Any reason not to fly british airways for the flight from joburg to windhoek? Any issues with guns? It seems like flying through heathrow is more of an issue than british airways.

Len

If your flying BA JHB-WDH and Comair is the actual carrier please know they do not carry guns. As far as your other comment there is no issue with transiting Heathrow on BA. Check your guns all the way through to JNB onto BA at your departure city and you have nothing to worry about until your guns arrive JNB.

Mark

The BA flight from Joberg to Windhoek is operated by Comair. Comair does not transport firearms whatsoever so flying them is a non starter.

Transiting Heathrow with firearms is straight forward and no problem if you make sure the paperwork is in order.

Good luck on your hunt!

quote:

Would stick with SAA from JNB to WDH. BA and Nam Air only fly one or two flights a day and they are not exactly on time and have a nasty reputation of canceling flights. SAA flies between 5 to 7 flights a day depending on the time of year. If you miss one, you can make the next. In addition, SAA is gun friendly.

Thanks, I thought I remembered reading about that being an issue, as well as Air Namibia canceling flights. SAA it will be!

Flying through Britain with firearms is not the issue, British Air is.

Frank,

Have you actually flown BA to Africa?

Mark

I have, 4 times. Very well satisfied. Beats the hell out of Delta/ Air France via Paris. Not as good as Etihad or Emirates though.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Frank,

Have you actually flown BA to Africa?

Mark

No, it is too easy to fly United and SAA. Walk in, check my guns in at the ticket counter and pick them up in Africa.

I found BA good but SAA from the UK ( I know you didn't ask about UK) seem to run the same flights or maybe even codeshare and are generally 10-15% cheaper.

Frank,

That's exactly what you do with BA. Difference is you'll get your guns on the other end every time do to special handling of guns and ammo by BA.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Frank,

That's exactly what you do with BA. Difference is you'll get your guns on the other end every time do to special handling of guns and ammo by BA.

Mark

totally correct

I've read too many horror stories about folks having problems with BA in London to ever fly that aiarline with firearms. Their 100 pound fee for handling your guns really sticks in my craw.

I only flew BA once in my life and that was on a flight from JBH to Harare. BA staff lied to me several time about my guns being on the plane. Never again for me.

Labman,

The horror stories usually come from passengers that did not do their do diligence. BA has some simple rules like all airlines and if you follow them you'll be fine. The big FU often comes when a guy books his own flights on line, arrives Gatwick but is scheduled to leave from Heathrow on his Africa leg. You need a gun courier for that transfer so the guy is stuck in Gatwick until he can hire a courier. An on line service does not tell you this. Book US to Heathrow and on to JNB and it should work seamlessly. As for BA folks lying to you was it actual BA personnel that said your guns were on the plane or Comair that used to do BA's flights to Zim? I'm a huge BA fan US to JNB. Beyond JNB you're in another world.

Mark

Mark: - this happened several years ago. I was flying Delta from Atlanta with a connecting flight to Harare on SAA. My flight from Atlanta was delayed to the point where I knew I would miss the connecting flight to Zim. I called my travel agent from the plane and informed them of the situation. Shortly there after the plane took off and I had no idea what would happen when I arrived in JNB.

When I got off the plane a young lady was holding up a sign with my name on it. I met her and she told me my travel agent had arranged for her help. She told me I was booked on a connecting flight to Harare. So far so good.

When we got the the gate for the flight I saw it was a BA flight and remembered reading something about them not flying firearms to Zim. I asked the BA gate agent about the gun and I was told it wouldn't be a problem. While waiting for the flight I inquired with another BA agent at the gate about my guns and luggage on the flight. Again I was told no problem and the guns were on the plane.

Just prior to boarding I asked a third gate agent about my guns on the flight and was told they and my luggage were on the plane.

When I got to Harare - no guns and no luggage. My guns arrived the next day but my luggage with my ammo didn't show up until 3 days later.

The flight to Harare was a BA flight and everyone I spoke to at the gate were BA uniformed personnel. Obviously they were simply telling me what they knew I wanted to hear. Flat out lying in my opinion.

I haven't flew BA since and I won't in the future.

Tom,

I must admit that would put me off BA also.

Mark

My BA experience from last years flight from EWR to JNB WAS THE WORST EVER! I used Gracy travel (at Mark's recommendation)and their service was perfect. My trouble came with the BA station chief at EWR. She said "my license" (Customs form)was expired because the form had been superceded. In short she called airport police to arrest me and you can imagine how my layover was. From HTR to JNB no problem except I had to open and verify my guns at the gate for each flight. I'll find another way...

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Frank,

That's exactly what you do with BA. Difference is you'll get your guns on the other end every time do to special handling of guns and ammo by BA.

Mark

Actually, Delta takes special care with firearms as well, plus their app will show you exactly where your bags are as they are scanned. This used to put a sticker on my gun case that says GCAP which stands for "Give Care and Protection To" - they never put guns on the turnstile; they are always hand carried to the baggage claim office.

Just e mailed Comair to see if they still did not allow guns on the flight from Joburg to Windhoek .. they replied that British Air does not accept hunting guns at all ..

Hmmm ....I like Frankfurt ... and South African airways ... having an African beer on the long flight down makes me feel that I am getting close to my beloved Africa ...

Seems like it's beer or guns...

Hummmm

Scruffy,

Afraid that person that gave you the info is full of shit. I flew BA last November with guns and have clients carrying guns on BA throughout this season.

Mark

Good to hear, Mark. The person who gave me the information is:

Keneilwe
BA Domestic Regional
0119210222

This person said that BA does not transport firearms or hunting rifles ...

I have written back asking why they have given me false information ... ???

He replied this morning to say that he was referring to domestic ... Comair .. The chap should be careful how he gives out his business info .. which is his job ... Glad Mark said something before I wrote off the airline for my business ...

My understanding is that Comair (uses the name Kalula in S.A.), which is a subsidiary of B.A., is not licensed by the South African government to carry firearms. Whether this will change with time or Comair simply doesn't want to mess with firearms is not clear.

Regardless, that's certainly too bad since some of the best fares and schedules to Windhoek have B.A. connecting with Comair in JNB.