I'm seeking a Delta Business Class ticket to be purchased with Sky Miles and it appears that the only way to go would be through Washington, DC (Dulles) to Paris, France & thence to Johannesburg. It's also possible I would be getting off the Delta flight and going to another counter to check in my baggage again.

My concern is with the rifle and handgun I would be traveling with as I don't particularly wish to be arrested. Has anyone done this recently and not gotten thrown in the pokey?

I have been through Dulles before but the guns on that occasion were checked straight through so there was no problem.

Dulles is very gun friendly. It is the airport I kfly out of all the time, I have never had an issue. I have never done what you are speaking of, but the customs and tea folks are always gun friendly.

The story I read about was someone trying to check into an airline ticket counter and, when he told them he was traveling with firearms, was arrested for said possession.

When I went through Dulles on my last trip I had no problem either but then my baggage had been checked on though and I wasn't doing a checkin with another airline.

I checked my TuffPac with rifle from Durango, Co to J'burg, and on to Lusaka last October. I changed planes in Denver and also at Washington Dulles. Same thing coming back.

Going, the TuffPac went straight thru to J'burg. Coming back, I had to claim the TuffPac and recheck to Durango at Dulles. The folks at Dulles were not a problem at all. I was tenth in line and had everything checked at customs. The customs officer joked about being the first one checked off the plane. He was very interested with my hunting in Africa. He really looked over my rifle, wishing he had one like that.

Zero problems for me. Just declare your firearms like you are supposed to, you should have no problems.

As others have stated before, run off a copy of the airlines and TSA rules to have in hand in case you run into someone who does not know the rules.

I had no problem going through there last year. On the way out I checked it stright through from Atlanta but on the way back I had to collect my gun in Dulles and no one cared as I toted my gun case through the terminal looking for an earlier flight back to Atlanta. Customs didn't even care to look at my 4457, which is the first time that has happened.

I maybe wrong, but aren't pistols a big No No in some of the South African countries?

quote:

Originally posted by Mauser K98:
I maybe wrong, but aren't pistols a big No No in some of the South African countries?

Pistols, as long as they're the type meant for hunting, are not a problem in South Africa also known as RSA or the Republic of South Africa, as long as you have the proper permit which is as easy to obtain as for a long gun. There are other countries in "Southern Africa" in which handguns aren't permitted.

Dulles is in VA....not DC

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana1:
Dulles is in VA....not DC

Thank-you VERY much. That makes me feel a lot better. I had looked up Dulles on the internet and it gave a Washington, DC address which must be the address of the airport authority it's under. I looked in another place and, it is as you said, in VA.