Firearms Travel To The Dark Continent

NIGELD

Member
Hi i have booked a safari to the dark continent for next year and wondering has anyone traveled from N.Ireland through London Hethrow and can you book your firearms through the whole way from Belfast to johberg or did you collect them in London and the book them on to johberg i will be traveling into T5 from Belfast and out through T2 with south africa airlines. thank you.
 
I travelled over to SA last month and had a couple of internal flights as well as the international ones. I had to collect my rifle at each and every leg then re-book it onto the next one. So even my flight out had to check in at heathrow, collect at joburg, check in again for the flight to East London. Once at East London all my paperwork was checked for the actual hunt for PH registration numbers and outfitter registration etc. Then allowed to leave the airport. Same on my return as I had a couple of days in Durban between finishing hunting and flying from Joburg.
TBH its a right pain in the arse but has to be done. I found heathrow were happy for ammo to be in a locked box, then put in check on luggage. But SA air wanted it out of the hold luggage with a seperate tags.
I also printed off the page from SA air website stating one piece of sporting luggage was allowed INCLUDED in addition to your allowance with no charge. This came in use on the way out of the country as they tried to sting me for £100 for excess baggage. They said they would allow it on this occasion when I said I had their policy printed out in my papers.
So allow extra time for this as you will think you are the first traveller ever to take a firearm overseas. Have a great hunt.
 
I don't know about travel from N Ireland but when we travel to Namibia with SA we have the rifles and baggage checked through. We don't see them till we arrive at Windhoek via Joberg.
Tusker
 
Hi all it works out cheaper to hire a rifle out there than for me to travel with my own as i have to hire a bonded agent in Hethrow to transport my rifle and ammo from T5 to T2 both outward and return at a cost of £300+ each way. hiring a rifle cuts out all the paper work as well as the time to clear in the airports. cost of rifle £20 per day +£20 a box for ammo.
 
I travelled over to SA last month and had a couple of internal flights as well as the international ones. I had to collect my rifle at each and every leg then re-book it onto the next one. So even my flight out had to check in at heathrow, collect at joburg, check in again for the flight to East London. Once at East London all my paperwork was checked for the actual hunt for PH registration numbers and outfitter registration etc. Then allowed to leave the airport. Same on my return as I had a couple of days in Durban between finishing hunting and flying from Joburg.
TBH its a right pain in the arse but has to be done. I found heathrow were happy for ammo to be in a locked box, then put in check on luggage. But SA air wanted it out of the hold luggage with a seperate tags.
I also printed off the page from SA air website stating one piece of sporting luggage was allowed INCLUDED in addition to your allowance with no charge. This came in use on the way out of the country as they tried to sting me for £100 for excess baggage. They said they would allow it on this occasion when I said I had their policy printed out in my papers.
So allow extra time for this as you will think you are the first traveller ever to take a firearm overseas. Have a great hunt.


woodmaster can you PM the name of outfitter you used on your trip please
 
Hi all it works out cheaper to hire a rifle out there than for me to travel with my own as i have to hire a bonded agent in Hethrow to transport my rifle and ammo from T5 to T2 both outward and return at a cost of £300+ each way. hiring a rifle cuts out all the paper work as well as the time to clear in the airports. cost of rifle £20 per day +£20 a box for ammo.
Nigel, consider flying out of Dublin with Aer Lingus direct to T2, the Dept of Justice will give you a “transit document” to travel in and out of the Republic. Claret Dabbler might add to this.
 
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