I have been assured by my travel agent and several on this forum that the RSA gun import papers are not necessary. However just yesterday our booking agent called and said someone on the exact same flight we are on, straight through Joberg and on to Windhoek, got into a big hassle by not having RSA gun import papers in place. Any new info? Thanks. D

DHunter

Do you know if the client booked baggage/rifles all the way through from USA to Namibia OR did he take all the items off at Joburg and then re-book onto the Namibia flight ??

My clear undertanding is that [NO PERMIT] is required for (in transit) AND especially if ALL the items are booked through to a final destination ... although you have to FIRST check with each individual airline and also the connect airline to see if they in fact can book to destination, some have strange rules, some dont.

BUT there may be other opinions !!

I still believe in transit or any passengers travelling with rifles via Joburg and WHOM have NOT booked items through to a final destination should (pay the small fee) and use OPTIMA and avoid all the heartache of some INEPT or TESTY official trying to impose their own free will on the situation. Remember every situation and person in AUTHORITY is different so let OPTIMA handle it and you can sit back and smell the ROSES or the cordite

Peter

He was definitely booked straight through from Atl to Windhoek on SAA. As are we. Now what we do not know is whether he took a wrong turn and down the escalator. My understanding is that once you do that you are officially on RSA soil and subject to the laws there. Any one else heard of difficulties?

I hope this isn't a problem as my father and I are booked through to Windhoek with Tony da Costa and they assured me that we wouldn't need the SA crap, since we are in transit and "technically" not in their country.

You MUST stay in the International area of the terminal.

D Hunter

Rather than guessing why not e-mail Air 2000 anne@air-2000.com They handled all the same stuff as Optima and even provide gun storage if necessary. They are very efficient and will get back to you ASAP.

Mark

Does anyone have the web address of Optima services or the Air2000 refered to in some of the posts? Like a lot of people, I'm flying into Joberg then connecting on to TZN. Personally, I want to retrieve my baggage/guns in RSA and rebook them on the connecting flight to TZN...juts to make sure they make the transfer. But, using one of these services would simplify things.

Bull1

Air 2000 home page:
http://www.hunterssupport.com/
or
http://www.air-2000.com/

The main relevant sections on their web site:
http://www.hunterssupport.com/permits.htm
http://www.hunterssupport.com/feedback.htm (forms downloads)

-Bob F.

bull,

You will definitely need a service such as Air 2000 for your tranfer. Contact them direct with the info. that BF Faucett or I gave you.

I couldn't recommend them more highly.

Mark

Well, I gotta disagree on this one.
I would never pay anyone to help me through an airport. The Companies doing this are just taking advantage of the crummy entry laws of that country. They aren't helping you carry your bags, they are "assisting" you to negotiate the law.
I'm going to pay you $50 to $100 US so you can carry my guns through customs? I don't think so. Its legalized bribery.
I've read about these Companies meeting you and taking you to the front of the line. If you went to the front of the line I was in, I'd kick your ass. If you think these Companies don't bribe the Customs Officers to allow this, you are wrong.
Read the rules, follow them and fall in line.

quote:

I'm going to pay you $50 to $100 US so you can carry my guns through customs? I don't think so. Its legalized bribery.
I've read about these Companies meeting you and taking you to the front of the line. If you went to the front of the line I was in, I'd kick your ass. If you think these Companies don't bribe the Customs Officers to allow this, you are wrong.

TJ

That is why we are all master of our own destiny, we have freedom to pay the money and breeze through OR to follow your line ( which I do commend ) and suffer the consequences of maybe missing a connect flight ...

Unfortunately whether you or I like it or not the real world works a bit different to the theoretical world, people do take bribes and people do buck the system BUT if you & I ever think that by saying I wont ride the gravy train it will stop the palm greasing then we are dreaming.

The companies offering the service are all good people and if someone wont use their service that is fine by them, there are always those whom will want to. They are not inside traders they just know the ropes better than you and I and by experience can perform tricks that you and I can only dream about

Your heart is in the right place and you have made a choice. I personally dont believe I would want to temp the system especially in AFRICA

quote:

Originally posted by TJ:
..... If you went to the front of the line I was in, I'd kick your ass. ....

Hmmmmm.... you might want to rethink that. You see there are several South African Police Service officers hanging around the firearms registration office. I don't think you'd like to spend a night or two in a South African jail.

-Bob F.

...and I might add that they were about the "biggest & baddest" looking security guys I've seen in some time.

Bill,

You got that right!!

-Bob F.

I for one admire TJ for his convictions. I also plan to bypass RSA entirely if at all possible in the future.
Hunter's $ or better said the lack of those $ because of RSA's own antics will eventually draw attention.
MORE hunters should indeed hold such convictions rather than make jest of those whom do!

I used Air2000 last June and it was the BEST $50.00 I've ever spent. Got through the whole hassle in 15 minutes and the guy walked us down to the domestic gate (we were hunting in RSA).

The biggest thing is that they've got all the forms filled out and pre-approved. They've confirmed things with your outfitter, etc. All we had to do was show the officials the serial numbers and ammo. A few rubber stamps and we were out of there. The other hunters in line are probably still there...

It is all above board and the guys meet you as you get off the plane. I ended up tipping the guy another 50 as I was sooooo pleased with the service.

I think that after spending 3+ hours in line because some schmoos ahead of you couldn't get thier paperwork together, missing connections, paying for additional hotel nights, and missing a presious day of hunting, TJ might alter his strong feelings about this.

-Steve

I doubt TJ will ever be in RSA again by many of his posts!

Last year on the way to namibia, we needed to register guns in SA because we had about a 5 hour layover, so we needed to claim guns as they couldn't be checked through. It was Cape Town and not too much hassle, but it sure would have been easier to not have to do it. Our travel consultant, Gracy, had the info I needed and I was prepared with forms and such. Bob

Let me try to clarify my post. I'm not opposed to a Company helping folks through the process. I pay tax people to do my taxes. Same thing.
I am opposed if they are given preferential treatment, (head of the line).
If SAP had two lines, one for completed paperwork and another for incomplete paperwork, things might go faster.
We had our paperwork in order and had no problems. We had completed it in advance and faxed copies to SAP. They ignored them and filled out new papers. Has that changed?
I certainly didn't live this long by kicking someones ass every time I get irritated. Where I come from, its a figure of speach. I probably would verbally abuse them and hope they didn't try to kick my ass!
If you want to hunt in RSA and don't mind the paperwork hassle, go for it. Its a beautiful country. If I do go back, I will probably use the PHs rifle and leave mine at home.

Personally I'd be happy to pay the Air 2K fee if it just got me through passport control quickly......the fact that they do the firearm import paperwork etc as well is even better.

Obviously in an ideal world we wouldn't have to stand in queues to get through passport controls, nor would we ever have any hassles with the customs & irritations guys and it would be easy to import firearms......but in the real world these problems occur on a regular basis.......but that's Africa and the sooner you used to it the easier it will be as Africa sure as hell won't be getting any easier.

bobc, the reason you had to jump the hoops, you were going thru Cape Town, this would not have been necessary in Joberg. Cape Town does not have a way for passengers not to enter "RSA" as Joberg has.

Generally speaking the (only ones) whom tend to have problems in SA or Africa are those whom ignore the good advice from AR guests in the know how and those whom want to be a DIY hero and save a penny.

I say it (again anad again) to my hunter enquiries, that there are some (key items) they need to put on their checklist prior to departure and if they take the advice then in most instances the trip will go smooth.

Too often people take the (well intended) advice of someone whom had been to Africa say one two three years ago and in good faith tell their story, often and unfortunately the circumstances have since changed and the advise is irrelavent or in fact incorrect

The #1 RULE) is get the [latest updated information] as the rules and regulations in Africa change more often than you and I change our under pants.

The #2 RULE) is get a GOOD Travel Agent as they will apart from getting you cost effective prices they know the information that is needed including ALL aspects of rifle import permits and other red tape issues

The #3 RULE) is get a GOOD ( home based) AFRICA EXPERIENCED taxidermist, they will ensure cost effective hassle free action when your consignment arrives back home, you sit back and they do the business

The #4 RULE) is contact a (tried and trusted) Booking Consultant / OR Outfitter if you chose to go direct, as that will ensure your headaches are minimised and the costs are fair

If the (Africa Outfitter) is a GOOD ONE they will in turn use a (tried and trusted) AFRICA Taxidermist whom will ensure satisfaction with your trophy export consignment.

If you care to follow those 4 main rules then barring something extraordinary occuring beyond control, All you need to do then is enjoy the experience

Peter