Ethiopian Airlines - Anxiety in Addis Abada

[Hogpatrol]

Could you please expend on 20k limit topic? What does it mean? Tks.

I'm incorrect. It's 15kg for firearms. 5kg of ammo goes free. If it's over that, there's an addition charge per kilo. Last trip, my gun case was overweight and from Joberg to Kimberly, the extra weight cost $61 and change. IIRC, trips within or to different African countries are more per kilo. The website has more info.

 

[Killo]

Could you please expend on 20k limit topic? What does it mean? Tks.

20 kilogram weight limit on luggage

 

[Philip Glass]

I had the exact opposite leaving Michigan on American Air to Chicago for Qatar to Doha.

The American woman at check in said she was checking everything all the way to Harare. I said I think I need to collect and check my firearms back into Qatar air in Chicago. She was insistent. So I think cool, less hassle.

We had a long layover since AA canceled our midday flight. So we booked the airport hotel. While chilling out I get a call asking where I was they were frantic. Unclaimed firearms.

No biggie. Plenty of time to deal with it. But undue stress.

Then on return the Qatar internal airport security called my rifle scopes firearm parts. They were going to confiscate a lot of $ worth of scopes, 4 total. It took two more levels of seniority to get it corrected. More undue stress from uninformed employees. And I had their own rules printed out repeatedly showing them their rules. No impact on them whatsoever.

Note to self check rifle scopes next trip.

Thanks for sharing your travel woes. Learning from each others experiences is a big part of why we are here on AH. I could write a book!
I've always argued that scopes must stay with the rifles. You never know when you're going to get that one idiot!

 

[Javaman]

This just in from Debbie Gracy herself. Seemingly no concerns on her part…

You do not reclaim your firearms in Addis. What does happen, is: ET airlines security will take you by bus to the basement area where baggage comes in. You will go with them and verify they are your firearms.
They will then take you to Hand luggage security and your departure gate. The process will be explained in your packet. Yes, you have time. ci
thanks
debbie

Definitely having the heads-up from the AH community helps make sure we’re prepared. Investigating cost of the private “meet and greet” to help us complete the additional security steps and expedite the process.

 

[migrabill]

Yet another reason to rent a rifle from your PH and not travel with a firearm.

 

[JimP]

Yet another reason to rent a rifle from your PH and not travel with a firearm.

Or just skip the airlines and countries that have obscure rules and laws concerning firearms in place.

While I have only flown over twice I have had zero problems bringing in and using my own rifle either time.

 

[Mountaineer]

I’ve made the trip to the dungeon 8 times. Select seats in rows 11, 12, or 13. That will get you off the plane quickly. If there isn’t someone standing there with your name on a sign go towards customs and tell the first agent with a green jacket you have a tight schedule and you need to check your firearms. Have all your paperwork (detailed in other post). I carry 10 copies of everything and a pen. They will quickly get you to the dungeon and back through security. No worries, it’s just a process.

 

[Sika98k]

Shoot, Condor Airlines (Lufthansa subsidiary) has a weekly-ish cheap flight direct from Frankfurt to Windhoek. Suggest you look into this next time.

It’s a long time since Condor flew ! Now it’s Discover, a subsidiary of Lufthansa flying Frankfurt or Munich to Windhoek daily. That flight, bringing a rifle with you, is about $2800 on a good day from Ireland or the same flight with Ethiopian is approximately $950.
I have flown both several times faultlessly previously. My bad for accepting a verbal from airline staff. The checkin staff at Dublin were great at trying to resolve the situation. We got Ethiopian to schedule our firearms on their system but unfortunately it didn’t show up on the Lufthansa system. The only option would have been to check in again in Frankfurt and there simply wasn’t enough time to do that.

 

[wildwilderness]

Oh dear, this doesn’t make particularly good reading. I’m wheels up in eighteen hours to Windhoek via Frankfurt and, you’ve guessed it, Addis Ababa. Two hours forty minutes of a layover
My previous experiences have been ok. The security/ serial number check in the recesses of baggage handling are a PITA. Never missed a flight before. There’s always a first time.

How was the transfer in Addis?

 

[Nicaburns]

Sorry to dredge this one up, but would it be reasonable to do a connection here if NOT traveling with firearms?

 

[BigGame]

When I was there, an announcement over the loudspeaker was constantly playing saying that you couldn't take more than two thousand dollars into the country or it would be confiscated. I'm surprised you didn't mention that... that's the only time I had anxiety there! And yes I made my flight by the skin of my teeth. I also didn't mind I had the most beautiful Ethiopian agent assisting me throughout the process!!!

 

[LivingTheDream]

I would go through there with or without a firearm, honestly if you have time during the connection it isnt a big deal. And I was just through there in August. But I tend to have a high tolerance for red tape.

 

[375Fox]

Sorry to dredge this one up, but would it be reasonable to do a connection here if NOT traveling with firearms?

If I was renting a gun, I’d have no problem flying this route. The airport is fine. Ethiopian is a professional airline.

 

[Mountaineer]

I was through there in September. No worries. A friend of mine was through there and his Ethiopian Airline rep summed it up best. “We don’t want you or your gun staying here thanks for your business”. It’s always a circus and some how it works out. One time I had sweat running down my nose the rep ran me so hard getting back to my plane. Lol

 

[Andrew62]

Sorry to dredge this one up, but would it be reasonable to do a connection here if NOT traveling with firearms?

My connection in ADD was about 1 hour and 10 minutes, can you make the next flight without a gun, yes, that seems reasonable, and yes I would take that flight without a gun.

When I flew back through ADD, from when I got off the plane until I got to the gate where I boarded my next flight, there were 5 security checkpoints, with up to 100 people or more in those lines. Is that a problem, no, but I do want to point it out so you are mentally prepared for that.

As my hunt reports mentioned, I missed my flight going over, and had there not been some sort of computer issues that prevented them from boarding on time, I would have missed my connecting flight back home, all due to having to recheck my gun.

The ADD airport is pretty modern, several restaurants to choose from, a number of shops, plenty of bathrooms, it's really a nice airport. The service I received on Ethiopian Airlines was also very nice, in fact the lay flat bed in business class is the best lay down seat I've ever been in, and that includes Qatar Airways.

 

[Whit]

Sorry to dredge this one up, but would it be reasonable to do a connection here if NOT traveling with firearms?

Flown through twice (‘18 & ‘24). No issues whatsoever either time. Admittedly, was traveling without weapons.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I was through there in September. No worries. A friend of mine was through there and his Ethiopian Airline rep summed it up best. “We don’t want you or your gun staying here thanks for your business”. It’s always a circus and some how it works out. One time I had sweat running down my nose the rep ran me so hard getting back to my plane. Lol

I had a close connection and I asked the security guy if I would make it, he replied there is nothing we want more than for you and your firearm to be on that flight.

 

[Pheroze]

I am sorry that the OP had such a crappy experience. I have had that exact fear with this route.

I have done the trip twice, once with a rifle. I liked that you just had to let the airline know a few days in advance, no transit visa needed to otherwise transit through Ethiopia. I recall having to apply for a transit visa when going through Amsterdam the first time I went to Africa. I really liked the airline. I am going again this March and I have an 8 hour layover. I would like to get into Addis for a bit of sight seeing. I am hoping I don’t need to do anything else with the rifle during the layover. If you want to see “old Africa” you really have to experience the market!

Yes, it’s always a wild time. A bit hairy. It seems disorganized but I have a story that tells me otherwise. I was going though one of those security checks with a massive mix of people from all around the world. It was bedlam. When I got though I realized I had left a necklace in the security bin. I didn’t think there was any hope. But while I was mentioning to my wife that it was missing a woman came over to ask if everything was ok. She then directed me back to the security area. A woman at the video screen had it on her desk, she looked at me like I was a idiot and handed it to me! I was amazed it was tracked in all of that chaos.

I hope we avoid the problems experienced by the OP!

 

[Andrew62]

I am sorry that the OP had such a crappy experience. I have had that exact fear with this route.

I have done the trip twice, once with a rifle. I liked that you just had to let the airline know a few days in advance, no transit visa needed to otherwise transit through Ethiopia. I recall having to apply for a transit visa when going through Amsterdam the first time I went to Africa. I really liked the airline. I am going again this March and I have an 8 hour layover. I would like to get into Addis for a bit of sight seeing. I am hoping I don’t need to do anything else with the rifle during the layover. If you want to see “old Africa” you really have to experience the market!

Yes, it’s always a wild time. A bit hairy. It seems disorganized but I have a story that tells me otherwise. I was going though one of those security checks with a massive mix of people from all around the world. It was bedlam. When I got though I realized I had left a necklace in the security bin. I didn’t think there was any hope. But while I was mentioning to my wife that it was missing a woman came over to ask if everything was ok. She then directed me back to the security area. A woman at the video screen had it on her desk, she looked at me like I was a idiot and handed it to me! I was amazed it was tracked in all of that chaos.

I hope we avoid the problems experienced by the OP!

I hope you’re able to go outside the airport to sightsee, if for any reason you can’t, or decide you don’t want to, the rooms in the hotel that is in the airport is right nice.

 

[Sika98k]

That sucks. Next time, especially hearing this, if bringing my own rifle, I will suck it up and pay the extra fee. Too many bad stories with Ethiopia airlines and rifles.

Hopefully this is the only hiccup for you and you'll have a great time. Luckily in Namibia camp rifles are not too bad.

Actually the camp rifles were crap ! At least Hendrick has bought 3 Steyr rifles in 30-06 as of last year. Might visit him again this year.