Dear All,

Normally I try to avoid traveling British Airways with firearms - in particular if London Heathrow is involved. Nothing personal, just too many horror stories of guns lost in transit and masses of red tape concerning firearms.

Alas, maybe I'm running out of luck and *need* to travel BA/LHR. Should this be the case, what is the secret of making it through the ordeal, firearm arriving safely at final destination and your's truely passing through LHR with a smile on my face?

On most other airlines, I book ticket and call the airline in advance to inform them I'll be travelling with firearms. Is this procedure OK for BA/LHR??

I always travel with my scopes in my hand luggage. At times I get stopped in the security checks, but have always been allowed to pass and board (with my scopes) after a bit of discussion. Is this also what I can expect of BA/LHR??

I often only travel with one bag - gun locked in hard case inside the bag. Most airlines accept the ammo to be separate from the firearm as long as it is outside the locked hard case. Or is a two bag strategy safer??

Any other tricks or tips?? Does BA charge additional fees to transport firearms??

Thanks a lot in advance.

- mike

I haven't flown with BA to or from Heathrow with Firearms.
However, there are two things to consider: BA and HM Customs.

HM Customs seem to like the firearms and ammunition to be in two seperate items of baggage. The ammunition to be in a locked container which they will accept as being packed within a normal suitacase of clothes etc.

If you advise the airline in advance, and check in early, the check in desk will call an escort to take you to customs check-in.
At check in, they will check your guns against your licence and the ammount of ammo you carry.
You will then be escorted back to check in where the flight tags will be attached and additional red tags which signify that the baggage handlers at the other end should deliver the baggage to customs there.

You may get escorted then to a seperate Xray unit where your baggage is checked through.

That is how the system is supposed to work. However, on the return fligh I have in the past found my suitcase, with ammo on the ordinary carousel and my firearms delivered to the airside flight office of the carrier. On other occassions, they have gone straight to customs red chasnnel even before the ordinary passengers luggage has reached the carousel.

BA may well charge extra for carrying firearms as they may have to provide or pay for the escort mentioned above.
Enquire well in advance from the airline.
Turn up early because you are going to tie up a check-in desk and operative for half an hour at least.

Thanks Dave, much appreciated!

- mike

Be careful with regards to what calibre you take BA won't accept military calibres regardless if it is a sporting firearm.

OK, I did not realize this restriction applied! Man, that makes BA positively sound like the "French Connection"...

Here I was fretting about my beloved .30-06 being stationed (out of immediate reach) in Hungary these days... Maybe that was not as limiting as I imagined...

- mike

Trapper Dave is spot on with his advice.
I have travelled through Heathrow with firearms at least once a year for the last six years.
The good news is that the system seems to be getting better. BA now use a seperate security company to look after firearms and hence charge £50.00 per rifle each way for the privilege.
Ammo has to be in a seperate locked container which must be put into your checked bag, with your clothes etc. This bag will then be treated as a firearm and will be tagged accordingly and taken away with your firearm by the security people. Dont be surprised if the girl at check in doesnt know the procedure, they rarely do. She will have to ring the security people to come to the check in before she can process your ticket. Make sure you note on your baggage receipt which is the rifle and which the ammo.
Most importantly make sure you notify the airline at least 48 hours in advance that you are travelling with firearms and give yourself lots of extra time to check in. I used to thing firearms through Heathrow was a major problem, but now I dont mind it. If you need any more info dont hesitate to PM me.

quote:

Originally posted by Cumbrian:
Be careful with regards to what calibre you take BA won't accept military calibres regardless if it is a sporting firearm.

Not quite correct. When you pre notify you are carrying sporting firearms make sure you also tell them calibre at the same time and make sure when they acknowledge, they confirm the calibre. That way you have a piece of paper to show security when they check.

I fly regulary with BA via heathrow/gatwick, and other airlines.

1st thing DONT PANIC! when you book your ticket inform them that you will be taking a firearm (leave the scope on the rifle, not sure why you take it off?)and tell them cal as has been stated, as well as storing your ammo in the ORIGINAL packaging in your case wrapped up in cloths, also tell them approx (if you know) what time you will be checking in.

You dont have to leave loads of time, as they will take you aside to a vacant counter and get you through ASAP, then you will be escorted to customs were all the FAC stuff will be checked (cal, serial# etc) then THEY will lock and tag your rifle (make sure the TSA tag is INSIDE with your rifle, if they try and stick or attach to the outer TELL them that it HAS to go IN with the rifle)then happy days.

Im in CANADA at the moment with firearms and when I get to the check in I make it clear that Im traveling with firearms and the above ALWAYS happens, if you get there a little earlier and dress appropriatly I generaly get a free upgrade as well!!.

As a side note, when I landed in Canada 2 weeks ago, I got all my Temp import stuff sorted out and got chatting to the customs chap etc, I posted the story on another chat room and the customs chap is a member of that chat room, we are meeting up to go shooting!! small world if you do things "right".

Dave

my experience was "easy" some years ago.

i had to tell BA my firearms number caliber and gave a copy of UE firearm card.

i had to have my ammos in a specific hard case.

they didnt ask for 48 hours in advance but more if i remember 15 days.

as i was in transit with London i just before boarding ask the crew that my rifles and ammo were in board and the guy in charge came and tell me everything was ok. so this is maybe the way to deal to be sure everything is ok. do not listen security officers as they re not loading the plane. loaders are ...

Think it's BS myself, but recently flying out of JHB guys travelling on our flight with scopes in their carry on luggage were stopped and had to locate their rifle cases and put the scopes in there. This was a real PITA.

Flight was JHB/Vic Falls. SA Airways od SA Express, Airlink or whatever it is...

quote:

Originally posted by ARWL:
Think it's BS myself, but recently flying out of JHB guys travelling on our flight with scopes in their carry on luggage were stopped and had to locate their rifle cases and put the scopes in there. This was a real PITA.

Flight was JHB/Vic Falls. SA Airways od SA Express, Airlink or whatever it is...

From a security point of view, it would make a huge amount of sense to allow travelling hunters to carry their bolts on their person or in their hand luggage, but again its just not allowed these days..

I don't understand the whole thing about taking the scopes into the carry on luggage.

Whenever I have traveled I have had no trouble providing I travel with the right process. Arrive in plenty of time and tell a member of ground staff that you are travelling with firearms. From there and onwards it goes like bumscratcher says.

As far as security is concerned that's the airlines job. if they say that rifle, bolt and scope are in the same box and ammo is separate and locked then that is what they get!! Trying to reason with these organisations is futile in the extreme.

The only time I had a problem was with Iberia who although they were happy to carry firearms on board they did not have the licences to carry them in Heathrow itself. I stuck the bottom lip pout and stamped my feet a bit at which point they agreed that leaving my guns on the tarmac was not a good option and someone loaded them before my eyes. At that point I agreed to get on the plane...

K