Turkish Airlines firearms policy ?

[Sika98k]

Looking at flying down to Jo,burg in May. Turkish are well priced but I can’t see anything about carrying firearms with them. Anyone got any experience, good or bad of traveling with them, through Istanbul.

 

[Malxwal]

Looking at flying down to Jo,burg in May. Turkish are well priced but I can’t see anything about carrying firearms with them. Anyone got any experience, good or bad of traveling with them, through Istanbul.

Seen a group of lads carrying firearms through Istanbul few months back, didn't seem to encounter much bother.

 

[EMcC]

We had an 'exciting' trip to Istanbul two weeks ago, the length of time security took to check our firearms caused the flight to be delayed by 3/4 of an hour. Also they didn't load our rifles on the flight so we lost a days hunting.
Coming back we were ambushed at check in and charged an extra £60 for our ammo boxes, they said the price we paid for our firearms did not cover the extra box of ammo even tho we explained and showed our tickets that we had paid at Heathrow for firearms and ammo return.
They would have none of it and we had no choice other than to cough up.

 

[Hornet]

I may be wrong here, but I'm sure a work colleague of mine, who goes to SA regularly said they no longer take firearms, but please double check that.

 

[EMcC]

Who no longer takes firearms ?
we have just had a week flying to Turkey with Turkish Airlines and on our way back met another group going out, all with firearms.

I may be wrong here, but I'm sure a work colleague of mine, who goes to SA regularly said they no longer take firearms, but please double check that.

 

[Hornet]

Forgive me, I had misheard him, it was the airport that was no longer taking them, not the airline, my apologies.

 

[Cumbrian 1]

Forgive me, I had misheard him, it was the airport that was no longer taking them, not the airline, my apologies.

You can definitely take firearms to South Africa, SAA were no longer taking firearms from the UK due to incompetence on their side to complete certain paperwork. However they may well be taking them again.

 

[Tazz]

I may be wrong here, but I'm sure a work colleague of mine, who goes to SA regularly said they no longer take firearms, but please double check that.

They definitely take firearms we just returned from a hunting trip to Turkey using Turkish Airways, they do charge an additional fee for the firearms

 

[artschool]

You can definitely take firearms to South Africa, SAA were no longer taking firearms from the UK due to incompetence on their side to complete certain paperwork. However they may well be taking them again.

SAA ? South African Airlines? they haven’t flown from the UK to south africa for years.

 

[Cumbrian 1]

SAA ? South African Airlines? they haven’t flown from the UK to south africa for years.

You are probably right I remember some time ago PHASA releasing a statement that you couldn’t transit the UK with firearms as the airports had stopped the process. However this was not true it was just SAA, as far as I am aware the main airports in SA are accepting firearms.

 

[TonyC]

After many trips thru Heathrow I am convinced that it is the Airport/Border Force process that causes the problems, hence Croatian Airlines stopping carrying rifles. Its a joy to go thru Teesside Airport and only marginally less so at Manchester so if they can get it right whats wrong with Heathrow where BF compile a long list of FAC and passport details but then do the same on return - why not use one check list for out and back in - that and the x ray process is what takes up the time and if there are 15 of you .....

Incidentaly Turkish Airlines fly frequently out of Manchester - done it with a rifle no issues. Pay for rifles etc before you get to airport then it appears on ticket and there can be no arguments

 

[EMcC]

Tony we paid for our rifles months before we got to the airport when booking our flights with firearms and there was still arguments at the Turkish airport on our way back.
We have spoken to others using Turkish Airlines and the fee varies from £30 to £60 and in some cases from the same airport nothing.
It has been taken up with the CEO of Turkish Airlines by more than one person and the answers varied but the bottom line was, tough tit, grin and bare it !! no refund.

 

[Corvid8x57]

The Independent Inspector of Borders & Immigration will be issuing a report soon -

An inspection of Border Force practices and procedures in relation to firearms (7 November 2023)

It will be interesting to see what this has to say.

 

[artschool]

The Independent Inspector of Borders & Immigration will be issuing a report soon -

An inspection of Border Force practices and procedures in relation to firearms (7 November 2023)

It will be interesting to see what this has to say.

that doesn't sound good