Anyone had issue with firearms pre-approval for Qatar flights booked with American miles?

[xbr897]

Has anyone else booked travel this year on Qatar using miles from American?

I had done this last year and had no issues with submitting my rifle and ammunition information to Qatar to obtain their approval to travel with a firearm. Same situation where I used American miles to book Qatar flights. Itinerary is only Qatar flights of Seattle-Doha-Johannesburg (and same on return).

This year though, Qatar seems to be saying they will only approve travel with firearms when the tickets are booked by Qatar. This was not an issue for me last year so its either a change or a front line reservations agent being incorrect. Just wondering if someone else had run in to this and already figured out how to fix it?

I can get if they refuse to take firearms if the itinerary included another carrier, but the two flights I have are both on Qatar. This was pretty easy last year other than their slow turnaround time. An agent stated that nothing changed in their policies since last year but couldn't explain how this worked for me last year.

 

[NTX]

My coworker had the same issue this year using miles. Qatar denied him and he elected to rent a firearm instead of buy flights through Qatar.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Travel agent used or winging it?

 

[xbr897]

Travel agent used or winging it?

Never found a travel agent that would deal with booking of award/mileage tickets. If you know one that would, I'd be happy to have their contact information.

 

[xbr897]

My coworker had the same issue this year using miles. Qatar denied him and he elected to rent a firearm instead of buy flights through Qatar.

ugh, not good to hear. What's most annoying is that (a) their reasons kept changing and they kept referring to their policies on their website (none of which have this requirement) and (b) they said this has always been the policy but they cannot explain why there were no issues last year when I had same scenario of using AA miles to get Q Suite on Qatar and the accepted firearms very easily.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Based on my conversation with the Executive Platinum concierge desk, you’re not supposed to be able to do the temp firearm export on Qatar with AA award miles bookings because you do that though American not Qatar. I went BA last year because of this. You might’ve gotten lucky last year. You might be able to book and pay for an economy fair with Qatar so you’re ticketed, then upgrade with miles or system wide upgrades.

 

[xbr897]

Based on my conversation with the Executive Platinum concierge desk, you’re not supposed to be able to do the temp firearm export on Qatar with AA award miles bookings because you do that though American not Qatar. I went BA last year because of this. You might’ve gotten lucky last year. You might be able to book and pay for an economy fair with Qatar so you’re ticketed, then upgrade with miles or system wide upgrades.

Sadly no way to do those upgrades with AA miles or systemwides (can only do system wides on BA flights, not Qatar).

My first trip, 2 years ago, was on BA and at the last minute I had to bail on taking my own rifle due to BA changing their conditions about a week before. I had approval to travel with my rifle and had provided all information they required. Then they told me I needed to provide my approved permit at least 7 days in advance. My permitting company told me they usually only get them a few days in advance and could not guarantee it would arrive in time. So I called BA to let them know I'd no longer be travelling with a firearm.

During travel on BA I was glad i didn't have a rifle because every BA person I talked with in London or JNB were either clueless, scared to see a firearm noted in my record notes, or both. Though I wasn't travelling with a firearm, they had failed to remove the notes from my flight record so it was a hassle all along. In London I was told it usually takes them multiple hours to handle the firearms transfer between flights.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Sadly no way to do those upgrades with AA miles or systemwides (can only do system wides on BA flights, not Qatar).

My first trip, 2 years ago, was on BA and at the last minute I had to bail on taking my own rifle due to BA changing their conditions about a week before. I had approval to travel with my rifle and had provided all information they required. Then they told me I needed to provide my approved permit at least 7 days in advance. My permitting company told me they usually only get them a few days in advance and could not guarantee it would arrive in time. So I called BA to let them know I'd no longer be travelling with a firearm.

During travel on BA I was glad i didn't have a rifle because every BA person I talked with in London or JNB were either clueless, scared to see a firearm noted in my record notes, or both. Though I wasn't travelling with a firearm, they had failed to remove the notes from my flight record so it was a hassle all along. In London I was told it usually takes them multiple hours to handle the firearms transfer between flights.

You’re right on the systemwide I think that was also a reason I went BA. My trip through London last year was very uneventful with the firearms. As long as you’re booked on BA Metal the entire way you should be good. We were delayed taking off so my layover went from 12 or 14 hours down to 3 with no issues.

Who did you use for your SAPS? I had my pre-approvals several weeks in advance but I don’t recall BA asking for them.

 

[peacemaker]

Wish that I could help you directly, but I cannot.
I have traveled with checked firearms, per the UA specifications, and have had but one issue - HNL, where the AG agent ran into the terminal shouting, "He has a gun! He has a gun!" You can imagine what that did to the pax in the terminal. The UA agent looked at the paperwork, and checked everything out, and gave me a pass, but there were still pax on the floor crying and shouting. Such is life. or i suggest you get a travel agent .

 

[xbr897]

Wish that I could help you directly, but I cannot.
I have traveled with checked firearms, per the UA specifications, and have had but one issue - HNL, where the AG agent ran into the terminal shouting, "He has a gun! He has a gun!" You can imagine what that did to the pax in the terminal. The UA agent looked at the paperwork, and checked everything out, and gave me a pass, but there were still pax on the floor crying and shouting. Such is life. or i suggest you get a travel agent .

Happy to hear recommendations for travel agents who will engage for ticket bookings with miles.