Got to Bulawayo yesterday afternoon and no rifles! What a way to start a safari.

465H&H

Been there, done that.

I hope they don't take a week to catch up with you like they did with us the first time I hunted in Zim. Although we were fortunate enough to spend a couple of weeks travelling around before the hunt, so it worked out for us anyway. Which is why I now always spend some time before a hunt doing other things in a country, so that guns and baggage can have some extra time to arrive before the hunting starts.

Good luck!

Man, that sucks!

Hope it catches up with you quickly!

Good luck,

quote:

Originally posted by Don_G:
Man, that sucks!

Hope it cathes up with you quickly!

Good luck,

DITTO!

Man, I would be beside myself. This is what I do to mitigate this problem:
Get to the aiport early and check in early. Once you get to your gate, ask the ticket agent to verify your luggage is on board. Airlines are mandated to match luggage to passengers per TSA regs. Do the same thing once you get to your connecting flight, in my case, it was Atlanta. I double checked with the gate agent and verified the stuff was aboard. If flying through Johannesburg, spend the money and hire Optima. They physically send a man down there to ensure your stuff makes it. And lastly, no mttaer what your travel agent says, allow at least three hours for overseas flight connections. It's worked for me. Famous last words. I probably just jinxed myself.... jorge

jorge,
That's exactly what I do and it's always worked for me....EXCEPT ONE TIME!

Rich Elliott

How do we contact this "Optima company in South Africa??
Do we even need to concern ourselves with it if the guns and luggage has been checked through to Harare and we are not exiting the airport in Jo-Burg. I have not had any trouble on a previous trip to Zim, and dont want any in the future either. Thanks, Chuck Creswell, Oregon

HEre you go: http://www.optimahandling.co.za/ jorge

Agree with Jorge. I check at each gate while waiting, to make sure that my baggage is on the plane. They can check.
Peter.

Yes, and THEY can lie too. I agree that you do everything you can to assure that the rifles are there but at some point it becomes a crap shoot.
Rich Elliott

That happened to me when I arrived in Bulawayo last September. Actually, my luggage and guncase never got on the plane in Seattle, so I knew I had problems when I went to collect my luggage in Atlanta and nothing showed up.

Took 3 days for my guns and checked bag to catch up to me. I went ahead to the safari area, after HHK assigned someone to collect the bag and guns when they arrived. The customs officer in Bulawayo was very accomodating. When I received my stuff, everything was there, but it did look like it had been run over, stomped, smashed, crashed and otherwise generally not taken care of very well.

Good luck, I hope you receive you rifles in short order without incident.

DPhillips:

Did you check your bags straight through from AK or did you overnight in Atl?

Some folks think it is best when connecting to check the bags only to the intermediate airport (e.g., ATL or JFK). Unfortunately, if you do this, the airlines are only legally responsible for getting them to that airport, not all the way to Africa. I can't imagine them enforcing this, but you never know...

My Delta flight from Anchorage to Seattle was sub'd out to Alaska Airlines, but luggage was checked through to Atlanta. From Seattle to Atlanta I did fly Delta. I had to claim my luggage in Atlanta for customs to transfer to South African Airways (about 2.5 hours between flights) and luggage was to be checked through to Bulawayo. In Anchorage, I asked for my luggage to be checked all the way (so that I wouldn't have to claim it in Atlanta), but Alaska Airlines said it couldn't be done, even with the tickets I presented. SAA is an Alaska Airlines partner (as is Delta). Alaska Airlines is where the mix-up occured. They've been having some major problems in the past few years and service is really suffering.

While I had really wanted my luggage checked all the way through, Alaska Airlines refused and only checked it as far as ATL. Didn't matter anyway as the baggage didn't even make it on the plane in Seattle.

This thread peaked my curiosity. Anyone here ever get thier rifle delayed, but get their other bags (and ammo) delivered correctly? If so how did the destination countries custom's/police handle the situation?

Did they hold the ammo until your firearms arrive or did they let you take you ammo. I'd bet it could be messy.

I wonder if I could win an argument with a ticket agent about where I should pack my ammo with this example?

-Steve

Without the guns, I'd bet they would never suspect you had any ammo...

The good news is that my rifles finally arrived but were a week late. I borrowed Lou Hallamores 458 Ruger and took one PAC bull with it. I then took another PAC bull and a crop raiding cow with my new Searcy 470. I am in Bullawayo now and will return to the USA tomorrow. I'll have a full report on the hunt for you guys as soon as jet lag allows on my return. I'll include some pictures if someone here will help me get them posted.

465H&H

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
The good news is that my rifles finally arrived but were a week late. I borrowed Lou Hallamores 458 Ruger and took one PAC bull with it. I then took another PAC bull and a crop raiding cow with my new Searcy 470. I am in Bullawayo now and will return to the USA tomorrow. I'll have a full report on the hunt for you guys as soon as jet lag allows on my return. I'll include some pictures if someone here will help me get them posted.

465H&H

I'm glad to hear you had what sounds like a great hunt even though you had some luggage problems.

I look forward to your report and pictures. If you need help with the pictures I may be able to assist.

Glad to hear that your guns caught up to you. I know there are quite a few of us eager to hear how your trip went.

Been there and done that in Zim. Two things helped:
1) I hunt with only the best...BWANAMRM of Victoria, Texas who loaned me his gun that gave me over ten (10) one-shot kills (had to be the gun). Thanks buddy, I owe you a big one.
2) Buzz Charlton and his crew at the office did not rest until my property was found and brought to me. Thanks to Buzz and his dedicated crew.

Hope all goes well and this is only a small set back.