should I be worried about a connection through London with a lay over at the A/P. I am traveling with one rifle.
Dangerous Dave

Yes, unless your baggage is checked through and REALLY YES if you are changing airports. I'm sure there are other members who are current on the situation and I'm not sure how it goes these days, but in olden times some flights flew into one airport (Gatwick?) and flew out the other, Heathrow. It was illegal to carry your own guns. You had to hire a bonded agent who would transfer them for you. It wasn't outrageously expensive, about $75, as I recall, but a pain in the butt.

Personally, I avoid London like the plague if I'm carrying firearms.

Only if you transfer between airports, when you'll need to use a firearms courier. If you do, I can recommend Ron Wharton at bunduki. - Send me a PM if you need his contact details.

If you travel BA, you should note that they need 3 days notice of your travelling with sporting firearms. I'd recommend you ask your travel agent to enter the phrase 'travelling with sporting firearms' into the comments section of the booking and that you get that, in a hard copy and take it with you when you travel. Not the phrase 'sporting firearms'. If you don't use this exact phrase, an awkward/anti hunting check in agent could possibly refuse to allow the firearm to travel.

Get it right and you shouldn't have any problems.

DD,

I agree with Gatogordo and Shakari... you should avoid London if at all possible. There are many different ways to fly over without having to go through London.

Their traveling with firearms issue isn't quite resolved yet. Personally, I like sending clients through Frankfurt if you are going into Namibia or through Amsterdam. <-this only requires a one page doc to transit through.

London should be your absolute last resort. Sometimes it can be a bit cheaper, but saving a couple of hundred bucks is not worth the hassle it could be if someone over their has a problem with you traveling with firearms.

Dave,

Only because I've talked about traveling through London with guns many times let me say BULLSHIT to all the imagined problems there. I personally have traveled through London 8 times with guns and am going through there next year on the way to Mozambique. London is not a problem and I much prefer traveling on BA than any other airline. I have used KLM and Air France to Africa and still prefer BA.

Ask Gracy Travel what airline servicing Africa has the best record of baggage and guns arriving with the client. It is BA hands down.

Make your arrangements to arrive at the London airport your African flight is leaving from and just check your baggage all the way through. Simple!

You do have to let BA know you are traveling with guns 3 days out but so what. Both KLM and Air France have their hoops to jump through also.

Mark

Thanks Mark,
Sounds like you know what your talking about.
Dangerous Dave.

I flew with a rifle through London Heathrow and Glasgow both last fall with no problems going over or coming back. Best to make your plane change at Heathrow and not change airports for reasons noted above. But you can even change airports if you must, as long as you arrange for a bonded courier to assist you with your rifle.

As others have said, you should use a travel agent and make sure that the agent indicates on your tickets and in the airline's computer that you are traveling with a sporting rifle.

Like Mark, I enjoy flying on British Airways, although I find that transiting Heathrow is often hectic. It's better now that they have rescinded the one carry-on bag rule.

I may fly BA to Zambia next year. My brother and a few other family members live in London. Does anyone know if BA will keep rifles in bonded storage if I decide to stay overnight in London?

Lee

You'll need to get a gun courier to take possession of your guns while in the UK. I'll give you a good guy for this. Richard Whiteley rw@gunrunner.cc

Mark

Thanks Mark!

I went though Heathrow on BA from Toronto to Joburg in July. I had no problems with my firearms at all. Great airline experience, best I'v ever had.