Going to Namibia June '09. We have the opportunity to secure tickets with US Air to Frankfurt then Air N. for second leg. I'm told that US Air has baggage agreement so transfers shouldn't be a problem. I generally hear of Delta for the US to Frankfurt route. Just wondering if anyone else has utilized US and what the experience was. Thanks.

Can you actually get ticketed this early? Most of the airlines won't write a ticket more than six months in advance.

Since U.S. Air doesn't serve my part of the country I have little experience with them. Be sure to find their firearms and baggage policies on their website to first assure that there is nothing incompatible with your trip. Like all airlines these days, it's a crapshoot. I'd just as soon roll the dice in US Air as any of them right now.

quote:

Can you actually get ticketed this early? Most of the airlines won't write a ticket more than six months in advance

Yesterday I've booked a roundtrip from FRA to WDH for May 16 2009 on AirNamibia #286. I am planning to book a flight from Chicago to FRA using my miles. It shouldn't be a problem.

usually 330 days out

I just booked Lufthansa from Boston to Frankfurt then to Windhoek and then on to Botswana for May 09.

I have flown USair many times but I would check to see if they are still in bankruptcy since you have no protection if they stop flying.

For what it’s worth here is my experience

I recently flew USAIR from PHL to Munich and connected with South African air. I was told that they have a baggage agreement and that bags could be checked through to JNB. When I checked in for departure the USAIR told me that I would have to collect my bags in Munich and that they could not be passed through since I was departing from a different terminal (not true then).

On arrival in Munich we collected our bags and the SAA agent told me I would have to “register†my rifle before departure and notified the Munich airport police that we were traveling with firearms. Two police officers came by and took me to a room where they asked me “do you have the license?â€â€¦.upon which my response was “do you want to see my RSA permit?â€â€¦they asked again “do you have the license?â€â€¦.â€err not sure what you mean officerâ€â€¦.â€the license, the license†at which point I said “ Oh, you mean my USA registration form†and handled them a copy of my 4457. They wrote something on a form, I signed it and my rifle case was tagged and sent down the chute.

On arrival in JNB all our bags came through and we used the Afton Meet and Assist service to process through RSA on our eventual way to Maun.

As Stonecreek says it’s a crapshoot with most airlines these days as to what you will be told and what requirements you will need to go through.

On reflection though I’m glad I picked up my rifle in Munich (we had a 10 hour layover) and was able to ensure that it got on the next leg of our trip. I had way too much time, energy, money and effort to get to Africa without my luggage/gun.

Good luck,

Paul

Thanks for the responses. Looks like we'll get ticketed tomorrow and have one more piece of the puzzle completed. We'll be on US Air to Frankfurt then Air Namibia to Windhoek. First time doing this so I'm a little apprehensive with each decision.