How long does this generally take? How much of a hassle is it?

I've gone through Sydney with guns 5 times coming and going. Hassle is a relative term. It seems to always take a lot of time (1/2-1 hr or more)coming in, for no real reason that I can detect but the people are always friendly and apologetic about the delay. As often as not they ask friendly questions about the planned hunt in a conversational way while somebody somewhere else does something dark and mysterious with paper.

Leaving seems to fall into mass confusion.

They did count the number of rounds, no problems, took about 15 minutes.

Larry,
Make a copy of all of your gun paperwork and have it in an envelope for them so they don't have to make copies. Took me no more than 30 minutes coming in. Leaving was another story. You need an export license number that the Border Force needs to apply for while you wait... about two hours. Can't leave without it. The day we flew out of Darwin it was a holiday... Queen's birthday I believe. BF wanted nothing to do with us and made us check to Sydney then pick up and apply for numbers. Missed flight to Houston and rerouted through San Fran two hours later. Not the most helpful lot but got it done, eventually.

Leave 4 hours between connections in and out. Just my $.02 from my trip last week.

Thanks Russell. Looks like you all had a grand old time.

They only like to hassle legitimate hunters.

Meanwhile

https://www.smh.com.au/nationa...l-20090323-95xc.html

Aside from the travel issues we had a great adventure Larry. Wishing you the same!

Thank you sir.

4 hours going in? I only got 2 hopefully I can light a fire under them

Any problems with bringing bows in?

Bows and spears are no problem.

We had 2 and half hours between flights and made it with time to spare. Long lines but the Border Force people were easy to deal with, copies of paperwork help. We had an extra day in Darwin so got the export paperwork there, again the BF people were very easy to deal with.

Good to hear!

Copies of what exactly? Import permit?

quote:

Originally posted by hidalgo:
We had 2 and half hours between flights and made it with time to spare. Long lines but the Border Force people were easy to deal with, copies of paperwork help. We had an extra day in Darwin so got the export paperwork there, again the BF people were very easy to deal with.

Can you bring a knife? Like a sheath knife?

quote:

Originally posted by Dogleg:
Bows and spears are no problem.

Import permit, NT Firearms License and US Passport. I had a sheath knive and a folding knife in the guncase, nobody said anything.

OK thanks!

How do you all carry ammo? In gun case? Hopefully not in separate box like to South Africa so when your luggage doesn't show up (ask how I know) you don't have any ammo

Carried mine in a locked Pelican case in checked bag (not with firearm). No problems. Unless you have a pretty unique caliber I believe ammo is pretty easy to get in Australia.

True. Hopefully the lost bag wa a fluke but I believe TSA or Delta or both were to blame. We will see how American and quantas are

I flew in on the Delta flight from LAX. It was a bit stressful.

The airport was an absolute zoo. Total pandemonium. A madhouse. My non-gun bags came off quickly. I asked where to go to retrieve my rifle. I got conflicting answers. I had to wait.

Things were not marked real clearly. Fortunately, a very pleasant young man with the ground company spotted me. He escorted me to the correct place. The lines were insane.

At customs, nothing was difficult. Just time consuming. They were quite pleasant.

When I went to recheck my bags, I learned I had to go to another terminal on a bus. It was a madhouse.

My 3:25 between flights has left me with about 15 minutes to spare.

You mean rechecking on quantas? I hope it's not like that when I get there I got 2 hours

Gunslinger:

Are you on AA73? Make sure you go thru the epassport lane - much faster. On Sunday morning AA73 came out on carosel 12, which is right were you come out of customs.

MS AZW and I came on sep flights principally because she is elite on AA and
I am on Delta and United and when I go to Darwin she is visiting our friends in Perth and she comes home before me anyway. I left well before her and asked her to grab 3 packs of stogies that I chew on. Since she answered yes to more than 25 g of tobacco that put her in a customs screening line which took a bit.

The bag drop for Quantas is 200 m past the McDonalds, which you will see when you exit customs. After you drop your bags the shuttle bus to the other terminal is fast - our flight to Brisbane was at 9 but we had time to get a coffee and bite to eat at the Quantas Club. Once you are out of customs, things fo fast. I will say it took a while for AA bags to come out but I had them before Ms AZW came out - the passport reader would read her passport so she had to go to the reg line.

With 2 hours you can make it but go to the ePassport line and move fast after you get off the plane.

Weather in BNE is beautiful. Had mussels for dinner last night and slept like a dead man at our friends house situated on the Brisbane River. The cool temps are wonderful but it will be warmer in Darwin. Going for a run after a few cups of coffee.

Well it all went to crap but yes AA73. Was a goat rope huge lines bags came out last more huge lines in declaration then a laurel and hardy show clearing the gun. None were that sure of what to do but all got done then.....Qantas cuts off checking in 45 minutes prior to departure. No help at all from them the sent me packing on my own luckily AA peeps got me sorted on the 12 hour later only flight on Jetstar. Sitting here now waiting to board. Will get 5 hours in DArwin before pickup. Computers went down at Jetstar but Nganabbarru gods were willing and as long as bags show up in darwin ready to roll.

Long story short I’ll never do that again I fly free on american and next time plan Jetstar or spend a night in Sydney. 2 hours noooo bueno

Well Gunslinger, just got done having dinner with Larry Shores and his lovely wife (who gave me some free medical advice re: my dog bite). Had seafood at the yacht club...you were missed.

See you tomorrow. Get ready: we have a 12 hour drive.

12 hour drive...that's just down the road

Good gawd, checking guns thru Aussie airports sounds like more of a hassle than flying Air Canada, which is a real PITA.