Air France & Hunting Travel

10 May 2009, 10:56

Raghorn52

I am flying on Air France to Africa on my first Buffalo hunt in July. I have heard rumor to stay away from British Airways where flying with Hunting Rifles. I have not heard anything good or bad on Air France regarding traveling with sports arms. Any word of wisdom out there, as to what to expect in service. I also have been told that if you fly via Amsterdam on KLM they will confiscate any ammo if they find same in checked baggage, any truth to this. Any information is appreciated Thanks

10 May 2009, 11:47

gotogirl3

Absolutely not true about KLM. I've found Amsterdam to be very easy to transit for the last ten years. I don't have any direct experience with Air France, but would go through Amsterdam without any hesitation. I have always put ammo in checked baggage, as have others whose trips I helped with and none have ever had a problem.

10 May 2009, 14:03

Arild Iversen

Used Air France twice to and from Oslo / Johannesburg via Paris.
No hassel at all.

Just remember to inform them in ample time that you are traveling with a sporting firearm.
They need size and weight on your gun case, type, caliber and serial # on your firearms.

If not, you will have problem checking in.

11 May 2009, 02:53

MARK H. YOUNG

Raghorn52

I've used Air France, KLM and British Airways. I've had no real problems with any of them and you shouldn't either. As long as you follow the policies of each you'll have no problems. BA is in fact my preferred carrier. The service is better and they offer the best record of any airline servicing Africa from the USA for delivering luggage with the passengers.

Mark

MARK H. YOUNG
MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES
7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110
Office 702-848-1693
Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED
E-mail markttc@msn.com
Website: myexclusiveadventures.com
Skype: markhyhunter
Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716

11 May 2009, 05:51

bisonhunter1

I'm with Mark, Britsh Airways was great to me last year and if/when I go in 2010, I'm gonna fly with them again. All they want is gun info, make, cal, ser. no, 72 hours before flying and they were happy with me last year. Just make sure you fly in and out of same airport in England ( ie, London, or Gatwick, don't transfer between them, then that involves British gunlaws which is not the same as what British Airways wants) and you'll be fine.

11 May 2009, 06:04

jetdrvr

At one time, I had over 250,000 FF miles with BA. Never have flown them on a hunt, but I used to fly them down to Africa through LHR all the time. One of my favorite air carriers

A short story: In December, 1987, my crew and I, plus a couple of Brit contract engineers (mechanics to U.S. folks) left LHR to Nairobi to connect to Addis. We would be gone for Christmas flying famine relief. The BA counter people immediately upgraded us to Business and we were treated like visiting firemen all the way to NBO. When we left the plane at NBO, the entire cabin crew met us at the exit door with five or six cartons of Scotch minitures. They told us to take it with us for ourselves and all the fellows who would be spending Christmas and New Years in Ethiopia. That permanently endeared me to BA and I flew them every chance I had until I retired. A great airline.

11 May 2009, 06:13

JudgeG

I don't think BA will let you take firearms if your final destination is Zimbabwe. If you transit through Amsterdam, you will need a permit for your rifle, even if it is checked through... I think???

12 May 2009, 21:22

MARK H. YOUNG

Judge,

Those tricky travel agents like Kathi Klimes and the Gracy crew can make about anything happen. Personally I'd do about anything rather than take that SAA or Delta flight to RSA.

Mark

13 May 2009, 09:33

Use Enough Gun

My wife and I flew Air France from New York to Paris to Jo'burg, and back the same route, on our Safari to Zimbabwe last August and had absolutely no problems. You just need to make sure that your travel agent applies ahead of time with Air France regarding your firearms and ammo. I used Shawn at Gracy and she had everything taken care of well ahead of time as usual.

13 May 2009, 09:39

Michael Robinson

quote:
Originally posted by Raghorn52:
I am flying on Air France to Africa on my first Buffalo hunt in July. I have heard rumor to stay away from British Airways where flying with Hunting Rifles. I have not heard anything good or bad on Air France regarding traveling with sports arms. Any word of wisdom out there, as to what to expect in service. I also have been told that if you fly via Amsterdam on KLM they will confiscate any ammo if they find same in checked baggage, any truth to this. Any information is appreciated Thanks

Non, non, non, mon ami. Les francais sont plus amiables que les anglais ou les americains.

Pas de problem.

13 May 2009, 21:01

Wink

Living in France, I obviously have flown on Air France with firearms many times. I have never had any type of problem. But, I follow their one rule: I let them know 5 days before check-in that I will be travelling with a firearm. They add a note to your dossier and know exactly what to do when you check-in. It has always gone smoothly for me. For people in transit, they will even let you take your rifles into Paris if you are planning a night or two in Paris on either leg. In fact, they don't really care that you have firearms. Many French hunt, and many of them in Africa, it's no big deal. The only possible glitch could occur if you want to leave the airport with a rifle(s) in a "controlled" caliber like 30-06 Springfield or .308 Winchester, which are considered military calibers. But if you are travelling with an H&H caliber, or any Magnum, or any of the big stuff never chambered in a service rifle then all you will get is a "ho-hum".

16 May 2009, 00:47

Steve Turner - Total Travel Solutions

As most have said - follow the rules for advising the airline of your firearms and ammunition. As long as you do this you should have no problem - if possible get the airline to send you an email confirmation for your rifles and ammuntion. This way should you get questioned at check-in you have a copy.

Beware - most EU countries are now enforcing the ban on firearms to Zimbabwe.

Steve

17 May 2009, 03:35

Blair338/378

quote:
Originally posted by Wink:
Living in France, I obviously have flown on Air France with firearms many times. I have never had any type of problem. But, I follow their one rule: I let them know 5 days before check-in that I will be travelling with a firearm. They add a note to your dossier and know exactly what to do when you check-in. It has always gone smoothly for me. For people in transit, they will even let you take your rifles into Paris if you are planning a night or two in Paris on either leg. In fact, they don't really care that you have firearms. Many French hunt, and many of them in Africa, it's no big deal. The only possible glitch could occur if you want to leave the airport with a rifle(s) in a "controlled" caliber like 30-06 Springfield or .308 Winchester, which are considered military calibers. But if you are travelling with an H&H caliber, or any Magnum, or any of the big stuff never chambered in a service rifle then all you will get is a "ho-hum".

Vive La France!!!!!!!!!

25 May 2009, 19:23

Adrian Parham

Mark,

I enjoy your posts and you seem like a good guy, however, if you want to never see you guns again try something creative or magic that involves firearms and HRE as the destination. You do not want HRE on the same piece of ticket stock you present to the BA rep.

Cheers, Adrian

25 May 2009, 20:48

MARK H. YOUNG

Adrian,

If a client wants to get to Harare through London or othe EU hub cities a travel agent like Katthi Klimes or The Gracy team can make it happen with no hassle. Another good reason not to use the Internet for your safari travel.

Mark

27 May 2009, 15:19

Deerdogs

Around 2001 the UK government saw fit to place an Arms Embargo on the Mugabe regime. Like most UK government rulings in the past 12 years is was a pretty blunt instrument and was written to included all "Arms" including sporting firearms. I was in heated correspondance at the time with the Govt department responsible but sense did not prevail.
I know that as a UK citizen I cannot travel with firearms to Zim, but they probably turn a blind eye for other nationalities.