Houston-Dulles-Jo'burg

20 August 2009, 20:04

bwanamrm

Mike,
It looked tight to me also... both going and returning, but Mason and I made it with no problems. Custom agents in Dulles were extremely efficient and we breezed through to our connecting return flight. However, I must admit to worrying about possible weather related delays which could upset such a tight schedule.

On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling

Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.

20 August 2009, 21:10

L. David Keith

I've had nothing but nightmares with United and I'll not fly with them again. 9 hour layover because a counter clerk was confused whether I could fly with 3 guns. This was coming home. I'd already been to Africa and flew with 3 guns from BNA. This delay (she went to get her supervisor) caused us to miss our flight. This was last year. This year, our guns didn't arrive when we returned to Dulles. United insisted we wait until they scoured the airport. I knew they weren't on the plane with us, so they caused us to miss our flight AGAIN. 4 hour layover, then fly to Chicago, 3 hour layover, then home. Filed a missing luggage report on our guns, and now Mark's bag isn't on the carousel. It was loaded in Chicago...we were told. Well, it wound up in Denver. Short of the story, we're still waiting for our refund on the $145 we EACH had to pay to get our guns back. I guess lightning struck twice but once they stick it to you, they don't stop. And don't expect any help from anyone. You can't get a human on the phone unless your an agent.

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"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson

Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running......

"If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you."

20 August 2009, 23:34

muygrande

Mike, I made the trip but from San Antonio, Dulles, JoBurg on the 28th of May. I had 2 1/2 hour layover at Dulles. Weather delays put me on the ground at Dulles with only forty five minutes to transfer to SAA. I made it but luggage did not. SAA did pull away from the terminal timely so they could make their statistics work on "timely" flights.

We sat on the tarmac for two hours due to backup from the weather while our luggage sat 1/2 mile away in the terminal. We had over twenty hunters filling out paperwork in JoBurg for lost luggage.

Mine finally caught up with me in the bush on day four of my hunt in Zim. Zipper on duffle cut but nothing taken.

21 August 2009, 01:08

MJines

Russell and MG,

That is my concern, crappy weather in Houston or a mechanical problem and I am toast making the connection at Dulles. I am strongly considering just flying to Dulles the day before and overnighting in Washington. Not very efficient but at least I have multiple options to make the connection if there is a problem. I think I am more comfortable overnighting in Washington than I am taking a flight through Chicago or Newark to Dulles since it is just one more opportunity for the luggage to get lost. It really sucks that Continental cancelled their Dulles flights.

Larry, I am leaving on October 15.

21 August 2009, 02:29

Larry Sellers

Mike - We will be going United, Albuquerque to Dulles, then SAA to Joburg on Aug. 28th. We have a four hour layover in DC so hopefully that works out for the best? I'll post a report on the flights when I return end of September.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:
Originally posted by MJines:
Russell and MG,

That is my concern, crappy weather in Houston or a mechanical problem and I am toast making the connection at Dulles. I am strongly considering just flying to Dulles the day before and overnighting in Washington. Not very efficient but at least I have multiple options to make the connection if there is a problem. I think I am more comfortable overnighting in Washington than I am taking a flight through Chicago or Newark to Dulles since it is just one more opportunity for the luggage to get lost. It really sucks that Continental cancelled their Dulles flights.

Larry, I am leaving on October 15.

21 August 2009, 02:53

BNagel

quote:
Originally posted by MJines:
Anyone taken this leg recently? The only non-stop from Houston to Dulles (United) leaves just an hour and a half for the connection to Jo'burg. Curious if anyone has experienced problems making the connection with either themselves, the luggage or both. Thanks.

Mike

Two years ago we were diverted to Charlotte (NC) due to "mechanical problems". United made up the time on the re-hop to Dulles but it is un-nerving to sweat the details. In fact, since we were checked through to Jo'burg it was with relief that guns and all were waiting for us, ready for SAPS etc. United has those TINY commuter jets for the hops. Hope you go smooth.

(Might see ya October 3, this time with a .375, you know, so the DWJs don't trample me this go-round.)

Barry

_______________________

24 August 2009, 06:00

577NitroExpress

Mike:

If you elect to fly to Dulles the night before your connecting flight, you can stay with me. I'm about 30-45 minutes from IAD and I would be happy to to help out a hunting buddy. I can pick you up and take you to the airport to save you a few bucks.

And I can give you the .577 round that I haven't gotten my old man to put together for you yet - all of my reloading stuff is up in Philly with him.

Shoot me a PM if you want to chat more.

577NitroExpress
Double Rifle Shooters Society
Francotte .470 Nitro Express

If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming...

24 August 2009, 06:06

MJines

Paul,

That is a very kind offer. I will keep you posted. It is horribly inefficient, come in midday one day and leave the next afternoon, but I really worry that it does not take much for a 1 hour and 40 minute connection time to end up being a complete bust. If I had known the Continental flight was cancelled, I might have just gone through Atlanta. Live and learn.

Thanks again. Don't work too hard, we miss you.

24 August 2009, 07:24

dirklawyer

quote:
Originally posted by MJines:
Russell and MG,

That is my concern, crappy weather in Houston or a mechanical problem and I am toast making the connection at Dulles. I am strongly considering just flying to Dulles the day before and overnighting in Washington. Not very efficient but at least I have multiple options to make the connection if there is a problem.

Mike, that's exactly what I would do, OVERNIGHT AT DULLES the day before. My son and I did it last year and I'm glad we did, Dulles is slow (eternal remodel going on) and with the shuttles it can be very time consuming. It does help that I have a brother that lives 20 minutes from the airport but I'd stay in a hotel room the night before the flight.

"An individual with experience is never at the mercies of an individual with an argument"

24 August 2009, 08:09

404WJJeffery

I can tell everyone I have never seen TSA lines as long as they are at Dulles- I mean hundreds and hundreds of people in the lines....so if you overnight, come early.

I try to avoid Dulles because you are taken from your arrival terminal (coming back) to your departing terminal via these wacky buses that are really slow. I missed the first one and the second one waited about 30 minutes for the wheelchair people to make it to the shuttle- we made our connection by literally seconds- they were closing the boarding door.

They also have to wait for someone to "escort" the rifles to the baggage area, so the 2-3 times I have been thru there the hunters were literally the last ones left in the terminal, then EVERY case gets checked and the 4457s inspected by 1-2 customs guys- it took forever.

______________________________

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24 August 2009, 21:22

Oday450

quote:
Originally posted by 404WJJeffery:
I can tell everyone I have never seen TSA lines as long as they are at Dulles- I mean hundreds and hundreds of people in the lines....so if you overnight, come early.

I try to avoid Dulles because you are taken from your arrival terminal (coming back) to your departing terminal via these wacky buses that are really slow. I missed the first one and the second one waited about 30 minutes for the wheelchair people to make it to the shuttle- we made our connection by literally seconds- they were closing the boarding door.

They also have to wait for someone to "escort" the rifles to the baggage area, so the 2-3 times I have been thru there the hunters were literally the last ones left in the terminal, then EVERY case gets checked and the 4457s inspected by 1-2 customs guys- it took forever.

Exactly my experience. It takes about 90 minutes to get through security on departure and the same amount of time to get through customs on the return.