British Airways or Lufthansa

[Qc_BearHunter]

Hello,

To make a long story short, my first flight itinary on return from Johannesburg (july 8th) was with British Airways, with a stopover in London. We call them three times to give them all the informations about my rifle, case, etc, but they just keep telling us: It's not approved yet, please call us later.

My travel agent offered me to make a change on return and instead take Lufthansa with a stopover in Frankfurt.

Both company charges handling fees. No problem for me.

Is Lufthansa more user/hunter friendly?

Also, if you travel through Frankfurt, without taking possession of your firearms, do you need an import permit?

Thanks

 

[norfolk shooter]

DO NOT!!! I REPEAT DO FUCKING NOT use BA. Im British and telling you to use a German airline but they are much more hunter friendly as is Germany as a whole

 

[Qc_BearHunter]

DO NOT!!! I REPEAT DO FUCKING NOT use BA. Im British and telling you to use a German airline but they are much more hunter friendly as is Germany as a whole

Do you know if I need an german import licence? I read that in Lufthansa web site:

Passengers are solely responsible for complying with the customs regulations, for the import licence as well as other required documents. This applies both to entering a country and to travelling through it.

 

[norfolk shooter]

Do you know if I need an german import licence? I read that in Lufthansa web site:

Passengers are solely responsible for complying with the customs regulations, for the import licence as well as other required documents. This applies both to entering a country and to travelling through it.

Not entirely sure. But if you can swing it go Swiss. No need for a permit if you are just transiting

 

[Sika98k]

Presumably you are traveling onward from Frankfurt to somewhere. If the two airlines have a baggage handling agreement check them all the way through to your final destination. Establish this first.
I’ve transited Frankfurt several times en route to Romania, Croatia and Turkey. Never been asked for any paperwork and everything is checked through.
your circumstances may be different.

 

[Still alive]

Did that flight last June from lax to Frankfurt to Jberg . On Lufthansa. What a great flight both ways. Only one thing happened. Do not take/ put your used brass in your check in bag. I had a few to mount with the trophies coming later this year. They pulled me off the flight, walked me down to the tarmac, waited for the police to arrive to watch them open my bag and remove the three spent cases? Police said every airline has there own rules. Felt bad for me. Not like anyone will ever know.

 

[Ryan]

In '13 and '16 no transit permit was required going through Frankfurt as long as you didn't take posession. Sometime after that it changed. I was going to go through Frankfurt in 2020 and they did require a transit permit then. I filled out a form online. Here's the info on that from @TRAVEL EXPRESS below, who I recommend after they got me through Amsterdam and Paris on very short notice with firearms in '21 without a hitch.

I used Lufthansa in 2018 and liked them, but I only took a bow for that trip, which they had no problems with.

Transporting Firearms Internationally & Foreign Hunting Trips | Travel Express

Travel Express are experts in transporting firearms internationally for your hunting trip. They have over two decades of experience in firearm transit. Book your hunting trip now!

www.travelexpressagency.com

 

[BRICKBURN]

Hello,

To make a long story short, my first flight itinary on return from Johannesburg (july 8th) was with British Airways, with a stopover in London. We call them three times to give them all the informations about my rifle, case, etc, but they just keep telling us: It's not approved yet, please call us later.

My travel agent offered me to make a change on return and instead take Lufthansa with a stopover in Frankfurt.

Both company charges handling fees. No problem for me.

Is Lufthansa more user/hunter friendly?

Also, if you travel through Frankfurt, without taking possession of your firearms, do you need an import permit?

Thanks

You have a travel agent and they do not know about required permits and notifications. ??

Frankfurt has required transit permits while travel through London has not.
Last time I travelled there was a fee for that permit as well. There are several threads on AH about the Frankfurt permit.

I have found BA to be a simple flight option for my available options.

Trading a simple notification to BA to a for fee permit seems undesirable to me. I don’t know your needs though.

A knowledgeable travel agent that knows hunting is what appears to be missing in this story.

Good luck with your trip

 

[Philip Glass]

Hello,

To make a long story short, my first flight itinary on return from Johannesburg (july 8th) was with British Airways, with a stopover in London. We call them three times to give them all the informations about my rifle, case, etc, but they just keep telling us: It's not approved yet, please call us later.

My travel agent offered me to make a change on return and instead take Lufthansa with a stopover in Frankfurt.

Both company charges handling fees. No problem for me.

Is Lufthansa more user/hunter friendly?

Also, if you travel through Frankfurt, without taking possession of your firearms, do you need an import permit?

Thanks

Please give more detail. What is your flight itinerary? With an agent you should be fine either way but please let us in on the details.
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

Do you know if I need an german import licence? I read that in Lufthansa web site:

Passengers are solely responsible for complying with the customs regulations, for the import licence as well as other required documents. This applies both to entering a country and to travelling through it.

No it is a transit permit. Did your TA not tell you this?

 

[Philip Glass]

Did that flight last June from lax to Frankfurt to Jberg . On Lufthansa. What a great flight both ways. Only one thing happened. Do not take/ put your used brass in your check in bag. I had a few to mount with the trophies coming later this year. They pulled me off the flight, walked me down to the tarmac, waited for the police to arrive to watch them open my bag and remove the three spent cases? Police said every airline has there own rules. Felt bad for me. Not like anyone will ever know.

More detail please! Was the brass loose? Where was your ammo? In gun case?
if your brass was in the box with the other ammo I would be surprised if there was an issue.
Philip

 

[TRAVEL EXPRESS]

@Qc_BearHunter a transit permit is required through Frankfurt, even if you don't take possession of your firearms. Thanks to @Ryan for the web link! You can find the permit and info listed on my website.

As to what else is required for other airlines, there are too many variables to give accurate info. However there are loopholes to using British Air - many of their partners won't transfer guns through London to a different airline for example. So there is a possibility of an issue, depending on how your ticket is booked, what airlines are actually operating the flights, etc. Unless your agent is experienced with firearms transport, it's best to steer clear!

 

[Qc_BearHunter]

Thank you all for your answers.

I asked my TA to make the switch with Lufthansa. I like things clear and I was not confident enough with BA to be 100% sure everything would go well. I don't care to pay 23Euros more for that trip.

They are already contacted and have a great client service.

As I said in the original post, I and my TA called BA 3 times in all. Everytime they asked more question. Last time they said: It's still not confirmed, call us later, we may have more question.

I aslo sent an email to the german customs and the Frankfurt firearms authority and got this fast and accurate answer:

for traveling with weapons via the airport in Frankfurt, an application for a transfer license must be placed with the weapon authority of Frankfurt (even if you do not take possession of your rifle during the transit)



The application and the issuance of the permit can only be placed online via the following link:



www.frankfurt.de/mitnahmeerlaubnis



To change the language, click on the flag at the bottom of the page.



The documents necessary for the application such as identification documents or weapons permits from the customers home countries can be uploaded via the application portal.



The fee of 23,00 € for the permit can be paid online as well. The following online payment systems can be used at present:



- PayPal

- Master Card, Visa

- GiroPay



If the application is approved, you will receive an E-Mail with a link to download and print the permit.



In addition to the permit document a certificate with security features for counterfeit security will be attached to the E-Mail. Please print this document as well and present both documents to the customs authority at the airport in Frankfurt am Main.



Kind regards



Im Auftrag

Sabrina Nowotny

 

[Still alive]

The three loose brass cases were in my shaving bag?? They knew exactly were they were from the X-ray machine. They had the bag for three hours and only came to me 15 minutes before departure? I had the flight attendant watch my son for me while I was on the tarmac.

flight was from Cape Town to Frankfurt? No problems from port Elizabeth to Cape Town

 

[Ryan]

Thank you all for your answers.

I asked my TA to make the switch with Lufthansa. I like things clear and I was not confident enough with BA to be 100% sure everything would go well. I don't care to pay 23Euros more for that trip.

They are already contacted and have a great client service.

As I said in the original post, I and my TA called BA 3 times in all. Everytime they asked more question. Last time they said: It's still not confirmed, call us later, we may have more question.

I aslo sent an email to the german customs and the Frankfurt firearms authority and got this fast and accurate answer:

for traveling with weapons via the airport in Frankfurt, an application for a transfer license must be placed with the weapon authority of Frankfurt (even if you do not take possession of your rifle during the transit)



The application and the issuance of the permit can only be placed online via the following link:



www.frankfurt.de/mitnahmeerlaubnis



To change the language, click on the flag at the bottom of the page.



The documents necessary for the application such as identification documents or weapons permits from the customers home countries can be uploaded via the application portal.



The fee of 23,00 € for the permit can be paid online as well. The following online payment systems can be used at present:



- PayPal

- Master Card, Visa

- GiroPay



If the application is approved, you will receive an E-Mail with a link to download and print the permit.



In addition to the permit document a certificate with security features for counterfeit security will be attached to the E-Mail. Please print this document as well and present both documents to the customs authority at the airport in Frankfurt am Main.



Kind regards



Im Auftrag

Sabrina Nowotny

I wish Frankfurt hadn't complicated things but I hope things work out well. If you have a decent layover like I have had check out Frankfurt or get on a bus and head to Heidelburg for the day. Both great places to tour for the day and get used to the time zone before heading south.

Good luck, good travels, and good hunting.

 

[Qc_BearHunter]

I wish Frankfurt hadn't complicated things but I hope things work out well. If you have a decent layover like I have had check out Frankfurt or get on a bus and head to Heidelburg for the day. Both great places to tour for the day and get used to the time zone before heading south.

Good luck, good travels, and good hunting.

Thanks,

I got my new ticket and itinary. I have about 4 hours layover so the tour will be for another time!

 

[wesheltonj]

By the way, LH will still have face-mask requirements for the flight. Info current as of 5-12.