Transiting through Ethiopia to RSA Permits needed to transport rifles?

[Patton63]

I was able to book business class tickets with United from DC to RSA for my hunt this summer. The flight is being handled as a co-share by Ethiopian air. As a result, we are connecting in Addis Abbaba before heading to RSA.

Does anyone know if I will need permits or other approvals to take rifles through Ethiopia. We have arelatovelt short layover and are not planning to leave the airport.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I can only suggest you contact Ethiopian Airlines.

They do have a firearms declaration form.
However, that has likely already been taken care of by the partner airline hen you boarded.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I used Ethiopian airlines. They use the term permit pretty loosely. They probably won't stop you. They stopped me on the way back. If you have your 4457 and your SA permit paperwork, you will be fine. But as Brickburn said it probably wouldn't hurt to give them a call.

 

[LivingTheDream]

To add to that they are super friendly.

 

[Patton63]

Thanks. I called the airline and they said I would Be good with the airline declaration form and the SA permit. I've never flown with them before, so it will be interesting to see how they do.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Let us know in your hunt report!

 

[LivingTheDream]

I thought they did a good job. I would fly with them again. Hopefully you have a good experience as well.

 

[Ed Reed]

We have a hunt we leave for on June 15th in Namibia. First time to hunt in Africa. We got award tickets to travel on. Flying out of Indy to Toronto on Air Canada. Called them today and they put information on my ticketing for rifles and ammo. In Toronto we then are on Ethiopian Air to Addis Abbaba and from there we end up in Windhoek our final destination. I have called 4 times and did not get definite answers about what to have for them. I have number for Toronto. Talked to a guy there that said to just make sure and have all the right paper work but he did not seem like it was a big concern as long as I did what Air Canada told me to do. I did find their form online which is very minimal. I would like to know if I am to provide that at their check in desk at Toronto. We just transit thru every stop all the way to Windhoek. Really want to take our rifles like we always do. I load Nosler bullets in Nosler brass and ended up in Noslers catalog this year and would like to have a chance to make it in again. Thanks for any help. Ed

 

[BRICKBURN]

The Management at Ethiopian Airlines have now agreed to transport sporng weapons subject to them being advised when making your reservaon of the carriage of the sporng weapons. A maximum of two rifles is allowed in one hard case only. Ammunion is in a locked box and checked in separately to the firearm. All charges for the handling of the firearms by a local security company is billed back to the passenger on arrival and again on departure. Esmated charges is R400 per case either way.

 

[Ed Reed]

I was able to book business class tickets with United from DC to RSA for my hunt this summer. The flight is being handled as a co-share by Ethiopian air. As a result, we are connecting in Addis Abbaba before heading to RSA.

Does anyone know if I will need permits or other approvals to take rifles through Ethiopia. We have arelatovelt short layover and are not planning to leave the airport.

I used Ethiopian airlines. They use the term permit pretty loosely. They probably won't stop you. They stopped me on the way back. If you have your 4457 and your SA permit paperwork, you will be fine. But as Brickburn said it probably wouldn't hurt to give them a call.

Hello Living the Dream. I have an award ticket booked thru United. My first flight is out of Indianapolis International on Air Canada. When I called Air Canada they were pretty straight forward. They will have their form ready for me at check in. They have an online form but it is for if you are stopping to hunt in Canada. I have called Ethiopia Air several times now. They are nice but just have basically told me to just make sure to do all paperwork that I find online that should be done. Got a hold of a guy that said he is in sales for them who said he would call me back and he gave me his email address but did not answer that yet either. Tried to call him again today and did leave him a message.

Can you tell me was Ethiopian Airlines your second flight and when did you give them their declaration form? Also, did they require a fee?

Right now I think they would be okay, BUT I am uneasy as I can't get my question answered.

Thanks for any help.

Ed

 

[LivingTheDream]

Ed,

My entire flight was with Ethiopian Airlines flying out of Dulles. So I gave them the declaration right from the start. What is your flight plan? I am assuming (and this is a big assumption) but if you declare in the US and you are checked all the way through, your luggage will be with you all the way through. From my understanding from my talk with the security in Addis Ababa they trust the US security as a TSA agent will inspect and put a sticker on your rifle case. On the way back (Zimbabwe) they didn't really seem happy. The 4457 seemed to make them happy and then the Zimbabwe exit form they gave me made them happy. What was cool, was I got to watch them put my luggage and gun on the plane for the flight home and they told me there would not let the plane leave without me. And not 100% why but I did believe them.

The form Air Ethiopian is basically nothing. I can't remember what mine said but they locked it in the gun case. I will see if I have a spare copy as I looked this up extensively as well. Don't expect a lot of returned calls, it is kind of funny, they will call you back but it takes time, there is not a sense of urgency there. But they are super friendly! Overall I did like the airline.

They also did not require a fee either. Just marked it as one of my checked luggage. Not sure if Air Canada will have an impact on that or not.

Feel free to PM me.

 

[Ed Reed]

Ed,

My entire flight was with Ethiopian Airlines flying out of Dulles. So I gave them the declaration right from the start. What is your flight plan? I am assuming (and this is a big assumption) but if you declare in the US and you are checked all the way through, your luggage will be with you all the way through. From my understanding from my talk with the security in Addis Ababa they trust the US security as a TSA agent will inspect and put a sticker on your rifle case. On the way back (Zimbabwe) they didn't really seem happy. The 4457 seemed to make them happy and then the Zimbabwe exit form they gave me made them happy. What was cool, was I got to watch them put my luggage and gun on the plane for the flight home and they told me there would not let the plane leave without me. And not 100% why but I did believe them.

The form Air Ethiopian is basically nothing. I can't remember what mine said but they locked it in the gun case. I will see if I have a spare copy as I looked this up extensively as well. Don't expect a lot of returned calls, it is kind of funny, they will call you back but it takes time, there is not a sense of urgency there. But they are super friendly! Overall I did like the airline.

They also did not require a fee either. Just marked it as one of my checked luggage. Not sure if Air Canada will have an impact on that or not.

Feel free to PM me.

Thanks for the info.

The flight plan is an early flight out of Indianapolis to Toronto on Air Canada. They said my luggage would go as I will all the way to Windhoek. They also said to make sure and check with the other carrier on what they require for travel with firearms. We have a 3 hour layover in Toronto and then fly on Ethiopian Air to Addis Abada. One and half hour layover in Addis Abada and then fly to Windhoek. Trip back is out of Windhoek to ADD, then ADD to Toronto and the Toronto to IND

I have registered my 300 and 375 with US customs before so I still have the 4457 and that form is the newest one. Canada said they will have their form for me at check in and said it is brief. You are right, the Ethiopian form is basically nothing. They dont even have a place for serial numbers or what firearms you are checking in. Just a little box which I guess you just put a number 2 inside of if checking two rifles??

For sure I do not want to lose these rifles. My 300 has taken some good animals and I am very partial to it. I want to take the 300 in the worst way. The 375 will just be back up and my son will use it if we end up hunting some separately. I had an eight page article published in December in Universal Hunters final hard print issue and the rifle is in the pictures there. I shoot Nosler bullets and Nosler brass and got in their 2017 catalog as well.

I get the feeling Ethiopia Air are nice and seem laid back with the question of transporting the rifles but I want to make sure I am doing everything right to get them there and back.

Thanks again for your info

Ed

 

[Philip Glass]

I was able to book business class tickets with United from DC to RSA for my hunt this summer. The flight is being handled as a co-share by Ethiopian air. As a result, we are connecting in Addis Abbaba before heading to RSA.

Does anyone know if I will need permits or other approvals to take rifles through Ethiopia. We have arelatovelt short layover and are not planning to leave the airport.

Did you not use a hunting travel agent? Could be a big problem if some permit is required or changes take place after you bought the ticket. You should contact the airline and find out exactly what you are supposed to do to notify them of your gun. Hope all goes well.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Ed Reed]

My ticket is an award ticket booked thru United Airlines so there is no travel agent. I have used travel agents before and they have some benefits for sure but not always.

I have contacted Air Canada. Before I got off phone with them(one phone call) I had all questions answered. I have called Ethiopian Air 6 times now. Still not for sure. The first three calls was someone just telling me another number to call. Last call was to a guy in sales and his English was perfect and he gave me his email and said he would let me know every thing I need to do on Monday, yesterday, no call back and no email and I sent another email.

They seem very laid back. I think they just take their time. Would be nice to get email back from the guy in sales that says fill this form out and give the form to this person at this place.

Air Canada told me to check with any other carriers to see what they required for any declaration. Trying to.

Thanks
Ed

 

[thi9elsp]

I suggest you get with Travel with Guns. Give them a call. At least they might answer your questions. And, if there are forms, spending a few dollars with them is worth it to eliminate the risk of issues.

 

[Ed Reed]

I suggest you get with Travel with Guns. Give them a call. At least they might answer your questions. And, if there are forms, spending a few dollars with them is worth it to eliminate the risk of issues.

Thanks
But I already contacted Steve Turner and this is what he said

Hi Ed
Unfortunately there is not much one can do with Ethiopian. They do accept firearms so print out a copy of the declaration from and take with it.
As long as you have called reservations and advised them you are taking firearms and ammo – you should be OK.
They are not the easiest to work with to get anything in black and white from them. Just print everything from the website you can so you have something to refer to at check-in.
Sincerely
Steve

 

[LivingTheDream]

Ed,

I think you nailed it. I was more concerned about the Canada portion then the Ethiopian piece. I was super nervous about flying with then but everyone was super helpful and friendly. Seems like everyone kind of has this approach with them (know that doesn't put your mind to ease).

 

[Ed Reed]

I got a hold of the guy in sales at Toronto. Got him on his desk extension so now I have a direct line to his office extension. He said he would get back with me but just had not had a chance yet.

He said they do not get very many travelers with rifles. Said the last one was about 6 months ago and he wanted to look back and see what they did then. I will just continue on and plan to take rifles. He said he would try to let me know something yet today but no matter he would let me know.

I will let you know how it turns out. Glad I started early. Never a good idea to wait till the last week before travelling to think you will just set everything up smooth.

Ed

 

[Ed Reed]

We travel out next Thursday morning. Still nothing definite from Ethiopian Air but did talk to a guy from Ethiopian Air at Toronto yesterday. He say you need a license or registration which I do have form 4457 that registers the rifles here in the US. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are over customs at Toronto. Called them and they said I need form CFAC 909 filled out with the rifle information and then they will check the rifles by having them brought up from the luggage area to open and check. They said they may not need to even see them. I am to have 4 copies though so one can go into the case with the rifles and Ethiopian Airs form is to be the same way. I think that as long as I have form 4457, and get Air Canada's declaration form at the start of the trip at Indy and bags are all check to go all the way to WDK that I should not have any trouble at Toronto. The lady at CBSA said the form 909 would be a temporary license to transit thru Canada.

The guy with Ethiopian Air at Toronto told me that I had to get a license for Canada that took weeks to get but I had told him I did not have a license in the US but did not think about the form 4457 which is our proof of ownership before traveling.

My rifle case is left plain only besides having my name on it and we plan to put it taped inside the original shipping box so that the case is not readily identified as a rifle case. I think with having to deal with CBSA as soon as we get to Toronto that we will not have a problem. Ethiopian Air does have a declaration form online but they do not seem to know much about how the form is handled but CBSA are controlling customs issues and they did tell me what to do. I guy with Air Canada at Indy also told me the same thing that CBSA did. I think we will be ok. Conflicting info does not give me the warm fuzzy feeling I was looking for but I will search out CBSA as soon as we get off the first flight. Our flight from Indy lands at Terminal 1 and our connecting flight with Ethiopian Air is also at Terminal 1.

 

[sierraone]

We travel out next Thursday morning. Still nothing definite from Ethiopian Air but did talk to a guy from Ethiopian Air at Toronto yesterday. He say you need a license or registration which I do have form 4457 that registers the rifles here in the US. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are over customs at Toronto. Called them and they said I need form CFAC 909 filled out with the rifle information and then they will check the rifles by having them brought up from the luggage area to open and check. They said they may not need to even see them. I am to have 4 copies though so one can go into the case with the rifles and Ethiopian Airs form is to be the same way. I think that as long as I have form 4457, and get Air Canada's declaration form at the start of the trip at Indy and bags are all check to go all the way to WDK that I should not have any trouble at Toronto. The lady at CBSA said the form 909 would be a temporary license to transit thru Canada.

The guy with Ethiopian Air at Toronto told me that I had to get a license for Canada that took weeks to get but I had told him I did not have a license in the US but did not think about the form 4457 which is our proof of ownership before traveling.

My rifle case is left plain only besides having my name on it and we plan to put it taped inside the original shipping box so that the case is not readily identified as a rifle case. I think with having to deal with CBSA as soon as we get to Toronto that we will not have a problem. Ethiopian Air does have a declaration form online but they do not seem to know much about how the form is handled but CBSA are controlling customs issues and they did tell me what to do. I guy with Air Canada at Indy also told me the same thing that CBSA did. I think we will be ok. Conflicting info does not give me the warm fuzzy feeling I was looking for but I will search out CBSA as soon as we get off the first flight. Our flight from Indy lands at Terminal 1 and our connecting flight with Ethiopian Air is also at Terminal 1.

Waiting to see the report on the hunt and the rifle questions. Good Luck!!!