I'm going on my first African Safari this year & i'm looking at my options as far as flights go.
Emirates is an attractive proposition due to the fact they fly from Brisbane International here in Australia & into Dar Es Salaam with about a 5 hour stop in Dubai on the way over & about a 3 hour stop in Dubai on the way back.

Most of the info i've been able to dig up on this site about Emirates is a couple of years old, so can anyone give me some updated information about your experiences with Emirates? I'm particualrly interested in if they are "firearms friendly" & the ins & outs of a stop in Dubai?

Cheers!

I frequently fly both long and short haul with Emirates. I find their service second to none.

I've never tried them with firearms but I know several who have with no problems.

The secret is to make sure your travel agent informs them that you are travelling with firearms well in advance, and obtain a clearance.

Emirates have to inform the airport security and get their permission. They do that without any hassle as long as they are aware of it in advance.

Thanks for the replies.

My travel agent is a jughead, which is why i thought i better ask here & get the info for myself. In her 9 years experience, she has never booked for anyone travelling with a firearm & rolled her eyes & tried to hide it when she sneered at me when i told her where i was going & what i was doing when i got there.

Maybe it's best i try to find one who knows what she's doing.

Cheers.

I believe I'd find a new travel agent (unless your "travel agent" is also your wife, like mine).

while i've never flown on emirates i do believe that i've heard more good things and less bad than almost any other airlines

if you lose any baggage on Emirates or if they booking agent promises you a room for your long layovers don't expect any serice to help. baggage just disappears and is never found again. the promised rooms for long layovers are never there but if you have 250 or more you can get a room. AND yes I have had bad expeariences with them twice in three yrs. I'll never fly them again

Maybe Saeed can look into the possibility of extending some extra or special privileges to AR members?

My wife and I are flying Emirates to Kenya in June - then on to Zim for hunting with Mokore. Going through Kenya because we are doing a trip with our church before the safari. JFK - Dubai - Nairobi and return on Emirates, then Nairobi to Harare on Kenya Airways. Should be an adventure! Also means not traveling with firearms due to the Kenya leg. Will post our experience on return.

I like Kenya I have spent lots of time there

quote:

Originally posted by 7mmMagnum:
Thanks for the replies.

My travel agent is a jughead, which is why i thought i better ask here & get the info for myself. In her 9 years experience, she has never booked for anyone travelling with a firearm & rolled her eyes & tried to hide it when she sneered at me when i told her where i was going & what i was doing when i got there.

Maybe it's best i try to find one who knows what she's doing.

Cheers.

Why on earth would you even consider using this travel agent??? She obviously is anti-gun or anti-hunter with that attitude, and I cannot fathon why you'd give her one dollar with that attitude. Go find a good travel agent, there are several who are regulars here on AR that whould appreciate the business and who will do a great job for you.

We started using Emirates for our trophy shipments to the States after Lufthansa passed a regulation against carrying hunting trophies
(this was after 23 years of doing business with us). In the several years we've used them now we've only had one glitch...lost documents) and they were quite helpful in getting the problem rectified. BTW, I have refused to have anything to do with the Air Nazis since then.
Rich Elliott

Hope this information from Emirates will assist you in getting the necessary authorizations.

Sporting weapons and ammunition

Firearms designed for sporting purposes, such as target pistols and rifles, air guns, safari rifles, hunting rifles, etc., may be carried as checked baggage on Emirates® flights under the following conditions:

The firearm must be completely unloaded and, if possible, dismantled and packed inside a suitcase or standard gun case.

The carriage of any type of firearms, ammunition and explosives, including items containing explosives, must be approved by Emirates® no less than three days before your flight. Please contact your nearest Emirates office to start the approval process. Please allow extra time for public holidays and weekends in your country of residence and the UAE.

Ammunition must be securely stored in a strong, sealed box packed inside a suitcase and surrounded by other contents. The suitcase must not bear an ‘Explosive’ label.

The maximum gross weight of the ammunition carried by any single passenger is 5 kg (11 lb). Passengers traveling in groups must carry ammunition in their own separate bags, with no single bag carrying more than the 5 kg (11 lb) limit.

The following special conditions apply to passengers wishing to carry firearms on flights into or through Dubai:

Passengers who wish to bring firearms and ammunition into the UAE must obtain prior clearance from UAE Customs and the UAE Ministry of Defence. To obtain this clearance, passengers must contact these government departments directly.

For transfer and transit passengers who are connecting to onward flights, prior clearance to travel with firearms and ammunition must be obtained from the Dubai Airport Police Department and the Department of Civil Aviation.

I just flew Emirates for the first time New York/Dubai/Joberg. With my bow..my rifle..my wife and my 2 children 12 and 14. The service, the flight the attention to my firearms was PERFECT.I have never been on a better flight from every aspect..food,service,seats, in flight entertainment (movies and such guys). I notified them 2 weeks before I flew they sent me an easy form to fill out about my firearms once approved my weapons were treated well and never a problem. In Joberg the Emirates agent did not take any crap from the Gun Porters she made sure they did it correctly. This is the third trip to Africa, I have used Delta,SAA, I will never fly anything but Emirates as long as I can. It was the best flight roundtrip I have ever taken. Second to none.

emirates is a great airline, i fly with them a lot and recommend a lot of people to fly with them.I was there for a layover and had no problem getting a room and the service was great.
And like saeed said just let them know about youre firarms you will have no problems at all.
the inflight service is excellent and most important is that they have an exceptional safety record.

Emirates is TOP NOTCH. No Problems with guns

My daughters and I found the service (Dubai to JNB) to be excellent on Emirates.

Anybody know if it's possible to arrive JNB in the morning - from Dubai - in order to make connection to Harare, without having to overnite in JNB?
I checked the Emirates website for SFO-Dubai-JNB and it didn't look possible.

"Emirates is top notch. No problems with guns." Do you realize how many jokes can be spun off that line?

I pleasantly remember the first time I boarded an Emirates flight as an alternative to Gulf Air. I've been using them since the late 80s throughout the gulf, the sub-continent and Africa.

Thanks for all your help & advice guys! very much appreciated.