Good afternoon all.

August 2008 I'm flying to Jo'burg (then on to Harare) from Washington/Dulles via Paris on Air France.

I see from Air France's website the transportation of firearms requires a "gun permit" and "import/export documents" and/or "permits".

Does anyone have experience with USA to South Africa travel on Air France through Paris? If so, specifically what are these documents Air France wants.

Last year flying on South African Airways from Dulles all I had was a US Customs form 4457. I realize I need the SAPS 520 and the Zimbabwe forms.

Thanks!

I haven't flown this route (through Paris) but I'm curious about your ticket price to route through the extra stop? It's something I have considered...especially if the price is less or minimally more than normal.

Are you going back to Zim?

yukon:

Yep, I'm hunting in September 2008 with Chifuti for buffalo and tuskless, and I might try to take a croc as well. They don't have sable available.

I used Delta SkyMiles. The only flights available to me were Delta's Atlanta to Dulles, then Air France (one of Delta's partners) from Dulles to Paris to Jo'burg. I'll have to buy a ticket on South African to Harare. Nothing was available from Atlanta to Jo'burg or JFK to Jo'burg for award tickets.

Delta released its award tickets for August 26, 27, 28 on Monday at midnight. At 12:08 am all were gone. The only reason I got my flights to Africa was I happened to call in and got an agent who has worked at Delta for 30 years and she knows the ropes. Her advice to all of us is to know exactly what day the tickets will be available and call at midnight on that day.

So, I'm going three days earlier than I need to, but I'll just go to Chifuti's fishing camp and try to catch a tiger fish.

When are you going back?

I'm working on my return but don't have any deposits made. I have plans to be in Mozambique next summer but that is work related.

When I do return it will be for tuskless or buff.

PSMITH,

I traveled two months ago through paris to Jo-berg with rifles on Air France.

here's what was required then, and now as of a few minutes ago when i checked.

You need to have your travel agent, or you, call Air France with the caliber(s) of the rifles and/or shotguns, the dimensions of the gun case(s) and the weight of the case and guns. You will also need to tell them the number of rounds you will be traveling with and the dimensions and weight of that case.

If you are the one who is doing the calling be prepared to be on hold for a fair amount of time. And, then, be prepared to call back once again (hopefully only once) to verify that you do indeed have that extra-special permission to travel with rifles and ammunition.

As for the permits, any permit for Zim, and if you are overnighting in Jo-berg, the SAP 520 should/will suffice. Our US Customs 4457 is "our" permit, and you will have that on you as well.

Thanks, that's not something I would have thought to do. Great advice.

In the last couple of years I have flown Air France and Delta (on Air France ticket stock) several times from both the USA (LAX, Houston) and Paris to Africa. I have simply informed Air France a few days ahead of check-in that I would be travelling with a firearm in a separate rifle case. This has been sufficient to date and I show up early at check-in to be one of the first in line. When your name comes up on their monitor it will be tagged and they will contact TSA for you (at least that was my experience) and they were helpful in assisting me throughout the check-in/TSA check process when in the USA. A pleasant, polite and serene attitude goes a long way to making it a painless experience.

I will add that many of the functionaries that man the counter in Paris are not aware of the guidelines. Please have a printed copy of the airline policy on firearms, and if there is a problem, politely ask for a supervisor. I have done this, and everything at CDG Airport works smoothly.

Don't blow your stack, it's counter productive there. Go up the food chain.

450/400 is correct about the knowledge level of the average counter clerk when it comes to firearms and their own employer's regulations. Don't expect them to know much and you won't be dissappointed. Perhaps I have just been lucky but when I check-in for Southern Africa at CDG they've usually seen it all before as quite a few people travel to Africa to hunt.

Thanks guys; good advice.

I'm traveling from Tallahassee to Atlanta to Dulles on Delta. Then Dulles to Paris to Jo'burg on Air France. I will only be in Paris two hours. Delta tells me I can check the rifles and luggage all the way through to Jo'burg from Tallahassee, which would be great since checking firearms in Tallahassee is simple and quick.

With your air miles, were you able to upgrade out of economy? That's a lot of flying with the leg to Paris added in.

yukon:

Well it's like this, I had plenty of miles for the business class ticket, but I somehow found myself giving them to the guy I'm traveling with so he could fly for free also. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but that was after a couple of glasses of whisky. I've never been known for having good judgement.

Hopefully you are still friends when you return.

PSMITH,
you started this thread with a good question. Now that i know you know how to spell whisky correctly I'd share a fire with ya.

Seriously, you need that extra special air france permission. Trust me, I know from first hand.

nkonka:

I will follow your advice on Air Frog.

With respect to whisky, I do love a nice single malt Scotch, but after I had four children, I switched to bourbon thinking it was less expensive. Trouble is, I like expensive bourbon like Knob Creek.

Let me get you well down the road to bourbon snobbery. What you need is a bottle of Kentucky Spirit, made by Wild Turkey. Everything else will taste like sugar water.