearly shows you, or your booking agent, who should have thought of this.

Blaming others for your own mistake isn't going to help.