I bought my flights from joburg last fall, but didn't buy the windhoek flights via delta because they were so much more expensive than buying them seperate.
What i didnt consider is how do i ensure my guns make it? If they don't arrive with me in Joburg, can i tie the flights together to ensure my guns make it?

Before boarding the plane, give your claim checks to the attendant at the gate. They should be able to scan them and tell you if your guns & luggage are on board.
I have done this with both Delta and SAA airlines.

If you download the Delta app you can scan your claim ticket with your phone and see where your bags are at all times. It's pretty neat actually.

Guns will need to cleared in Jo'berg by SAP. I'd talk to Ann at Air200 Hunter Support.

quote:

Originally posted by sheephunterab:
Guns will need to cleared in Jo'berg by SAP. I'd talk to Ann at Air200 Hunter Support.

Is this step necessary if your connecting flight to Namibia is within a couple of hours and you do not leave the Int'l concourse? I am also considering the Jo-Burg route as Frankfurt has become much more of a hassle when traveling with rifle(s).

quote:

Originally posted by ninersfan:

quote:

Originally posted by sheephunterab:
Guns will need to cleared in Jo'berg by SAP. I'd talk to Ann at Air200 Hunter Support.

Is this step necessary if your connecting flight to Namibia is within a couple of hours and you do not leave the Int'l concourse? I am also considering the Jo-Burg route as Frankfurt has become much more of a hassle when traveling with rifle(s).

Yes it is.

The firearm permit requirements in Frankfurt have been rescinded. We looked at this route last trip and the cost was the deciding factor for going through Jo'berg. Using Air2000 there was zero hassle.

quote:

Originally posted by sheephunterab:

quote:

Originally posted by ninersfan:

quote:

Originally posted by sheephunterab:
Guns will need to cleared in Jo'berg by SAP. I'd talk to Ann at Air200 Hunter Support.

Is this step necessary if your connecting flight to Namibia is within a couple of hours and you do not leave the Int'l concourse? I am also considering the Jo-Burg route as Frankfurt has become much more of a hassle when traveling with rifle(s).

Yes it is.

The firearm permit requirements in Frankfurt have been rescinded. We looked at this route last trip and the cost was the deciding factor for going through Jo'berg. Using Air2000 there was zero hassle.

sheephunterab,

Please clarify, if you don't mind. I realize these types of things can change rapidly but my understanding is that Germany now requires some additional paperwork and a fee ( ~ 50 Euro?) if transiting through a German airport. Neither of these requirements are in place now? If this is the case, I will give the Frankfurt route more consideration.

quote:

Neither of these requirements are in place now? If this is the case, I will give the Frankfurt route more consideration.

That is my understanding. http://www.hunterssupport.com/...many-transit-permits

If your not overnighting in Joburg you don't need the SAPS permit. You just go through to connecting flights. To the OP if Delta is a Star Alliance member you should be able to check your baggage all the way through to Windheok. I've done this the last 2 years in a row.

quote:

Originally posted by Spooksar:
If your not overnighting in Joburg you don't need the SAPS permit. You just go through to connecting flights. To the OP if Delta is a Star Alliance member you should be able to check your baggage all the way through to Windheok. I've done this the last 2 years in a row.

On our last trip to Namibia we had a three hour layover in Jo'berg and we we were going from South African Air flight to South African Air flight and we still had to get SAP Permits both directions.

Been going through J'berg (with firearms) a couple of times a year since 2008 from the US. Also have routed via Frankfurt twice before they imposed the extra transit permit/fee nonsense that has now been dropped and I've just booked my first trip to Namibia this year again on Lufthansa via Frankfurt and J'berg again since dropping the Frankfurt transit permit. We've also routed via Zurich a couple of times.

In all cases except the two times I connected to SAA flights to destinations within RSA, the rifles and luggage are checked through to Windhoek. This is even the several times we've had to do the overnight layover in J'berg. The only time you should have to do the SAPS 520 is if you didn't though check or if you are making a connection to a destination within RSA or the airline you're arriving in J'berg on doesn't have a baggage handling or "code share" agreement with your follow-on airline.

I believe the actual through checked baggage requirements are that as long as your destination is outside of RSA and the luggage/firearms are not "claimed/picked up" and remain in the transit baggage/cargo area for less than 24hrs "or the next available flight" you shouldn't have to claim them and do the SAPS 520. Now, that said, I still have filled out SAPS 520's and certified copies of my passport and 4457's inside the rifle case JUST IN CASE a flight gets cancelled or something drastically changes. The 520 is a PIA trying to figure out which of the 4-5 parts of the 9 page form to fill out, but there are several places you can find the info to fill it out correctly yourself before you get there. The couple of times I've had to clear J'berg SAPs, the only guys who seemed to have difficulty where the ones trying to fill out the form at the counter. Didn't see any difference in speed of processing for those that had the forms pre-filled out and copies of 4457's and passports ready in hand and those who hired the meet and greet services. Though I will say, for a first time overseas traveler or one with limited overseas travel, there could be good piece of mind in hiring a meet and greet service as International airports can be a bit overwhelming.

Only other reason should be IF for some reason the airlines your connecting with don't have a baggage handling/code share agreement.

Also, be aware of a couple of other trap doors to watch out for. Make sure none of your connections in/out of J'berg is NOT on the British Airways subsidiary COMAIR as they WILL NOT transport firearms even though BA does. Also be careful flying BA through London. Some BA flights require a AIRPORT change between Heathrow and Gatwick and you have to hire a lic transporter to take your firearms between them. Next one is Air Namibia because they charge a handling fee of $50 or ND$450 per rifle case and $50 or ND$450 for your separate locked ammo case EACH WAY.

Outside of J'berg, there seems to be an issue with firearms checked through JFK on South African Airlines. Jet Blue will check regular luggage with ammo in it all the way through but will only check firearms to JFK. In JFK you have to collect your rifle case and hand carry it (possibly change terminals too) to the SAA check-in desk where the New York Port Authority will have you open the case, check 4457's and your passport and ID and they will actually pick up your rifle (in full view of everyone) and open the action while waiving it around and make sure it is empty. They jot down your personal info in a little pad notebook too. Once they are done, the SAA rep accepts the case, gives your your boarding pass and you get to enjoy another TSA grope. Oh, by the way, in JFK the rifle cases come out of the "oversize luggage" belts along the wall and not the normal carousel, and seem to come out last. Don't know if other airlines besides Jet Blue have this procedure with SAA so check and leave at least a 4hr connection time there. Had to do the same thing coming back too. That is why I am so glad Frankfurt dropped the transit permit nonsense so now I can avoid JFK again.

Last year my wife and I flew out of JFK, and had the same thing happen with the guns. Three Port Authority police came to the SAA business class check in, and I opened my case for them. One of these guys was a fan of custom rifles and did in fact wave around a Gary Stiles built 9.3 x 62 I was taking along. Everyone nearby stopped and looked at us, and I was pretty sure it was going to be a short safari.
Having said that, they helped me re-pack everything and walked us to TSA, and they handed over the gun case telling the TSA guys we were good to go, and wished us a good trip.
I still vividly remember everyone stopping and staring at us as this guy opened the action and mounted the rifle. Still, they were really nice about everything.

Len:

Didn't realize I didn't fully address your question. On my first trip to Windhoek last year, we booked Delta from Atlanta to J'berg on one ticket and J'berg to Windhoek on a seperate South African Airlines ticket.

When we checked in with Delta, we went to the agent that handled "Special Handling" check-in's at the regular Delta counter. Showed her our Delta and SAA tickets and she printed out the handling tag for all the way through to Windhoek for our regular luggage and rifle cases. We did the overnight layover at the City Lodge and only had our carry-ons. Next morning we got the the SAA check-in desk a little early showed her our SAA e-Ticket and also the claim tickets for our checked luggage and rifle cases. She entered our baggage ticket info into our flight info in the computer and gave us our boarding passes and we were on our way.

Coming back from Windhoek was pretty much the same. Showed the SAA agent both tickets and he printed out the luggage routing tags all the way home and for some reason he was able to give us boarding passes all the way back to Atlanta. We just had to get our final boarding passes from the Delta desk after we cleared Immigration and Customs and put our luggage and rifle cases back on the re-check drop points.

Forgot to add one very IMPORTANT point about doing a "split ticket" over a "contiguous" ticket. You just need to be FULLY aware that if you do a split ticket - i.e Issued by Delta to J'berg and a separate one issued by SAA, and you miss your connection in J'berg for ANY reason, your SAA ticket will be cancelled and not generally not refundable. On the other hand, if you have a "contiguous" ticket issued by one airline and eventhough it may share legs with other airlines, if you miss a connection or a flight gets cancelled the airline will re-route or reschedule you as long as the missed leg is due to either airline, weather or TSA bottlenecks.

That was the info i was looking for. Not to worried about the connecting flights, we have a ton of time (overnight in joburg) and alate departure in windhoek. Should be in good shape.

quote:

Originally posted by m3taco:
Len:

Didn't realize I didn't fully address your question. On my first trip to Windhoek last year, we booked Delta from Atlanta to J'berg on one ticket and J'berg to Windhoek on a seperate South African Airlines ticket.

When we checked in with Delta, we went to the agent that handled "Special Handling" check-in's at the regular Delta counter. Showed her our Delta and SAA tickets and she printed out the handling tag for all the way through to Windhoek for our regular luggage and rifle cases. We did the overnight layover at the City Lodge and only had our carry-ons. Next morning we got the the SAA check-in desk a little early showed her our SAA e-Ticket and also the claim tickets for our checked luggage and rifle cases. She entered our baggage ticket info into our flight info in the computer and gave us our boarding passes and we were on our way.

Coming back from Windhoek was pretty much the same. Showed the SAA agent both tickets and he printed out the luggage routing tags all the way home and for some reason he was able to give us boarding passes all the way back to Atlanta. We just had to get our final boarding passes from the Delta desk after we cleared Immigration and Customs and put our luggage and rifle cases back on the re-check drop points.

Forgot to add one very IMPORTANT point about doing a "split ticket" over a "contiguous" ticket. You just need to be FULLY aware that if you do a split ticket - i.e Issued by Delta to J'berg and a separate one issued by SAA, and you miss your connection in J'berg for ANY reason, your SAA ticket will be cancelled and not generally not refundable. On the other hand, if you have a "contiguous" ticket issued by one airline and eventhough it may share legs with other airlines, if you miss a connection or a flight gets cancelled the airline will re-route or reschedule you as long as the missed leg is due to either airline, weather or TSA bottlenecks.

Len:

Just one more side note on this. Checking luggage all the way through can be a bit "check-in agent" specific. In 2009 we had split tickets like this and traveling to Windhoek with another couple (friends) to hunt. We had IDENTICAL tickets. Our friends were just ahead of us in line. They get to one check-in agent and we get to the check-in agent right next to them about 3-4 min later. Their agent checked luggage and rifle cases all the way through but, ours would only check us to J'berg and said that she couldn't check all the way to Windhoek. I very politely, but firmly said if that is the case why or how did the agent right next to you do it for our friends right here traveling on the same flights with us.

She looked a little pissed off and said she couldn't do it. I looked over at the agent who was just finishing up with our friends and and asked her if she could come show our agent how to do what she just did for our friends. Second agent came over, made a few key strokes and out popped the bag tags.

In Windhoek coming back it has also helped knowing the three letter ID of your final destination when talking to the SAA check-in agent. Always pays to be friendly, polite and if need be firm but, never rude and don't hesitate to ask for a supervisor. Unfortunately sometimes when it comes to firearms/transport requirements even Supervisors are sometimes clueless.

Last thing I'll mention again. Just to be absolutely safe anytime I transit J'berg I put a filled out copy of a SAPS 520, copy of my passport, copy of my 4457 and a copy of my airline ticket(s) inside the rifle case laying on top of the rifles. That way IF the check-in agent for some reason absolutely refuses to check them through and have to claim them in J'berg and recheck I'm not flailing around in the SAPS office trying to sort the damn form out.

Have a great trip. You'll LOVE Namibia. Be sure to have dinner at least once at Joe's Beerhouse in the boma area round the fire.

If you have any questions about Windhoek or Namibia just ask. I've been going there every year since 2008 and now spending a couple of months a year there. Have rented cars and driven around a big part of it and I'm pretty familiar with Windhoek and Swakopmund.

Edited to add: My wife just reminded me that checking-in on SAA in Windhoek, depending on what airline we were connecting with in J'berg and the routing coming back, the SAA agent could/would only check our luggage/rifles only to our Port of Entry into the US - i.e. JFK, ATL, IAD etc. Which is fine since you have to claim everything and clear Customs there anyway. The big thing is that your stuff is checked through J'berg.