USA to J'Burg via London Connection - What's the latest?

[rookhawk]

So I've been sitting on about 350,000 miles for eons that never get used. I was thinking about using the miles to get ORD (Chicago) to JNB (Jo'Burg) for a safari in 2019. My miles are on American Airlines so I can get a flight with them or their partners (e.g. British Airways). All flights connect through London Heathrow.

What are the current rules/laws/gotchas related to traveling with rifles with this scenario at present? I vaguely remember some prohibitions on traveling with guns for safaris via London?

 

[BWH]

I traveled thru London on miles with AA via British Airways. I did not carry a gun though. London was cool.

 

[superdutch]

As far as I know, (and I learned the hard way) British Airways will not allow a firearm on a flight. I found this out leaving Windhoek in 2017. It was the short flight from Windhoek to JNB, and they wouldnt let me board. Fortunately, I was able to quickly purchase another ticket on SAA and still made my connection! I will never fly BA after that scare!

 

[BWH]

BA told me.... as long as they carried it the entire way, they would. But not if there was a airline swap... like AA then BA. Either way.... sounded way too convoluted & risky. So I went without.

 

[Travis2282]

I flew through London via Virgin Atlantic I believe. Only because my delta flight got pushed back from Atlanta to joburg. They let my rifles through although I had to talk to the police for a while about pushing the rifles through. I had around a 8 hour layover, which we walked around London a bit. Beautiful place! This was back in May.

 

[Philip Glass]

I was thinking of doing something similar this year. I could have easily flown SJT-DFW-LHR-JNB on my miles. This scenario I would not have taken a gun due to AA/BA gun handling trouble. Just because it can be done doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. I chose to use my AA miles to go SJT (San Angelo) to ATL then purchased the Delta flight ticket. Not a good idea and won’t do it again. First of all I had first class seats DFW to ATL and a flight delay at SJT caused the AA system to rebook me on a later DFW-ATL flight even though I still had plenty of time to make the flight! So I got a gate agent to rebook me on the original DFW-ATL but in that short time I lost my first class seat! Then rechecking my bag and gun in ATL was not too fun plus the agent at SJT said if I had bought it all on one ticket they would have checked my bags through to JNB! See previously AA and Delta didn’t have a baggage handling agreement and everyone had to recheck. The real trouble came on the return flight. I cleared customs in ATL then had to take a bus, a long bus ride, back around to recheck my bags. This is because AA is a stepchild in ATL. If I had booked it all on one ticket or even just not been on AA it would have been easier.
I explain all this to say that my advice is use the miles to take your wife somewhere and purchase all tickets that involve guns.
Regards,
Philip

 

[BWH]

I was thinking of doing something similar this year. I could have easily flown SJT-DFW-LHR-JNB on my miles. This scenario I would not have taken a gun due to AA/BA gun handling trouble. Just because it can be done doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. I chose to use my AA miles to go SJT (San Angelo) to ATL then purchased the Delta flight ticket. Not a good idea and won’t do it again. First of all I had first class seats DFW to ATL and a flight delay at SJT caused the AA system to rebook me on a later DFW-ATL flight even though I still had plenty of time to make the flight! So I got a gate agent to rebook me on the original DFW-ATL but in that short time I lost my first class seat! Then rechecking my bag and gun in ATL was not too fun plus the agent at SJT said if I had bought it all on one ticket they would have checked my bags through to JNB! See previously AA and Delta didn’t have a baggage handling agreement and everyone had to recheck. The real trouble came on the return flight. I cleared customs in ATL then had to take a bus, a long bus ride, back around to recheck my bags. This is because AA is a stepchild in ATL. If I had booked it all on one ticket or even just not been on AA it would have been easier.
I explain all this to say that my advice is use the miles to take your wife somewhere and purchase all tickets that involve guns.
Regards,
Philip

Ditto.... or do Africa with PH Rifle....

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Fly BA for the entire trip. Fly into and out of Heathrow. Guns were no problem, but BA does charge for the privilege. I'm not sure what that charge is now.

I flew from Phoenix to London to Joburg following these rules, no problems. The checkin at JNB was a little more time consuming than it probably should have been, but we were there with plenty of time in case of such.

 

[sierraone]

I would ask a travel agent for the latest, but as far as I know, AA, London and guns still do not mix.

 

[wesheltonj]

You can NOT transfer a gun from AA to BA outside of the USA. That's AA rule, not BA's.

 

[Rob404]

Lori at Travel Express should be your next call

 

[wesheltonj]

As far as I know, (and I learned the hard way) British Airways will not allow a firearm on a flight. I found this out leaving Windhoek in 2017. It was the short flight from Windhoek to JNB, and they wouldnt let me board. Fortunately, I was able to quickly purchase another ticket on SAA and still made my connection! I will never fly BA after that scare!

You were NOT flying BA from Windhoek to JNB. You were flying Comair, and they don't transport guns. Their planes have BA on the side, but its not BA.

 

[Riksa]

I'm flying from Helsinki to Johannesburg via London with BA on March 2019. Guns are (at least currently) OK as all flights are with BA. They require 3 hour layover time in London and guns need to be declared in advance. Cost is 150€/direction so it's not cheap. I also checked whether I could take Finnair flight from Helsinki to London and then change to BA for London Johannesburg, but that was not possible. So it seems that you really need to have BA all the way if you wish to travel with guns.

 

[spike.t]

As far as I know, (and I learned the hard way) British Airways will not allow a firearm on a flight. I found this out leaving Windhoek in 2017. It was the short flight from Windhoek to JNB, and they wouldnt let me board. Fortunately, I was able to quickly purchase another ticket on SAA and still made my connection! I will never fly BA after that scare!

You were NOT flying BA from Windhoek to JNB. You were flying Comair, and they don't transport guns. Their planes have BA on the side, but its not BA.

totally correct. comair is a BA franchise operation who run to their own rules and dont have licences to carry firearms....but BA themselves dont have a problem transporting firearms as long as you follow the rules....i flew numerous times with them with firearms over many years and never had a problem......

 

[WAB]

I refuse to do connections with guns. You’re just asking for trouble. We fly ATL-JoBurg direct and overnight in JoBurg before catching another flight to our final destination. Ditto on the return. Our friends from Phoenix travel with us and overnight at our place to avoid the stateside connection. It adds time and cost but sure cuts down on the hassle. Our JoBurg overnights are spent at Africa Sky guest house, an outstanding spot if you haven’t tried it.

 

[superdutch]

You were NOT flying BA from Windhoek to JNB. You were flying Comair, and they don't transport guns. Their planes have BA on the side, but its not BA.

That could be, but the unhelpful gentlemen who caused me some significant distress and cost me $500 was wearing a BA uniform, standing next to a BA podium at the BA check in gate. BA doesn't stir up any warm feelings for me.

 

[wesheltonj]

Comair offer flights to and from the following destinations, operating under the British Airways brand:

Mauritius

• Port Louis – Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport

Namibia

• Windhoek – Hosea Kutako International Airport

South Africa

• Cape Town – Cape Town International Airport
• Durban – King Shaka International Airport
• Johannesburg – OR Tambo International Airport Hub
• Port Elizabeth – Port Elizabeth Airport

Zambia

• Livingstone – Livingstone Airport

Zimbabwe

• Harare – Harare International Airport
• Victoria Falls – Victoria Falls Airport

 

[spike.t]

That could be, but the unhelpful gentlemen who caused me some significant distress and cost me $500 was wearing a BA uniform, standing next to a BA podium at the BA check in gate. BA doesn't stir up any warm feelings for me.

Should always check.....its been stated on here in quitea few different threads that home or is a BA franchise opetstion and doesn't carry firearms....along with most other airlines in SA from what I understand.......as I have stated on many occasions I have over the past many times flown with BA with firearms in Europe and to various African countries without a problem ......so gets kinda boring hearing them slashed off by people who either go on what they have heard from a friend of a friend....or didn't do their homework.........simple

 

[markm]

I refuse to do connections with guns. You’re just asking for trouble. We fly ATL-JoBurg direct and overnight in JoBurg before catching another flight to our final destination. Ditto on the return. Our friends from Phoenix travel with us and overnight at our place to avoid the stateside connection. It adds time and cost but sure cuts down on the hassle. Our JoBurg overnights are spent at Africa Sky guest house, an outstanding spot if you haven’t tried it.

You spend a great deal of money why for the life of me would anyone waste their time flying to London been over there 6 times delt out of Atlanta to joburg no problem.

 

[wesheltonj]

First, it’s cheaper. Second, I would much rather spend the day in London, then overnight in Jo’burg. And I been to London way more then 6 times, and still have not seen everything. But direct does have its benefits.