Frankfurt firearms and baggage transfer from Lufthansa to Discover Airlines?

[x84958]

I’m sorry you experienced all this badness in Windhoek. All I can say is that I’ve experienced none of this on my 3 trips to Namibia.

This April, I started the process by going to the Namibian Police kiosk on the outside of the building. The officer was friendly and efficient. He did his thing and I was on my way. Then I went to the Discover ticket counter. They asked if I had ammo and I said yes…and that it was in a locked container in my checked bag. Just once, not 40 times. They took my gun and checked bag and put them on the conveyor. No running to the other end of the airport. I then went to the security lane. They scanned my carry on (which contained 4 mushroomed bullets and a pair of the floating leopard collar bones) and I went to the lounge.

This was essentially the same experience I had on my previous 2 trips.

I’m sitting at the moment in the Paragon Lounge at WDH after going through the security checkpoint. I had the same easy experience as @Doug3006 . I’m sorry @Betterinthebush experienced the hassle he faced. I was able to take my remaining 375 ammo in my checked bag.

Baggage and rifle are going to Frankfurt on Discover, and then auto transfer to Lufthansa for the flight to Houston, where I’ll pick it up and take through CBP. Will let folks know if there are any issues in Frankfurt.

At this point, I would highly recommend a Lufthansa ticket purchase from the US to Frankfurt to Windhoek, and return, if that’s your destination and bringing a firearm and ammo. Apply for the Namibian e-Visa ahead of time to avoid the long “upon entry” visa line, and you’ll be ahead of 90% of your fellow travelers on your Discover flight.

 

[Betterinthebush]

@Doug3006 & @x84958, in retrospect, now that I’m home, I sure wish I’d have gone to the police first, then ticketing. That’s on me. And I sincerely hope that my experience helps future travelers to Namibia. Because, even with me having my spent brass, bullets and my wrench confiscated (won’t make those mistakes again) they’re small things compared to the rest of the experience traveling to and from there and the magnificence of all that is Namibia in between.

 

[Mountaineer]

Was there any baggage fees charged by discover or Lufthansa? Thanks

 

[Doug3006]

There was a fee for my firearm. It was several hundred dollars. I’ll look for my Gracy Travel invoice and post it if I find it. No fee on my one checked bag, but I flew business class. That may make a difference.

 

[Doug3006]

Their website says they allow one checked bad up to 59 pounds on international flights for economy travel. Business Class gets 2 at 79 pounds each.

 

[Doug3006]

Their website says they allow one checked bad up to 59 pounds on international flights for economy travel. Business Class gets 2 at 79 pounds each.

That’s 2 at 70 pounds each in Business Class.

 

[Philip Glass]

On returning flights, same route, just reversed.

Returning to USA: getting out with weapon and ammunition (empty trophy brass and two found TSX bullets were confiscated by Namibia airport security. That truly pisses me off.) There are four hoops to jump through before a weapon can exit the country.

1) go to gate agent with your weapon and locked case. Get your boarding passes and check any luggage EXCEPT WEAPONS.

2) proceed as directed to Discover agent at other end of airport to ensure your weapon is cleared through Deutschland.

3) proceed as directed to Namibia Police with your Namibia gun registration you received upon entry! This is critical! He/she will be rude and condescending. Follow instructions. Talk only when asked questions. You’ll get through this. Believe it or not, this was the easy part.

4) go back to ticketing agent. She will then direct you to the (apparently) only qualified Discover luggage checker to pick up your rig and send it through the special Namibia Airport Security X-ray/microwave popcorn popper and tanning bed combo machine.

All through this; you will be asked 40X “Do you have any AMMUNITION?” Here’s the catch; Namibia considers components (even if it’s spent brass and beautifully mushroomed bullets that retained >95% of their weight) as ammunition. And they will take it. And explain to you what I just wrote, with a “tisk-tisk” coy little smile. Then, they’ll rummage through your carryons and take your small crescent wrench (because, you know, I may have to fix the airplane) you carry around everywhere and tell you that no tools are allowed onboard (this he’ll do with a very big satisfied grin on his mug).

HTH

All recovered bullets and brass MUST go in your ammo box with the ammo! Why do people think you can go through African security with bullets and brass?