Packing ammo

[NEHunter]

Leaving for Namibia on Sept 10 and flying on Ethiopian airlines from Chicago to Addis Ababa and then to Windhoek. Can I just keep my ammo in the original boxes and place them in my checked luggage? This is my first trip to Africa, so trying to figure it all out.

 

[R.M.C.]

I think a separate locked container but I'm not positive. I'm betting someone else will chime in soon to confirm

 

[shootist~]

Hopefully you have a travel agent familiar with the gun and ammo regulations of both the countries and the airline(s) involved. Some airlines require advance notification - and approval - before you show up with firearms and ammo. (Qatar for sure.)

Most common is ammo in a separate locked hard case that's carried inside your checked luggage. (USA to RSA and back.)

It may need to be removed and checked as a separate piece of luggage at some point as well. (RSA to Namibia.)

Edit: Your outfitter should also be a source of information and you will probably get some replies from other AH members that have flown your exact route.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

This is what I did. My destination was RSA. It traveled - locked - in my checked luggage AK -> WA -> Doha -> Johannesburg and back. From Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth (and back) it was taken out of my checked luggage and traveled separately via Airlink. Perhaps others can weigh in on how that might look different going to Namibia.

 

[shootist~]

Flying Ethiopian Airlines with a Rifle

Hello Everyone, I am flying Ethiopian Airlines November 8th from Dulles Airport to my final destination in Harare Zimbabwe, with a 2 hour layover in Addis Ababa. I know that I will be checking my rifle in with TSA in Dulles for my flight to Addis, and I have do my 4457, so I am wondering if my...

www.africahunting.com

 

[Mountaineer]

I flew Ethiopian Air in July from Washington DC to Windhoek, Namibia with one stop in Add. I use a hard sided postal case with Master padlocks to put my ammo in and then put it in my checked in luggage. Tell the agent at the check-in counter so they can mark your luggage that it has ammunition. You will also need three copies of the Ethiopian Air firearm declaration form at chech-in. When you land in Ethiopia you will be met by someone with your name on a clipboard. They will collect your 4457 form and passport then take you to the belly of the airport where you will verify with the police the 4457 number matches the firearm number and then pull your ammo out of your checked luggage to verify it. After all that you get to run forever and hope they held the plane because you are late. I hear they always hold the plane. They are in a civil war now and don’t want your gun in their country. On the return from Namibia they will check your ammo in separately and it will role off with the rest of your luggage in the states.

 

[Surgeon1]

I flew Ethiopian Air in July from Washington DC to Windhoek, Namibia with one stop in Add. I use a hard sided postal case with Master padlocks to put my ammo in and then put it in my checked in luggage. Tell the agent at the check-in counter so they can mark your luggage that it has ammunition. You will also need three copies of the Ethiopian Air firearm declaration form at chech-in. When you land in Ethiopia you will be met by someone with your name on a clipboard. They will collect your 4457 form and passport then take you to the belly of the airport where you will verify with the police the 4457 number matches the firearm number and then pull your ammo out of your checked luggage to verify it. After all that you get to run forever and hope they held the plane because you are late. I hear they always hold the plane. They are in a civil war now and don’t want your gun in their country. On the return from Namibia they will check your ammo in separately and it will role off with the rest of your luggage in the states.

Went to RSA in June and above is correct. You do have to notify Ethiopian that you are traveling with guns and ammo in advance (your travel agent should have done that at booking). I used a Pelican 1200 to take ammo in and just put locks on it and went in my bag, it was never examined! Make at least 8 copies of all documentation incl 4457, passport, itinerary and gun permits. In the Attis dungeon have a copy of the 4457 form in hand and use a yellow HIliter to mark serial #'s as its dark and no flash light!
CBP in D.C. is a toss up, 3 other people on my flight got ran thru the ringer but fortunately I was pulled
aside by one of the supervisors who wanted to really talk about hunting and what guns I used to take
what animals (5 min or less check in and 15 min to talk guns and hunting) and I still beat 2 of the other
hunters by 30min. They were on my next flight and they were furious.

 

[Buck51]

Just traveled Ethiopian Airlines Chicago-Beira,Mozambique with a stop in Addis. They never checked my ammo at any point on my flights but did ask if my ammo was inside my checked baggage in a locked container. I used a case similar to the one Tundra tiger has pictured with master locks on it. As mentioned in previous post they will want to verify serial number(s) on your firearms in Addis. On my way over they were very organized and had someone waiting for me with a sign (with my name on it) when I got off the plane in Addis. On the way back I had to ask an agent and was eventually taken down to verify serial numbers.