Got back from SA a few days ago. As you guys advised I brought my ammo in plastic cases locked with TSA locks. In Joburg I was told to remove case from my checked bag - it was checked separate for the flight to PE - no problem. On the way back to Houston somehow the guys in Joburg tagged the ammo case so that customs in Frankfort thought the case contained a firearm. They also insisted that it had to be checked separately on the flight to Frankfort. Also my son's ammo case. Well my son's ammo arrived in Houston. Mine never left Frankfort. Later the next day the lost baggage rep. explained that customs in Houston now had the ammo case and would have to cut the locks and examine the contents although the xray showed no firearm in the case. My son lives in Houston and I don't so he was handling the problem. He told the custom guy that the case had TSA locks so why cut the locks. He was told that only the TSA guys could open the locks. My son told that if he gave them the combination for the locks would that work. Finally they called him back and asked him exactly what was in the case - he told them 33 loaded 7 mag.and 7 empties. That satisfied him and he was told the case would be delivered to his house in the next few days. My son said that it sounded like they decided not to even open the case. Any way aside from this minor problem we had a good hunt. I killed my first elan and my first blue wildebeast and five other animals. My son killed six animals. Killed 100 doves and 20 ducks. This was fourth trip - I'm 77 and I just don't know if I can handle 20 hrs. on a plane again. Maybe by next year I will have forgotten just how long and tough the plane ride was. If I'm still above ground next year I just may try to do it one more time. GuyG

Guy:
Small screw ups are about a given on any African trip. I hope you manage to go again. And again. And again. Etc...

Sounds like good preparation over came all of the massive screw ups by mutational government agencies. hoping for the best and preparing for the worse Expecting government bureaucrats to use common sense is way to much

A great deal many of the problems arise from ignorance on the part of the airport ground staff. They are told one thing in broad terms and poorly trained.i live in SA and I have had the same problems. Calling a senior person to the check in desk can help. I paid overweight once and the following tine argued tgat my rifle is my golf clubs and it worked, no money was paid. I know remember to print the baggage rules off the correct airline website and insist that they follow their own rules. I've seen those tags and I think they say firearms/ammunition or something. So as I recall there is only one tag.i hope that tip helps for the future.

At least it happened on the way home and not on the way over.

quote:

Originally posted by pagosawingnut:

At least it happened on the way home and not on the way over.

+1