I just returned on Monday from my hunt in Zim.

At Dulles the SAA attendant while checking in was insistant that I could not check guns straight through to Zim. I told her I could. She said absolutely not. I handed her the paperwork and told her to call a supervisor. The supervisor told her I was correct and she still wanted to argue and said I could not. I continued to give her a big smile and told her she was wrong and that it's OK to be wrong .

Then, on to TSA where they opened my gun case, but did not take the guns out where to inspect for empty chambers. TSA did open my suitcase with the ammo correctly stored in a hard, locked seperate container. This procedure took at least 10 minutes as they inspected over each cartridge one by one. That was a first.

This is my fifth time overnighting at the Afton House in Joburg. I again checked my bag and guns straight through from U.S. to Zim. No hastles of SAPS upon arrival and departure. The only time I did not receive my guns in Zim is when I did NOT check them straight through.

Steve Turner at Total Travel Solutions, whom I booked through advised to check straight through and Kathi at Wild Travel (whom I met at Afton House) said always check straight through and that if the attendant is mis-informed to demand a supervisor. Next morning, in Joburg, I showed the SAA agent my baggage tags and had them confirm they were loaded onto the flight to Zim.

Upon my arrival in Vic Falls, they checked my guns but never asked to see the ammo (most unusual). Upon departure, they checked the guns and again never asked to see the ammo. Just wanted to know how many rounds I was departing with.

I hope this may be of some help/interest to others.

Hello Don,

Glad you had a good trip. Fun area.

Do I understand this post correctly? By checking the bags straight through you don't have to stop by the SAPS office in JNB? If so that sounds good to me. I fly Delta to JNB, I wonder if it works as smoothly connecting to SAA to Zim. Might give it a try next time over.

I think the point is this works well if you are flying all on SAA. Definitely the way to go if flying SAA. I have the impression that it does not work as well if you are switching airlines in JNB concerning that about 2 of 3 of my clients have not rec'd their luggage once they arrived in Zim.

Mark

Just a question. If you are overniting in JNB, you still have to collect your guns and go thru SAPS, or else leave the guns at the airport? no?.

If you collect the guns in JNB, go through saps, get the permit, stay overnite, then back to the airport the next day. You check the guns in, then, to your final destination? Or not?

My son and I will be flying to Zim next summer, and overniting in JNB. We will fly Delta to JNB, then SAA to Bulawayo. I'm assuming we collect our guns in JNB, then recheck them in at the SAA counter for the trip to Bulawayo. Is this correct, or am I missing something here.

Mad Dog

Hey Don - good to know it worked well! As Mark mentioned - checking-in with and travel all the way on SAA seems to work well. The good news is there was no tampering with your firearms while they lay at the airport!

Let me try to understand this...

As I am used to doing it (and am planning on doing in 18 days)
Leave Tucson on US Air and fly Denver and then on to DC with guns checked on to Joburg.. Arrive Joburg and spend the night.. Fly to Zim the next day on SAA.

What you are saying is check in my rifles ALL the way to Zimbabwe straight from the get-go from Tucson, arrive in Joburg, spend the night (while my guns await me in Joburg or Zim), fly to Bulawayo the next morning and have my guns either on the flight to BYO WITH me, or have them already awaiting my arrival?

I'm just trying to make sense of this.. Sounds like good way to cut SAPS out of the Africa travel hassles! Please do share.

quote:

Originally posted by DoubleDon:

Then, on to TSA where they opened my gun case, but did not take the guns out where to inspect for empty chambers. TSA did open my suitcase with the ammo correctly stored in a hard, locked seperate container.

You packed your ammo in your luggage, which is ok, but not required by TSA. TSA says ammo can be in same case with gun. Am I missing something?

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/a.../editorial_1666.shtm

# You must securely pack any ammunition in fiber (such as cardboard), wood or metal boxes or other packaging that is specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition.

# You may carry the ammunition in the same hard-sided case as the firearm, as long as you pack it as described above.