Best airline to Zimbabwe?

[wildwilderness]

Going to Zim in April. Which airlines are currently recommended to get to Harare with firearms from the US? we will be coming from AK and UT.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Going to Zim in April. Which airlines are currently recommended to get to Harare with firearms from the US? we will be coming from AK and UT.

I flew on Emirates a few years back and they were great at the time. Then Covid hit and their reputation went downhill with unannounced flight cancellations affecting their customers in bad way. If they have that figured out now and are back to where they once were, you and your companion could meet in Seattle and fly out of there on Emirates via Dubai and then into Harare. I would of course check with a travel agent to see what their thoughts are on Emirates.

 

[Rare Breed]

Going to Zim in April. Which airlines are currently recommended to get to Harare with firearms from the US? we will be coming from AK and UT.

Depends…my favorite is Qatar. However traveling from Atlanta where I live Delta can make Jberg in 15 hours direct versus Qatar in 33 due to going through Qatar. Just my POV

 

[Rare Breed]

Also I don’t like what I read on our forum about United and American handling of rifles

 

[rinehart0050]

We used emirates. Very user friendly and they will NOT loose your rifles. They take that bit very seriously.

Also, if you fly business and have a layover of 9 hours or more in Dubai, they will set you up with a hotel room, meal vouchers, etc for free. My wife stayed at the JW Marriott on her most recent layover.

 

[Doug3006]

I flew Emirates to Zim in Sept of 2021. They did a great job. Dubai is wonderful for the layover. But Qatar is still my favorite and Doha is the best airport Ive ever seen. You won’t go wrong with either.

 

[Philip Glass]

Going to Zim in April. Which airlines are currently recommended to get to Harare with firearms from the US? we will be coming from AK and UT.

I have taken Qatar directly there but this year I am going Delta and then Airlink. If transiting JNB I would only use Airlink at this point. Qatar has drastically raised their business class fares so I am out for now.
Have a great safari!

 

[Paul G]

We used emirates. Very user friendly and they will NOT loose your rifles. They take that bit very seriously.

Also, if you fly business and have a layover of 9 hours or more in Dubai, they will set you up with a hotel room, meal vouchers, etc for free. My wife stayed at the JW Marriott on her most recent layover.

Yes because you have a govt permit, assume you are right they take it very serious

 

[Frank Cavallo]

I've done Emirates three times- First and Business. Heard Qatar is just as good. The real advantage to Qatar is you get to Harare at lunch time so you can fly out to camp that day. Emirates get's there too late to do that.

 

[Tanks]

I have taken both Qatar and Emirates with a slight edge to Qatar.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I did Ethiopian Airlines went I flew in Zim. I didn't mind flying with them, they did lose my rifle for one day but that was more of Dulles Airports fault then the airlines.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Traffic in Harare has become a major issue, so if you are staying over in town before heading out to your hunting camp you should avoid arriving later than midday. If you are catching a small plane flight to camp from Harare International directly then of course it doesn't matter. Unless your small flight departs from Charles Prince, then you are into a cross city jaunt again.
For my money I would get as direct a flight as possible to Johannesburg and then catch the 10:40 Airlink flight to Harare. Request that your bush flight departs from Harare International, not CP.

 

[Philip Glass]

Traffic in Harare has become a major issue, so if you are staying over in town before heading out to your hunting camp you should avoid arriving later than midday. If you are catching a small plane flight to camp from Harare International directly then of course it doesn't matter. Unless your small flight departs from Charles Prince, then you are into a cross city jaunt again.
For my money I would get as direct a flight as possible to Johannesburg and then catch the 10:40 Airlink flight to Harare. Request that your bush flight departs from Harare International, not CP.

This is exactly what we are doing this year. The charter company met us on arrival and helped us out like a concierge service! I cant say enough about how professional the charter flights and staff were last year.

 

[SCLawyer]

Traffic in Harare has become a major issue, so if you are staying over in town before heading out to your hunting camp you should avoid arriving later than midday. If you are catching a small plane flight to camp from Harare International directly then of course it doesn't matter. Unless your small flight departs from Charles Prince, then you are into a cross city jaunt again.
For my money I would get as direct a flight as possible to Johannesburg and then catch the 10:40 Airlink flight to Harare. Request that your bush flight departs from Harare International, not CP.

Any reason to avoid the early AM flight (6:20) out of J'burg that lands in HRE at 8am?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Any reason to avoid the early AM flight (6:20) out of J'burg that lands in HRE at 8am?

No reason 06:20 is fine.

 

[Philip Glass]

Any reason to avoid the early AM flight (6:20) out of J'burg that lands in HRE at 8am?

Ive done thise early flights and try to avoid them. Up at 2AM after a transatlantic flight? Not me. The 10:40 arrives around noon, we charter to camp, and shoot guns well before dark and head to the bar!

 

[SCLawyer]

Ive done thise early flights and try to avoid them. Up at 2AM after a transatlantic flight? Not me. The 10:40 arrives around noon, we charter to camp, and shoot guns well before dark and head to the bar!

Thanks. I may take your advice. How about coming home? Any reason why I can't charter from camp first thing in the AM, take Airlink from Harare to Jo'burg in time for the evening flight back to ATL?

 

[VonJager]

I used Ethiopian in Aug 2021 to Harare with a rifle. Everything worked out. Addis airport is chaotic, but they definitely did not have their hand out waiting for a "tip" to get the gun cleared.

 

[wildwilderness]

I have taken Qatar directly there but this year I am going Delta and then Airlink. If transiting JNB I would only use Airlink at this point. Qatar has drastically raised their business class fares so I am out for now.
Have a great safari!

If stopping over night in JNB with firearms I suppose they need to be cleared etc in JoBerg? Or can they be held for the AirLink flight without a SA permit?

 

[rookhawk]

Going to Zim in April. Which airlines are currently recommended to get to Harare with firearms from the US? we will be coming from AK and UT.

#1 Emirates
#2 Qatari

#3 No airline at all. Don't go. Take up knitting.