Thanks to Mark Young for the Botswana Air thread. A co-workers is headed there in April for Ele and was booked on Botswana Air. He's making other arrangements.

I pulled up British Airways "Sporting Arms" info from their website. Seems a little confusing reguarding whether ammo can go into a locked case in your checked bag or not when headed to or from RSA. What do you guys read into this cut and paste from their website.....



All firearms (including replica and decommissioned) and ammunition are restricted under UK law and you must notify us at least 72 hours before you travel to ensure compliance with UK government (or other local government) embargoes and restrictions. You must ensure you have the required documentation and licences for your firearms and ammunition. This includes export/import licences and authorisation from local and national authorities.

When you travel with firearms you must be at check-in at least 2 hours before your flight, to allow sufficient time to process the paperwork prior to clearing security.

If you are transferring through London you require a minimum connecting time of 3 hours.

Each case containing firearms is subject to a £50 each way charge at check-in. Firearms are handled by a specialist third party agent on our behalf, this charge covers their costs.

Firearms will be accepted provided they are packed in an appropriate carriage case, or if this is not possible, packed securely inside a suitcase.

Please note: if you are travelling to or from South Africa you cannot pack your firearms or ammunition in your checked baggage with your personal effects. The firearm and ammunition must be packed in separate locked bags or containers. You will not be charged for the extra bag.

Preparing firearms for travel:

each firearm carried must be accompanied by the appropriate firearms certificate
the firearm must be unloaded
if possible the firearm should be dismantled
the total weight of the ammunition (including shell) must not exceed the allowance of 5kg (11lbs) per passenger per bag
sharing weight allowance between passengers is not allowed
there will be no additional cost for ammunition packed in your checked baggage, or in a separate compartment in the gun case
if ammunition is carried separately you will be charged for the extra bag
the Heavy Bag Charge will apply to all bags over 23kgs
ammunition must be packed in either its original packaging or in a suitable container that prevents movement between shells or cartridges, i.e. loose ammunition is not permitted
bags with ammunition must not bear 'explosives' labels

Frostbite;

I am always prepared to have the ammo with my rifles as well as separate!!!! Murphy's Law!

Flying out of LAX in 2008 British Airways required the ammo to be separate from the rifles. So I put them in a lockable plastic box in my duffel.

In 2009 British Airways required the ammo to be with the rifles. So, I put the lockable box inside my Tuffpak.

Also, as a side note, I was not required to pay anything extra when departing LAX, but on our return through Jo'burg we did have to pay $50. Be sure to go the the BA cashier before checking in. You'll avoid confusion and a delay if you have to go back to the cashier while you are in the check-in process.

Best regards, D. Nelson

BA require ammo to be kept separated from the firearm and in a locked metal box.

They also require 72 hours notice that you will be travelling with firearms and you need to ask your travel agent to put the exact comment 'travelling with sporting firearms' into the comments section of your booking. Also get a hard copy and take it with you when you travel.

BA are particularly sensitive about not accepting ex military calibres so if you're travelling with any of those get them to confirm in writing that they'll accept them for travel and also take a hard copy of that when you travel.

All airlines are bound by the Air Navigation Order (Carriage of Dangerous Goods Act) and the ammo requirements for that are that the original packing or other container that keeps every round separated from every other round.

See here: http://www.shakariconnection.c...l-with-firearms.html

last august we packed ammo in separate bag & had no trouble save that a agent charged us another $50 for it, but they refunded it latter. be sure to call them in advance to notify them you are traveling with guns. we found their service to be very good, however a couple of the women agents sure did comment on how evil we were to be hunters

Jim,

I've used BA whenever possible for my travel to and from Africa. I've also left out of Seattle where you'll be catching your international flight. As long as my ammo was in a seperate bag from the gun nobody cared. Your guns and bag with ammo will be tagged and handled differently than regular luggage so don't expect it to show up on the carousel with the rest of the luggage. As far as RSA is concerned Gracy was recommending folks use a locked box for their ammo so I used a small Pelican case that I packed in my luggage. That worked nicely and I packed other articles in the box that could have been broken.

I used TSA locks on the ammo box and my luggage with the exception of the gun case which needs a regular key or combination lock.

Mark

Shakari is spot on with his advice. Ammo must be packed into a seperate locked container to be put into your checked luggage. They will also charge you for handling each firearm with the explanation that an independent security company now deals with them within the airport. Your checked bag with the ammo in it should then be treated like your firearm and will go through the same processing and hence not come out aroung the baggage carousel. Having said all that please be prepared for the staff at Heathrow to be confused as to their own rules. I fly out of there a least once a year with firearms and I have yet to come across a member of check-in staff who knows the rules without checking with a supervisor. On several occasions I have been given wrong instructions by them and have had to stand my ground and insist for clarification by a Manager. I have also known my checked bag with a "Firearms" tag on it come out on the carousel both at Joberg and Heathrow on my return.