Will be purchasing tickets for a party of 5 soon. Traveling from Georgia. Delta is by far the most convenient for us but it’s a bit expensive especially in the business class.

I understand United is flying direct from Newark. Has anybody taken this route recently? If so, any input would be greatly appreciated.

Right now Savannah to Newark to JNB RT in business class on United is only a few bucks more than the Delta Premium Select section from ATL

Thanks for sharing your experiences

Just had a client on the United Newark-JNB route. It was a complete clusterfuck and the United customer service was abysmal. This guy had a worst experience of any of my clients have ever had on the way to Africa. He was misinformed, lied to and they tried to route him through Jerusalem. How do you think he'd fare traveling with guns there?

Mark

I flew Newark to Jo'burg twice this past summer. No problem with the flights. Coming back my connecdtion was too short as clearing customs took too long and I missed my flight. No problems wiht United and both times I came back with a third checked bag and was not charged for it. Service and food was fine.

I was the client Mark spoke of and to top it off they lost my rifle in Chicago on my way home.
Never again will I use United!

Houston to Newark to JNB and back in August. 3 peeps. 2 with rifles. No issues at all

Going to take this route in three weeks. First class is only $3,600. Delta is twice that. Even though I live in Atlanta, the price difference is worth the extra travel to Newark.

Hell, everybody is cheaper than Delta!

quote:

Originally posted by WVFred:
I was the client Mark spoke of and to top it off they lost my rifle in Chicago on my way home.
Never again will I use United!

Details of how you found your rifle? Or, is it still lost?

Cal,
It was sent to my home the next day by a delivery company. No one could tell me where it was they just said probably at pier 21 in Chicago.

Took this route home in June with guns. Returning from JNB expect to have your ammo in its own container and little issues on weight for bags. They seem to be ex SAA employees and follow that airlines protocols. Being top tier travelers with them doesn’t carry any weight.

Newark is screwed up on the return. Unless something has drastically changed and by reports it has not, expect 2-4 hours getting your guns through customs and TSA.

My guns never made my flight even though they were supposedly hand carried. They tried to send them on the wrong flight. They did arrive at my home by courier 8 hours later.

Seats are as good as Delta unless Delta has upgraded their business class. Flew delta recently and it was still the old style pods. It’s not Emirates or Qatar but it’s worth the money if you can afford it.

Get a service in JNB it often is worth the time and hassle. Don’t tip everybody in sight $20.00. Anne at Air 2000 is always a great help.

I would never fly American Airlines or United. I have been burned too many times.

I used to think that I was 'saving' some money. That thought could not have been further from the truth.

I second Jason
I fly Delta and that’s it unless not available
And when it comes to Emirates and others, minimal differences and with the clusterfuck with guns there and back
It will be long time before I take guns out of US
Hunting is what we love and guns are just tool…

I had no problems with United. I flew Chicago to Newark and on to JB. Check in at ORD was painless and I was at my gate in 45 minutes from time of arrival. Never checked my rifles or ammo either. They just took them behind their counters and ran my case through a scanner. I was on to security and to my gate. The flights were without incident and on time. The food was even good.

Interesting, we only have American and United for carriers here in Bakersfield so Delta's not an option for me.

I've flown to Africa five times on United with connections in JFK, Newark, and Washington DC and the only problem that I've ever had was missing a short connection in DC that United got me rebooked on an hour later.

quote:

Originally posted by boarkiller:
I second Jason
I fly Delta and that’s it unless not available
And when it comes to Emirates and others, minimal differences and with the clusterfuck with guns there and back
It will be long time before I take guns out of US
Hunting is what we love and guns are just tool…

Yep, a rifle is just a tool.

You lot who use borrowed guns don't know some of us feel about ours.

I equate this to eating.

I have given up eating out, as practically all restaurants now are so impressed with "healthy" and "trendy" food, I gave up.

There is absolutely nothing compares to cooking my own steak on our BBQ by our pool.

Hunting is just like that.

I have built my own rifle.

I have designed my own cartridge.

I have made my own bullets.

It is a family member, and sharing a hunt with it brings a lot more enjoyment than a run of the mill factory gun rented from camp.

As the old saying goes "if you are unaware of it, you don't know what you are missing"

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
You lot who use borrowed guns don't know some of us feel about ours.

...

It is a family member, and sharing a hunt with it brings a lot more enjoyment than a run of the mill factory gun rented from camp.

As the old saying goes "if you are unaware of it, you don't know what you are missing"

Not to mention some of us lefty's would rather not shoot right handed guns with a righty cast.

I would use a camp gun if I had no choice,I would probably not go on such a hunt if it could be avoided,I load for & practice with my rifle of choice for any particular hunt,I shoot a lot,I get comfortable with my gun,I know it's dependable,accurate & it will not let me down,using a camp gun?just has no appeal to me,calling my gun a tool ? sorry but I don't like Blasers either

So a Blaser camp rifle wouldn’t cut it, eh?

quote:

I was the client Mark spoke of and to top it off they lost my rifle in Chicago on my way home.
Never again will I use United!

Fred: Did you recover your rifle by the time you returned home? How was your hunt in Zambia? Regards, UEG

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
So a Blaser camp rifle wouldn’t cut it, eh?

Not on your life that's one fugly tool

I just checked today for a round trip from Sioux Falls SD to JB thru Atlanta and the price came up at 1180.00 this was thru Priceline for next April 2022 on Delta both ways

quote:

Originally posted by hydehunter:
I just checked today for a round trip from Sioux Falls SD to JB thru Atlanta and the price came up at 1180.00 this was thru Priceline for next April 2022 on Delta both ways

Just for grins I checked CheapoAir and they have flights on American / Qatar for $902 depending on the exact day. I like to use CheapOair because you can sort flights by airline alliance for the air miles.

American Airlines
Flight 4354
Mon, Apr 04 03:59pm
Sioux Falls, FSD
05:45pm Chicago OHare, ORD
Mon, Apr 04
Cabin: Coach

American Airlines
Flight 8126 Aircraft 777
Flight Duration: 13h 30m
Mon, Apr 04
07:50pm Chicago OHare, ORD
05:20pm next day
Doha, DOH
Tue, Apr 05
Cabin: Coach
Layover: 3h 20m
Qatar Airways
Flight 1365 Aircraft 359
Flight Duration: 8h 20m
Tue, Apr 05 08:40pm
Doha, DOH
04:00am next day
Johannesburg, JNB
Wed, Apr 06
Cabin: Coach
Total Trip Duration: 29h 1m

Return Wed, Apr 13
Qatar Airways
Flight 1364 Aircraft 788
Flight Duration: 8h 20m
Wed, Apr 13 01:50pm
Johannesburg, JNB 11:10pm
Doha, DOH
Wed, Apr 13
Layover: 2h 0m
American Airlines
Flight 8139 Aircraft 777
Flight Duration: 16h 30m
Thu, Apr 14 01:10am
Doha, DOH 09:40am
Dallas Fort Worth, DFW
Thu, Apr 14
Layover: 2h 40m
American Airlines
Flight 5794 Aircraft CR9
Flight Duration: 2h 4m
Thu, Apr 14 12:20pm
Dallas Fort Worth, DFW 02:24pm
Sioux Falls, FSD
Thu, Apr 14
Mesa Airlines As American Eagle
Total Trip Duration: 31h 34m

I simply can’t imagine why someone would fly United via Newark or Delta via ATL. More expensive and poorer service. Granted it shaves 7-8 hours off the trip but at the expense of more money. What is your comfort worth??

I just did the united thong.....Newark to jnb.....it wasn't a bad way to go. United's version of economy comfort was better than delta's......

I've done qatar......ill take the shorter travel thanks.

I can only afford to go first or business class by using airline miles. That means flying American or one of their partners and often connecting through Heathrow. Use of the Concord Room does make the layover easier to handle, but it nixes taking my guns. Next year I will get to try Qatar business class on the return flight.

I just flew United, Newark to Jnb. Was actually quite nice. Economy was so empty that I had three seats to myself. Courteous staff.

After Emirates and Delta cancelled flights earlier this year the United option came in half of Qatar for a party of 8. Business was on par with Delta.

Emirates is my first choice into Zim. Outgoing two of us were on Ethiopian and the transfer in Addis really was that bad, a bit concerning, but turned out okay.

Wife and I are booked on United from Durango CO through Newark to JNB - Business Class $4500 RT in April of 2022.

For years I've heard horror stories about BA, SA, etc. Seems you only hear of the bad trips. My experience on BA through London with firearms to JNB, and Lusaka, 4 different times has always been fine.

I have a 5 hour layover on return into Newark, so I'm hopeful customs has there act together by the time we go.

Has anyone flown United from Newark, with firearms, where Newark was your departure airport? If so what was the procedure for checking in with firearms? NJ is a very anti gun state.

Just booked ATL-JNB on Delta for a June 2022 trip. It was cheaper than United for Economy comfort. Did Qatar last year, can't say a bad thing about the trip other than it was looooooong.