Folks

Do you have any positive/negative advice.
Client want to use BA from US to SA.

Thank you.

Ferdi,

BA is my preferred airline when flying to Africa and I recommend BA to my clients. I recommend your clients use a travel agent such as Gracy Travel that specializes in traveling to Africa with guns, let them arrange the itinerary and your folks should be happy.

Mark

Thank you Mark

Keep searching here on AR for BA. I think you'll find most reports to be negative overall. I've not used them so I really can't comment from first hand information, but they do seem to have a lot of negative reports, especially if you plan to travel with firearms. Personally, I prefer not to connect anywhere, especially Europe, where a change of planes is necessary, opening up the possibility that my guns will fail to make the connection.

In that regard, Delta is non-stop from ATL to JNB, and SAA is 1 stop in Dakar for fueling, with no change of planes necessary. They both have their issues as well, but if the guns get on the plane in either gateway city, they will arrive in JNB. Making the connection onward from there may be a different matter however.

Thanks Todd

The clients will be traveling without rifles.

i also travel without rifles and i make it a point to use BA. it is always a night flight going over and i sleep. the next morning, knowing i have a 10 or so hour layover, i hop on the express train at Heathrow, off at Paddington station and spend the day walking around London. B'ham palace is a short walk from the station. then train back to Heathrow for the night flight to Joburg. the time difference is such that by breaking it up with a half day in London, you are already on your way to shedding jet lag. comparing BA to Delta, SAA is like comparing a Ford to a Ferrari. sure, Delta and SAA will get you there quicker- provided you like poor service. years ago, i used them both. never again if i can help it....

Jerry,

I don't know why it is so difficult for folks to understand your point. Like you I just don't have jetlag when I fly that route through Heathrow and the service is always excellent.


Ferdi,

Guns or not if your clients follow the BA regs like with any other airline they are very unlikely to have any issues. Having said that ignorant counter personnel can complicate any travel.

Mark

I've flown BA twice, from San Francisco to Jo'burg and each time the flight was better than what I've experienced with SAA. I traveled with guns both times and while I did encounter some fixable problems, they were self created by ME. I would not hesitate to use BA again, especially if flying without guns, but be forewarned, the seats in coach class are really small, smaller than my broad butt. If you go, fly business class or be prepared for an uncomfortable flight if you're large and in coach.

I've flown BA several times, with and without guns and had no problems whatsoever. I'd highly recommend them and as mentioned previously in the thread, it is easy to get into London to spend a day before the night flight to South Africa.

BA's Business class is hands down the best Biz class I have flown. Done the London route 4 times now and will do it again.

With guns I would go Emirates or pick another carrier (just because I am not experienced with BA, London and guns together, and frankly, don't need the hassle!)

Guys

Not being a party crasher

BA has a little unknown policy about carrying forearms larger than 40 calibers

It was on their website

I got tangled in a mess last summer

Kicked up a stink after the trip and the rules were reviewed

So watch out you big bore shooters

Get the booking agent to obtain in writing what you are carrying is a SPORTING FIREARMS and not military

which they are trained to classified anything over 40 calibre as


Just as a sideline thought this exchange might break the ice


The German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot.

They not only expect one to know one's gate parking location, but how to get there without any assistance

from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between

Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206.

Speedbird 206: 'Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway.'

Ground: 'Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven.'

The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.

Ground: 'Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?'

Speedbird 206: 'Stand by, Ground, I'm looking up our gate location now.'

Ground round (with quite arrogant impatience): 'Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt t before?'

Speedbird 206 (coolly): 'Yes, twice in 1944, but it was dark, -- And I didn't land


ATB LONDONHUNTER

now that is funny!!!

Traveled with BA on every Africa trip. Transported .375 H&H, 450 NE, 7 x 57, .22lr. Never an issue.

You pay to carry a firearm but they have a person assigned to that case and it will arrive.

Now if you are not savy enough to use a decent travel agent that would warn you not to fly into one airport in the UK and out of another and you take possession of said firearms then that is your problem.

Using BA again in May 2014.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
now that is funny!!!

And an extremely Ooooolllllldddddd joke! Probably coined shortly after WWII ended.

then being only 65, it was before my time!

You guys familiar with MONTY Python sketches ?

This will fit in perfectly with John Cleese at the flight deck

I just flew London to Windhoek via Jo'burg on BA. There was a transfer to SAA for the Namibia leg but did not have to retrieve guns/luggage in SA. It cost a couple extra pounds(about 100 ea. way) for the special handling on the gun and ammo case but it was worth it. WHy, you ask? First, you know they are going to get there. And secondly, BA is the only airline that flies a Premium Economy to Jo'burg. BA service is great and the premium economy on BA is like Business on most other airlines. PE cost me 500 extra pounds ea way over cattle class. Business was 2000 extra ea way! I would rather spend the money on trophy fees, taxidermy or the next trip back. Just saying...

Thank you,guys

I'll send all info to my clients.

Much apreciated

Another thing about British Airways, they are pulling out of a few Africa locations. They end service to Lusaka the end of October. And I hear that they are also pulling out of Dar. THe London Lusaka was handy, will miss that. However, maybe not be an issue if Zambia continues to be Anti hunting. I hear that they don't want to compete with the likes of smaller African regional airlines like Kenyan Air, Emerates, Air Nabian and such.

I flew BA from Phoenix to JNB. At check in, the young man was examining my .416 Rigby shells and said he needed to call as they looked "really big" and he wasn't sure if they could be brought on board...... I simply said I can save you some time..... Your rules are anything above .500 cal is not allowed....these are 400..... He said sounds good to me and let me go on......

I have not flown BA to Africa before, but Europe several times. I have no real complaints as far as a carrier goes but having just made the round trip to JNB on Emirates, I will ALWAYS use them in the future!

I have flown SAA twice and the non-stop is nice but I have never been treated better than I was this trip on Emirates. The gun processing was flawless on both ends and they tagged my gun case, bow case and my checked bag with the ammo as priority bags, hand carried them all through security and they came out on the first class carousel. More food (good food) than you could eat, the plane was clean and the crew was great....

I intend to use them to Moz next year!

I flew from Toronto to Jburg via Heathrow. Had problems with Pearson Airport that BA fixed for me.

No problems with them at all, they have a rule that the pilot must be informed when there are guns in your baggage. I asked the stewardess, she went forward checked with the pilot and confirmed to me.

Great experience.

I have flown BA several times and have always been happy with there service.

I have flown to Africa twice on BA in business class (which they call Club World). In short the luxury is great but if you are traveling with guns be prepared for some quirks. You have to notify them at least 72 hours before departure that you will be traveling with guns and you will pay $80-$100 each way for the rifle case.

Additionally, they no longer allow guns on the regional flights out of Joburg so you will have to book with another airline (usually SAA).

On my recent trip BA lost my main duffel bag on the way to Africa and it took four days for them to get it to me. That was the only time in my life that an airline lost my luggage and I wasn't pleased. No one from the airline was able to tell me what happened to my bag and no apology was offered.

i returned 2 days ago from a combo flight with AA/BA. the AA flight was first class from Dallas to London on a 777. both legs to/from London to JNB on BA on a 747 in business( Club World). the business seats on BA were as good as the first class seats on AA. last leg was from London to LAX on one of BA's new A380 super jumbos in first class. now THAT is a nice first class seat/service- especially the Concorde first class departure lounge at LHR. if i can't get a first/business freq flier seat on Etihad Airways, BA wins again. AA flies to/from LHR, but i would rather fly BA( even though with a freq flier ticket you pay more in taxes) than fly AA for part of the trip. i took advantage of the 6 hour layover in London outbound and took the train to downtown. 10 minutes walk from the station( 1 hour after arrival at LHR) and i was standing in front of the Kilimanjaro Tusks. i will post a picture of them in my hunt report....

I flew BA from Alberta Canada last year and will never do it again with guns. Cost for Flying BA with my guns was about $600 round trip for all of the BA extra costs and taking care of my rifles. I could have flown from here to Mexico for that price alone on a whole separate trip!! It was abuse to gouge the travelling hunter.

since i use camp rifles, that isn't an issue. and the extra cost is the result of UK government. BA is caught in the middle, unfortunately. but you are right about the extra cost. similar situation arises transiting Amsterdam, Frankfurt, US( if you come from Canada) and probably other places. it is a concerted effort to make international hunting( and gun owning) a huge PITA!

I had one negative experience with BA where I was flat out lied to by two different BA agents. I was flying Delta to JNB and SAA to Harare. The Delta flight was delayed and I missed by SAA connection. I had called my travel agent and they made arrangements for me to fly to Harare on BA. I was concerned about BA flying the guns from JNB to Zim, so I twice asked two different BA agents if my bag/guns made the connection. Both assured me that my luggage was on the BA flight to Harare. When I got to Harare, no guns or bags. My rifles arrived the next day on a SAA flight but my bag didn't arrive for several days and stuff was stolen. That experience combined with the BA charges for flying with guns has convinced me never to fly that airline again.

And British invented Great White Hunter.
Go figure.
The simply got too civilized, plain and simple