Avoid KLM when traveling with rifles

[sheephunterab]

We’ve flown KLM for six safaris and had great service and flights were well priced. Out of Canada going through Europe is much simpler than going through US but last year they left our rifle in Amsterdam but got it to us a day later so we wrote it off to crap happens. This year out of three of us, one rifle made it to Joburg on time. One came a day later and mine took six days to get to East London. There was next to no communication from KLM and had it not been for our air tag we would have had zero idea what was going on. If we had not kept on top of them and Rifle Permits I’m not certain it would have ever got here. That’s it for us flying KLM as there is obviously some anti gun agenda there as they couldn’t be that incompetent
Update on return flight:
At least KLM is consistent. None of the rifles made it back to Calgary either. Can’t believe how bad this airline has gotten in the past couple years. They went from our favourite European airline to never fly again status in just two years. Canceled flights, seat changes, lost rifles, zero communication about baggage, terrible food and only one bottle of water on a 10 hour flight are apparently the norm now. Never again. This isn't a flying through Europe issue... this is an airline issue!

 

[HankBuck]

@sheep

We’ve flown KLM for six safaris and had great service and flights were well priced. Out of Canada going through Europe is much simpler than going through US but last year they left our rifle in Amsterdam but got it to us a day later so we wrote it off to crap happens. This year out of three of us, one rifle made it to Joburg on time. One came a day later and mine took six days to get to East London. There was next to no communication from KLM and had it not been for our air tag we would have had zero idea what was going on. If we had not kept on top of them and Rifle Permits I’m not certain it would have ever got here. That’s it for us flying KLM as there is obviously some anti gun agenda there as they couldn’t be that incompetent
Update on return flight:
At least KLM is consistent. None of the rifles made it back to Calgary either. Can’t believe how bad this airline has gotten in the past couple years. They went from our favourite European airline to never fly again status in just two years. Canceled flights, seat changes, lost rifles, zero communication about baggage, terrible food and only one bottle of water on a 10 hour flight are apparently the norm now. Never again. This isn't a flying through Europe issue... this is an airline issue!

@sheephunterab - until I read your 2nd paragraph I was going to respond “All Airlines are bad handling baggage and firearms etc…”….BUT your return flight issues defy the odds of just Bad Luck. I haven‘t flown KLM in over 15 years but when I did it was to TZ and they were the best airline I was ever on - only Cathay to Hong Kong was superior. Now, sounds like they are as bad as United, SouthWest, and all the rest. Hope you get your luggage back and UNdamaged.

 

[sheephunterab]

@sheep


@sheephunterab - until I read your 2nd paragraph I was going to respond “All Airlines are bad handling baggage and firearms etc…”….BUT your return flight issues defy the odds of just Bad Luck. I haven‘t flown KLM in over 15 years but when I did it was to TZ and they were the best airline I was ever on - only Cathay to Hong Kong was superior. Now, sounds like they are as bad as United, SouthWest, and all the rest. Hope you get your luggage back and UNdamaged.

It used to be our favourite airline to Africa as well. It wasn't only our rifles on this trip but those of the others in our party. They had a success rate of 33% getting rifles to destination on time and they did nothing to try to expedite mine on the way there. It sat in Calgary for two days and Joburg for two days with zero communication. It did finally arrive home. To top it all off the courier left it at our house with no one home!

 

[TheGrayRider]

Will most travel insurance policies pay for delayed luggage and firearms both to your final destination and on return trips to your home? Can you bill the airlines ex post facto for delayed baggage?

I don’t know the answers as I have not had to deal with any major disruptions over the years. I have read some horror stories though. Best of luck and happy hunting, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

 

[sheephunterab]

Will most travel insurance policies pay for delayed luggage and firearms both to your final destination and on return trips to your home? Can you bill the airlines ex post facto for delayed baggage?

I don’t know the answers as I have not had to deal with any major disruptions over the years. I have read some horror stories though. Best of luck and happy hunting, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

There's really nothing to bill them for. They eventually got them to both destinations. I'll try to get something for rifle hire for the days from outfitter but that's it.

 

[Graham Hunter]

Flew from Calgary to Joburg 2022 with KLM and flights were on time and good both ways.

 

[sheephunterab]

Flew from Calgary to Joburg 2022 with KLM and flights were on time and good both ways.

We had a great flight with them in 2022 as well... they've spiraled downhill fast since then.

 

[Rafiki]

Don, another AH member, and I took, KLM to Dar in 2022 via Amsterdam. We ended up at baggage claim and watched as everyone else claimed their luggage and left. We actually had retrieved everything 'cept our rifles. I don't recall how long we waited well past when everything was shut down. That was a bit of a sphincter pucker. Miraculously the machines started up again and out spit 2 rifle cases. I have no idea what happened or where they were. We still had to go through the inspection monkey business and pay duty on the ammo so I doubt they authorities had them.

 

[peacemaker]

We’ve flown KLM for six safaris and had great service and flights were well priced. Out of Canada going through Europe is much simpler than going through US but last year they left our rifle in Amsterdam but got it to us a day later so we wrote it off to crap happens. This year out of three of us, one rifle made it to Joburg on time. One came a day later and mine took six days to get to East London. There was next to no communication from KLM and had it not been for our air tag we would have had zero idea what was going on. If we had not kept on top of them and Rifle Permits I’m not certain it would have ever got here. That’s it for us flying KLM as there is obviously some anti gun agenda there as they couldn’t be that incompetent
Update on return flight:
At least KLM is consistent. None of the rifles made it back to Calgary either. Can’t believe how bad this airline has gotten in the past couple years. They went from our favourite European airline to never fly again status in just two years. Canceled flights, seat changes, lost rifles, zero communication about baggage, terrible food and only one bottle of water on a 10 hour flight are apparently the norm now. Never again. This isn't a flying through Europe issue... this is an airline issue!

thanks for the heads up

 

[Scott CWO]

We’ve flown KLM for six safaris and had great service and flights were well priced. Out of Canada going through Europe is much simpler than going through US but last year they left our rifle in Amsterdam but got it to us a day later so we wrote it off to crap happens. This year out of three of us, one rifle made it to Joburg on time. One came a day later and mine took six days to get to East London. There was next to no communication from KLM and had it not been for our air tag we would have had zero idea what was going on. If we had not kept on top of them and Rifle Permits I’m not certain it would have ever got here. That’s it for us flying KLM as there is obviously some anti gun agenda there as they couldn’t be that incompetent
Update on return flight:
At least KLM is consistent. None of the rifles made it back to Calgary either. Can’t believe how bad this airline has gotten in the past couple years. They went from our favourite European airline to never fly again status in just two years. Canceled flights, seat changes, lost rifles, zero communication about baggage, terrible food and only one bottle of water on a 10 hour flight are apparently the norm now. Never again. This isn't a flying through Europe issue... this is an airline issue!

Agreed and also agree that the food is the worst of any major airline. Yuck and I’m not a picky eater.

 

[crossone]

That is some bad press right there but they all have it these days. Of our last 3 trips to Europe, 2 of them have been disasters. 2 years ago, business class to catch a Viking cruise up the Danube from Budapest to somewhere in Germany, I forget because we either didn't get there or drove their by bus (low water in the Danube, nobody's fault) but 5 days before we're supposed to leave, Lufthansa goes on strike. So...business class is out, we end up flying Delta and KLM, many cancelations, one detour which the airline had booked me through on another connection but not my wife, so it took us 3 days of travel instead of 2 and we had to catch the boat in Vienna so we missed Budapest and Hungary. One night in a hotel at the edge of civilization in West Palm Beach where there was no food so we went hungry that night and another night in Vienna where my dinner was a handful of mints off of the check-in desk for the seedy motel. When the trip was over, we ended up riding in the back again from Prague to DFW. Wife did get the frequent flyer upgrade from DFW to Salt Lake.

Last trip was to Athens, don't remember the airline. The day before we were supposed to leave, the flight was canceled, business class tickets gone. Found a way through another airline and arrived on time. This one did have at least a somewhat happy ending as we did get our business class ride home and because 1/2 of our $10,000 tickets were going to get refunded, I was able to talk the wife into buying a Prada purse in the airport in Rome, so that helped.

I don't doubt that some greenies, or commies are messing up travel with firearms so that they can just drop the service, but they're also so negligent, or incompetent, or both, that they're making travel so very unattractive.

 

[Anbessa Gedai]

We’ve flown KLM for six safaris and had great service and flights were well priced. Out of Canada going through Europe is much simpler than going through US but last year they left our rifle in Amsterdam but got it to us a day later so we wrote it off to crap happens. This year out of three of us, one rifle made it to Joburg on time. One came a day later and mine took six days to get to East London. There was next to no communication from KLM and had it not been for our air tag we would have had zero idea what was going on. If we had not kept on top of them and Rifle Permits I’m not certain it would have ever got here. That’s it for us flying KLM as there is obviously some anti gun agenda there as they couldn’t be that incompetent
Update on return flight:
At least KLM is consistent. None of the rifles made it back to Calgary either. Can’t believe how bad this airline has gotten in the past couple years. They went from our favourite European airline to never fly again status in just two years. Canceled flights, seat changes, lost rifles, zero communication about baggage, terrible food and only one bottle of water on a 10 hour flight are apparently the norm now. Never again. This isn't a flying through Europe issue... this is an airline issue!

THANKS for the heads-up. That's all I need to know!
I hope all readers of the forum take note and select their own carriers wisely.

 

[DieJager]

The Netherlands has some extra requirements. I do not know if they told you beforehand but you need a transit permit.

 

[DieJager]

Also there are a lot of problems at Schiphol Airport with the baggage handlers and no personnel. There are lots of Dutch hunters who fly with KLM to South Africa. Problem could be the transit and the incompetent)new staff at Schiphol who do not know what to do. I think flying from Amsterdam instead of a transit in Amsterdam is a better option. Since you fly from Canada that is not an option.

 

[UpNorthMI]

What a horror story, sorry things were not smooth. I'm traveling next week for a South Africa hunt with my son, we paid the extra cost to go through Atlanta to Joberg with Delta, keeping our fingers crossed.

I would be gutted if my rifle showed up 6 days later, that's really messed up.

 

[CamoManJ]

KLM, not just got rid of their 747’s…me also!!! lol

 

[BRICKBURN]

The Netherlands has some extra requirements. I do not know if they told you beforehand but you need a transit permit.

KLM will not load your firearm onto the plane without it. So, he certainly had it before leaving home.