recheck bags
After having bags and guns on many occasions lost or delayed by several airlines, there are a few things I do now that has reduced the problem. Or at least makes it less painful and a higher chance of getting your bags.
Try to get as many "direct" non-stop flights as you can. Recheck your own bags at each change. Sorry, this is a major inconvenience, but when you claim your bag at each stop and recheck it, you know where it was last!!! Otherwise you will get a song, dance and run-a-round from the airlines telling you anything they want about where your bags got lost or delayed and how long it will be before you ever see them again.
If you re-check your bag at your international departure city, that only gives them one chance to lose your bag, at least before you get to your first international destination. Still happens, but you eliminate the bag transfer problems that so many airlines cannot get fixed. Also request that you have special handling of the gun and have the check-in agent call for an airline porter to "hand carry" your gun to the airplane. Most will do that for you when you request it. And yes a little tip to the guy "hand carrying" your bags will help. With doing so much traveling, I do get to see the same handlers several times each year, and they do appreciate it and will take extra care to get your gun on board.
The handlers in JNB will actually solicit you for a tip to make sure your gun gets on your next connecting domestic flight. (sometimes that feels like a threat that if you don't tip them, your gun won't make it). But if you do tip them, make them come back to you and let you know your gun is on board, and they will do that for you. You don't have to tip them, but for me and as much as I travel with guns, it is worth a couple of dollars for that extra service. By the way, when I have done this in JNB, I have never had my gun lost or not make it on the plane, so at leasts for me at JNB it works. I know I will get some of you that say we shouldn't have to tip the gun handlers, and you don't have to, it is my choice to give them something for extra service to notify me that all is good!
I have also requested at the business lounges to have my bags reconfirmed on the flight. Sometimes that helps, but does not always work either. On a flight with British Airways from Seattle to JNB (with a stop in London) the lounge agent came back to me that it was confirmed that my bags were on board. I really needed them to get on the plane as I was doing a layover in London for a couple of days and had to have a bonded courier collect my gun on arrival and hold during my stay there. When I arrived, there was a message waiting for me that my bags were not going to arrive and that they would be on the next flight from Seattle the following day. At least I didn't have to watch the empty carousal that time, but did have to make arrangements with the Bonding agent and myself to meet again the next day at Heathrow. Not the thing you want to do and waste your day in London. And adds a couple hundred pounds (even more in dollars) to your trip for taxis and parking and extra fees to the gun agent. The bags did arrive the next day and I was actually glad I had the extra day in London to get them sorted out there.
Because so many times my bags don't make it when arriving in JNB, I now always schedule an extra day in JNB, before heading on to my safari destinations, just to make sure the guns and bags make it. I have had delayed bags in 4 of my last 12 trips to JNB. So just expect it and plan accordingly. Don't schedule too tight. A couple hours is not enough and I would suggest a day or an overnight as most airlines don't have flights coming from the USA to JNB every couple hours and the next flight with your bags will probably be the next day or two! And many times it will take you an hour or two just to get in line at the lost baggage counter and fill out a claim. Sometimes I see so many people at the lost baggage counter I wonder if they lost more bags than made it.
Another issue about delayed or lost bags is to carry some extra clothes and gear in your carry-on. I always take my optics, camera and change of clothes in my carry-on now. If my bags are lost (not just delayed), I can still do the safari! I have had that happen with video camera gear that didn't make it to JNB and I had to rent all the equipment in Johannesburg to film the hunt. British Airways would not reimburse for the camera rentals even though it took them over a week to get my camera cases from Seattle to JNB ! I now always take a primary video camera as carry-on and the extra back-up cameras in checked baggage. It does make it more difficult traveling with carry-on, but for the many times it has saved the hunt it is worth it.
So expect your bags not to make it with you. If your bags make it, then you are the lucky one. Take what you can in your carry-on to do the safari. You may have to use the outfitters gun, but at least have some clothes, boots and optics.
