I have always tried to avoid London but this trip that is the only way.

I have a flight into London Heathrow with a 4hr layover then onto Joburg. Is there anything I need to do in London? Everything should be checked all the way through. Do I need to notify anyone that I’ll be traveling with a firearm?

Thanks

I fly through Heathrow all the time on United Airlines. United has a baggage handling agreement with SAA and I check my gun in at LAX airport all the way through to Jo'Berg. There is no notification required at Heathrow, the airlines handle everything.

Take a walk around town. Just watch before
stepping off the curb for those flying black
taxi's coming from the wrong side.

They scared me out of town first afternoon I
was there. Spooky to hear tires screeching
and look to see one almost in your lap.

George

If your guns are checked all the way to the final destination then there is no problem. London is a great place to visit the fastest way in is probably the Heathrow express to Paddington trains leave every 15 mins then get a black cab o the west end lots of nice restaurants in and around Mayfair as well as Holland & Holland, Purdey etc

.

Gun info above.

4h layover IS NOT enough time to go into town!
You would need 30 mins to get out of immigration and passport control. An hour to get anywhere interesting in town even if you take the Heathrow Express at GBP 50/- return. An hour out again and at least an hour through LHR security and immigration going back in. Heathrow is a nightmare airport!

You would have about 45 mins in town to try and do something .....

Me, I would find a airline lounge or a pub / restaurant in the terminal building that you are transiting through and settle down for the wait!

My 2 cents.

Safe travels.

.

AZhunter81,

Charlie stated it perfectly. I've been through Heathrow many times. Check your guns all the way through to your final destination and you'll not have an issue. Four hours as Charlie said is about enough time to clear customs, have lunch or a drink or two, look at the shops and get to your departure gate with plenty of time.

Travel safe,

Mark

I'm flying back right now from Heathrow to the USA. I second Charlie64's recommendations. I flew in and out of Terminal 3. By the time you walk from your flight to immigration/customs, clear immigration and customs, walk to the Heathrow Express platform, buy your ticket, wait for the next train, you'd be very lucky to arrive at Paddington station within 90 minutes. Then there would be the time to get from Paddington to anywhere else and back. E.g. it is about 25 minutes by taxi to get to the general vicinity of Buckingham Palace/Westminster Abby/ St. James Park/Trafalgar Square.

On this trip, I was fortunate to have short lines coming through immigration/customs and back through security, but I've also queued up for an hour+ in recent years. Heathrow is a big airport.

Forget going to London with only 4 hours.....I have done it several times but I always had 12+ hours.

Four hours is not enough time to go to central London. Your best bet is to stay at the airport and use a lounge.

LOL

Last time I went through London, while everything worked well, it took over 3 hours to get through the lines (ques to the brits) at the security stuff just between international flights at the terminal.

I would not plan on doing anything with a 4 hour layover...

Thanks everyone for the input, I probably should have been more specific in the original post. I have no intention on actually leaving the airport with a 4hr layover. All I meant is I have heard flying through Heathrow with firearms can sometimes be a pain and I was curious if there is anything I need to do (at the airport) or if because the firearms are checked through I just need to sit back and relax.

My apologies for setting that off.

I've been to London once, and that was
coming in by train and leaving on another
one. Totally missed the airport ordeal.

Sounds like you got lots of great current
advice. Best wishes for a great trip and
hunt.

George

My last trip going to Africa via London we had no issues with guns. Coming back I did have to sign some paperwork saying I had a rifle before boarding the plane or they would not load it on the plane. The previous trip I didn't have to do that.

Not sure about your airline(s), but no problems with gun transfer using BA.

With 4 hours, you’ll have time to visit the Duty Free Shop and buy some Cubans. I bought some Montecristos there in May and they taste awesome after a full day in the bush while sipping on a cold Tafel Lager.

You could try Scotch tasting at World of Whiskies.

quote:

Originally posted by CharlesL:
You could try Scotch tasting at World of Whiskies.

The first place I head to when in Heathrow

If you had longer in London I’d say spend s few hours with us to hunt a muntjac. Done a few layover hunts where we’ve picked a guest up, driven an hour, hunted a muntjac and had some lunch then dropped them back and they’ve flown on

quote:

Originally posted by CharlesL:
You could try Scotch tasting at World of Whiskies.

Which terminal is it located in?

T2, Gate A16
T3, Level 1
T4, Level 2, Gate 21
T5, Level 2 Gate A11