When I recieved my confirmation for a room at afton house the mentioned a vip service available for an extra 25 bucks. It includes meet at the deboard gate and walk you through customs and firearms permits. Has anyone used this service??? Seems like a small price to pay for babysitting.

I think that would be $25 wisely spent. Steve, that posts here from time to time, made use of the same people, but via a different company. He paid more than $25, but was still very happy with the service he got.

Since our stupid gun laws have been implemented, I'm suggesting to all my clients that they make use of this service.

Mamba,

I use this same service for my clients.
They handle it all for clients staying in South Africa or ones that are in transit to make sure firearms and luggage make the connecting flight.

If you are staying at Afton it's 25.00
Otherwise booking them direct it is 35.00

I've just spoken to Louis at Afton and he told me that they are no longer offering this service as it is now becoming too time consuming. Apparently he had just had an e-mail asking if he could get 7 hunters through JIA and onto a connecting flight all in 10 minutes.

I believe there are a few companies out there who do offer a variety of services, but the only one I have first hand knowledge of is Air 2000 who meet the client at aircraft side, get him through passport control much faster than usual and then they leave you at the police office whilst they go off to collect your firearms for you. Once they have them they take the (preissued) import licence straight into the office and get everything cleared for you. All you have to do yourself is unlock your riflecase and show the cop the serial numbers. When I came through a few days ago it took me about 20 minutes from getting off the aircraft to walking out of the terminal. There were hunters there who had been stuck at the police office for 4 hours and were still there when I left. The cost is US$70 per person and (IMHO) well worth every cent.

Mamba,

What Riaan and Steve (Shakari) said is true about Air2000. I have no experience with Afton House, however.

The Air2000 representative met Lisa and me at the end of the jet way, escorted us through immigration, helped me collect our bags, walked me to the head of the SAP line, had all the paperwork ready, got the papers stamped and the permits issued, and led us through customs. I just had to show the police officer the rifles and ammo.

The young man then walked us to the domestic terminal, to the ticket agent, got our seats issued and on to security, where he finally left us on our own.

The entire process took about 30 minutes (minus the time wating for the bags to deplane)

Quite simply it was the best $70.00 I've ever spent.

If I hadn't used it I'm sure that the process would have taken a couple of hours as the line was quite long by the time I got my bags.

Take Care,

-Steve

My suggestion is that if you are going to stay at Afton House, go with their service. I've used it four times with great satisfaction. Along with walking you rapidily through firearms clearance, the "greeter/customs facilitator" will be in contact with Louis and he will make sure he is waiting for you as soon as clear customs, etc. I've seen dozens of folks cussing and scratching their heads upon every arrival. The looks on their faces as I am led through the turmoil is worth the few bucks.



Opps:



Having skipped reading some of the above posts, I just read the part about Louis not handling the "meet & greet" any more. Well, it the report of ending the service is true... All I have to say in "Do-Do!". Say it ain't so, Louis...

I gotta jump in here and say that on my recent trip to Africa in late May and early June, I stayed at the Afton House. The "meet and greet" service was wonderful. We were through the mess at the airport in about 30 minutes total time. But as for the Afton House itself, I don't care to ever stay there again. Some here sing the praises of Louie. I never met him during my stay at Afton House, but for a little more money I can stay at a nice hotel, with a private room, and a private bath. If they are no longer offering the "vip treatment" I would never consider staying there again. This is just my opinion, but it is based on a somewhat lacking overall experience with Afton House.

Regardless of which travel agency you booked your air travel with,I wanted to pass this information along to the AR members. I think you will find Optima's price and service outstanding.
The company employees 160 people between the two locations.The company operates in Joberg and Cape Town.
This is the service I use for my clients.

They have clearance to go to the planes and meet you, clear you and your firearms through customs. I like them for my clients that are in-transit and need to be sure that firearms and luggage make it to the next flight ,especially Zambia and Moz.


Johan is working with me for The S.C.I. Detroit Chapter Disabled Vet Hunt that the Detroit Chapter is sponsoring to Windhoek, Namibia this fall.
The veteran is wheelchair bound and Johan is going to make sure all goes well for the airport transfers.

Listed below is the web site and e-mail to contact Johan.

I told Johan that there are several AR members who will be traveling to Joberg or utilizing the airport for in-transit destinations. If you decide to use his services, tell him you are an AR member.


Optima Handling


Johan Coetzer
johan.optima@worldonline.co.za


Web site : www.optimahandling.co.za

The price of the service is $35.00 US per person. To make a booking for the assistance vipassist@optimahandling.co.za prior to the arrival of your clients:

Passenger/s initials and Surname
Date, flight and time of scheduled arrival
onto which flight your clients have to connect onto.

Please allow for enough time when you make your bookings, so that he can prepare for the arrival . This ensures that you will get the best assistance possible.

I saw the offer of vip service on my confirmation letter from afton house. I will email them to see if they have dropped the service. I cant imagine dicking around in line after a 18 hour plane ride. So I will use someone if afton wont do it . Thanks everybody for the help...

Afton has both private en-suite rooms and rooms with shared bath. I have done it both ways and I was very happy with the accommodations. I also liked meeting some fellow hunters, they are 90% of the clientele. On my last trip, my bags did not make it from NYC so I went off to Namibia early the next day without them. Louis emailed and faxed all his contacts and the bags arrived the morning after I got to Namibia. Louis was kind enough to make a long distance call at his expense to let me know they had been located and were on their way. Oh, and I forgot to mention my connection was at 06h45 which meant leaving Afton at 5am, no problem, Louis personally saw to it that I had some breakfast and got me there in time, cheerfully I might add. Afton's location, within a mile or two of JNB, made all this very convenient.

Try that at some corporation-owned hotel.

Sorry to butt in BUT .....



I think maybe to clear the smoke and clarify the situation !!!



As I understand it, you will proberbly find that PROVIDED you are BOOKED to overnight @ the Afton Guest House THEN the standard meet and greet service would still be applicable to your booking and included in their client services ..



Where I believe the change might be, is for [ non overnights ] where the client ONLY WANTS to avail Afton's meet and greet or assistances with transfer to other flights service, that specific service is I believe what Louis wants to drop or has dropped ... with ALL the new BULL...T guns regulations and SOME bonehead officials, I personally DONT blame Louis if he wants to bail out ...



Please [ correct me ] if I am wrong as I have a clients overnight confirmed booking for late August, and was told specifically their meet and greet service IS applicable to the booking !!

e-mail I received from Louis at Afton

Dear Kathi

Can you please advise that we still offer/arrange this service for Guests staying at Afton.We use and we recommend that hunters should use the same companies we use to provide this service:


OPTIMA V.I.P. ASSIST
Johan Coetzer, Director Executive Meet and Assist Tel: 27 11 390 3444, Fax: 27 390 3443 Cell 27 083 389 0607 E-mail: vipassist@optimahandling.co.za www.optimahandling.co.za


Louis

Yes folks its true I just got an email from afton. They will be meeting jane and I at the plane and the escort is included in the nights stay. Sounds like a good deal to me and who knows mabe there will be other hunters staying at the same time. They said as long as you hunt and stay with them they will take care of you.. enuff said thanks again...

Mamba

My son and I stayed at the Afton House and used Optima's service this June. We were very pleased with both. The service is a great time saver and very nice folks. We had an in suite bath and a nice room. They even took us all over town and out to dinner that night. Also the breakfast the next morning was very good.

CFA

I was there in June and the total bill for myself,my wife and my two twenty-somethings was $142US for the rooms,the escort through the airport,transportation to a resturant for supper,and return to the terminal next day.A heck of a deal and money well spent.Never got through the airport so quickly and hassle free....eyedoc

And the hits just keep on comin. Glad to hear about good things done by good people...