From

The Hunting Report

If you are holding a Delta Airlines ticket to South Africa, you need to be aware that the airline is continuing to deny boarding privileges to passengers with firearms who cannot produce a hunting invitation from an outfitter. Delta should not be requiring hunters to produce this document, but they are doing so in an absolute manner - e.g., no invitation; no boarding privilege.

Hunters headed to South Africa have needed a letter of invitation for some time to get a gun import permit, of course. You can see all the requirements by going to our web site, www.huntingreport.com. Scroll down to "Important Forms." The problem is, most hunters nowadays are asking PHASA or Air 2000 Hunters Support to handle their gun permits for them. This means outfitters have been sending their letters of invitation to those organizations, not to the individual clients.

Don't get caught here. If you are about to fly Delta to South Africa, get a letter of invitation before you go to the airport. If your hunt is outside of South Africa, get one from your outfitter in your destination country, even if such a letter is not required in that country.

If this sounds like a foolish paper game, that's because it is. Apparently, Delta personnel are getting their misinformation from an IATA subscription service called timaticweb.com, which aggregates data such as customs requirements worldwide. The way the South African data appears on timaticweb.com, counter personnel have no choice but to deny boarding rights to passengers without letters of invitation. I am indebted to Steve Turner at Gracy Travel (800-299-8558) for this important heads-up.

Delta's mistake here is almost certainly a result of its recent entry into this market. In coming weeks, I hope to convince Delta to adopt new procedures. In the meantime, don't let this snafu ruin your trip to southern Africa. Get your hands on a letter of invitation, along with the other paperwork spelled out on our web site. - Don Causey, Editor/Publisher.

What will they think of next?

Nice head's up though!

viewpoint descrimination...they are obviously making a statement against hunters...

BOYCOTT!!!

Delta sucks anyhow.

wendell,thanks for the heads up.

Your Outfitter/PH can email you a LOI. Copy and paste it into a word document and print it out. Takes less than two minutes once you have the email. Sounds like Delta should change its name to Smelta. This stinks! LDK

I don't know when this started..We flew delta from OKC..Atlanta...Joberg and back the first two weeks of june..no problem either way..nobody asked for an invitation [and we all had guns]...for whatever its worth.

...what's the big deal? Get on your computer, and type up a "bone fide" letter of invitation utilizing the outfitters name, etc.

It's worked for me three times now. If Delta wants to play games, so can we.

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:


What will they think of next?

Nice head's up though!

You know Charles this is what I think will eventually happin in the not tooooo distant future, and this is my personal opinion only, but (mark my words) they will try it on as they can see (this as our weak link) the transporting of rifles and try to exploit it

One day you will find that most if not ALL AIRLINES will be (enticed or even forced by some crazy law) to BAN the transport of RIFLES for the purpose of hunting on commercial civilian aircraft. These lobby groups and vast array of left leaning sympathisers will somehow (crack the Davinci code) and ban our guns on planes

Please dont laugh as anything is possible, so we must (keep on guard) and fight for our rights as these things can snowball and creep up on us in the dark of night

Cheers, Peter

Thanks for the heads-up. We leave for Zim through Joburg next month and though Afton is doing my permits, I obtained and kept copies of it all including the invite. Just in case there was a problem in SA. Sounds like the problem I anticipated is a little closer to home!
Gary

Wouldn't a note from my mother saying that it's OK with her if I go hunting be enough?

Thanks Wendell.

sounds like a good opportunity for some interprising private jet owner.

Delta Air lines is new to the African theater and this is obviously a knee jerk reaction to some misleading information. I believe Don Causey, NRA, and SCI will be able to explain the true picture to Delta Mgmt. and affect a change in this policy. Delta is our best hope to be able to access Africa with firearms long term.
There is, of course, another option. Emirates Air could offer service from Atl. to SA or Zim. and get their gun policy advice from SAEED !!

I believe Emirates already offers service to South Africa, and Tanzania - via Dubai from JFK in New York.

In addition Ethiopian Airlines offers service from Washington Dulles to South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe via Addis Ababa.[ see Ethiopian discussion ]

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
Wouldn't a note from my mother saying that it's OK with her if I go hunting be enough?

that really makes the point! --and thanks for the good laugh!

Thanks for the heads up Wendell. I will be traveling through SA on August 26th to Zimbabwe and already have my letter of invitation but was unaware that some clerk at the airpot check-in counter would be there asking for it. This site has sure saved me a lot of headaches over the years. Thanks Saeed!

Will a copy of the hunt contract do?

Hunt contracts, email exchanges, letters of invitation, etc. will do. I thought they were just curious as to where I was going on vacation when they asked me but now I know it is Delta-wide. SCI should tell Delta to lay off or we're going with Lufthansa or some other airline instead.

thank you

How about just passing through to Zim? As long as my FD is not RSA, I should be good, no?

Thanks

PS, I was not planning on filling out the SAPS forms since I'm just changing planes and going on to harare. Is that foolish?

N'gagi,
Are you going trough customs or picking up your luggage by any stage?

PM me if you need any assitance.

Hey ol buddy!

I just got a call from Delta, and all my flight times changed TODAY!!!

I'll know tomorrow what the details are, but I know for SURE I'm getting home a day later than scheduled. I knew things were going too smooth! I'll call you in the AM and we can see what's what. It may work out, as my girlfriends in Pretoria want me to stay over....

That would really screw things up at every other step down the line...but that's AFRICA, eh?

I just flew Delta from Atlanta to JNB and then SAA up to Zambia on June 27, 2007. SAPS permits required an invitation letter even though I was hunting Zambia because I stayed over night at Afton House in JNB.

Delta lost my luggage on the way home to Salt Lake, but never once asked anything of me with regard to an invitation letter. I had one, of course, and a copy in my carry on bag. It was just never brought up by Delta, so I assume it must be a hit or miss proposition.

Typical. Even though there does not seem to be much profit in commercial airlines these days, it would be nice to have a service which caters to hunters.

Just think, on the flight over, everyone could watch hunting videos rather than those B movies they tend to show.

Also, they could help you fill out the paperwork you'll need to have to check your rifle(s) and ammo through Customs, etc.

"Bawana Air Service" or something like that.

Heck, they could even have door prizes, like at the RMEF, SCI or NRA dinners: "The third guy through the door gets a free ration of Malaria pills or a date with the chief's daughter, your choice."

quote:

Originally posted by N'gagi:
How about just passing through to Zim? As long as my FD is not RSA, I should be good, no?

Thanks

PS, I was not planning on filling out the SAPS forms since I'm just changing planes and going on to harare. Is that foolish?

The SAPS forms are not necessary in your situation. I just did the same thing in June. Just don't leave the neutral zone for any reason. It wouldn't hurt to have as much paperwork with you as possible though (contract, etc). I had the SAPS with me but they were blank just in case. You definitely want your 4457's though.

SA black empowerment in action.....

quote:

Originally posted by billinthewild:
SA black empowerment in action.....

Even a Klan Grand Wizard couldn't connect this to race.

An german business mans has gotten license approved for an ailine for smokers, now one for hunters and shooters next, if anyone of you can`t take the part of being CEO, i can be that....