I'm sitting at gate B32 as I write this, on my way to RSA for plains game. The flight boards at 4:20pm, we arrived at Dulles at 12:30pm. The agents opened ticketing at 1pm, it took 10 minutes to check in, a baggage handler carted my guncase and bags that contained ammo in them directly to TSA and we watched them run them thru the scanner. Then the TSA agent gave us a "thumbs up" and the bags went on the belt.

We walked to security and went right through - no line at all!!! The entire procees took maybe 20 minutes - probably the best check in experience I've ever had...

A big thumbs up for Dulles from me!!!!

Now... let's hope all the bags make it OK and my SAPS form is correct.....

Scott, I keep telling people this and the smart thing is you were early not at the last minute. I always arrived 3 hrs+ and never have any TSA problems. Good luck on your hunt! I was just in Zim and RSA a couple of months ago but wish I could be with you.

You are very lucky!

Last time I came through Dulles, had to exit off the international flight and go through security again, there were, oh, 3000 people waiting for screening---I kid you not, the lines were incredible, the TSA guy said it gets that way, they closed one screening area for lack of staffing.....took an hour to get through, even in the first class line....

What I don't like about Dulles

1. Upon return to the US, they tell you flat out they deliver the gun cases last off the plane, so you wait forever for them

2. You have to take those damn busses from one terminal to the next, to go through customs and to catch connections. If you are on the last "bus you have to wait for all passengers to exit the plane. In our case, we waited 20 minutes for the elderly and the people with babies to make it off the plane.

3. If you fly United or one of SAA's partners, after customs, you need to recheck and screen your firearms. They insist on a new firearms declaration for the domestic portion of the trip. They say the one you completed and inserted on your case in JoBerg is no longer valid, so you have to scramble to the counter there after customs to get one, usually a long line. I learned to ask for an extra on upon departure from the US BUt technically the unloaded status needs to be confirmed by an airline employee, and there are none in that baggage check area.....

You are right, the international arrival is as bad in Dulles as I have ever seen. Outbound is fine, but not returning.

I don't think you can plan on things happening the same way each time someone goes through any airport.
On the way over we had to stand in line for about 40 minutes, but a porter took me and all the luggage to the front of the line while the wife waited for our turn. The porter then took the luggage over to the TSA and away it went. Took about 15 minutes to get screened.

In Frankfurt I tried to score my boarding pass for Air Namibia right after we got off the Lufthansa flight, nothing doing, nada, no chance. Even though several AR members had recently doen just that!

Returning to Dulles, got on the right bus(final destination), right through passport control to baggage claim. When the carousel started turning I went over to the desk staffed by Lufthansa people and asked if my firearms would come out here, she said no but I will go get them for you. Five minutes later off we go through customs, officer typed the numbers into the computer off my 4457, never looked at the guns. Next officer looked in the bag at our shoes and said have a nice day.

You just never know. My wife and daughter passed up 250 euros each if we would bump to the next flight, they did not know if would want to. Hell thats $800 and the kicker was the next flight left before ours because some jackass checked his luggage and did not board the plane.

Dulcinea

I have been lucky the last two years at Dulles. This past year, we got there at 1pm and were the first one's in line. 10 minutes to check bags, 10 minutes with rifles to have the screened, no line at security, and 10 minutes to the terminal. Plenty of time for lunch, a few beers, and conversation with fellow hunters.

Came back on tuesday, both my gun and my buddies bow came out on the baggage carousel, walked right through customs after a quick check to see if I had a 4457. Everyone was courteous, prompt, and intelligent.

Well, We just got back from SA - wonderful hunt (I'm saving that for another post).. Dulles was very smooth on our return. Went through customs, got our bags and passed thru the second customs spot where I should them my 4457 and were out outside - maybe 30mins after stepping off the transporter...

SAPS at Joberg was a breeze - took me less that 2 0 mins to get through

I think I must have been hunting under a lucky star :-)

On four trips through Dulles I have not had any problems with the airport security or Customs people at all in either direction.