Fly Safair now carrying firearms

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Have been notified that Fly Safair will be carrying firearms from 1 February 2021.
This is great news, as it gives hunters options for internal flights.

Here is the link.

https://flysafair.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018746019-Carriage-of-Firearms

 

[HuntingGold]

Thanks Marius.

 

[cpr0312]

Good news, thanks for sharing !

 

[Graham Hunter]

So you have to take your locked ammo box out of your checked luggage and check it as a separate piece of luggage?

 

[Pheroze]

And hopefully this will give options as things improve

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

So you have to take your locked ammo box out of your checked luggage and check it as a separate piece of luggage?

Yes sir, I believe that this will be required. On the way back, your ammo will be apart from your checked luggage, and then placed in your checked luggage once you have collected in Johannesburg, and checking through, back to your origin.

 

[Philip Glass]

So you have to take your locked ammo box out of your checked luggage and check it as a separate piece of luggage?

This is standard procedure in RSA. Not to worry.

 

[Philip Glass]

I am relieved to hear this. My travel agent has been waiting to book our RSA domestic flights until more options are in place. This looks like a good option with lots of daily flights. We will fly JNB-PLZ on arrival and then PLZ-CPT on our return flight with Delta.
Thanks for the info!

 

[.45 colt hunter]

Have you also noticed this:
"The firearms and ammunition must be for sports purposes (rifles/shotguns) only; no Handguns or Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR) will be transported."

No handguns !!
I have been hunting with handguns several times in the Eastern cape, flying from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth with SAA. Is that really a thing of the past now that Safair has taken over ?
What do they mean by Modern sporting rifles ?

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Have you also noticed this:
"The firearms and ammunition must be for sports purposes (rifles/shotguns) only; no Handguns or Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR) will be transported."

No handguns !!
I have been hunting with handguns several times in the Eastern cape, flying from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth with SAA. Is that really a thing of the past now that Safair has taken over ?
What do they mean by Modern sporting rifles ?

Sir, I am pretty sure that your hunting handgun will be allowed. In this instance, they are referring to handgun for self defence. All previous airlines carrying firearms had the same regulations, but hunting handguns were still allowed. Just clear it up with them before your travel date.
I believe for Modern Sporting Rifles, they are referring to Semi Auto's.

 

[CAustin]

Thanks for sharing Marius

 

[.45 colt hunter]

Sir, I am pretty sure that your hunting handgun will be allowed. In this instance, they are referring to handgun for self defence. All previous airlines carrying firearms had the same regulations, but hunting handguns were still allowed. Just clear it up with them before your travel date.
I believe for Modern Sporting Rifles, they are referring to Semi Auto's.

Thanks for your opinion. I hope you are right, but i will for sure ask them directly before i book. As the situation with the covid- 19 is now, it might take some time before that happens.

 

[.45 colt hunter]

I have now contacted Safair, as i am planning a hunting trip with a .454 Freedom Arms revolver.
I asked directly, if they could transport a hunting revolver from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth, but all i got back from them was the standard reply:

"Kindly note we only transport firearms for sporting purposes only, like Hunting rifles or Shotguns. Modern Sporting Rifles refer to semiautomatic rifles e.g AR-15 which is not allowed. For more info on our Carriage of Firearms policy, kindly follow this link:
https://flysafair.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018746019-Carriage-of-Firearms
Kind regards
Lethlogonolo Tshite
Customer Care Agent "

Has anyone here actually travelled with a hunting handgun on Safair . I am not buying tickets based on rumours that it is possible to do so. So please, just facts.
Maybe one of you know about a contact person or department at Safair, that can officially answer this question about hunting handguns.
Are there any other airlines that will carry hunting handguns ?

 

[Hunter4752001]

The link you provided specificity states they won't carry handguns:

"The firearms and ammunition must be for sports purposes (rifles/shotguns) only; no Handguns or Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR) will be transported."

Disappointing, but no ambiguity. Being a company policy it would need senior management to change it ie beyond the authority of the customer service agent. You could write back pointing out that SAPS permits are only granted for firearms (including handguns) which are for genuine sporting purpose, therefore if SAPS has granted a permit then the firearm is by definition for sports purposes. I wish you luck but suggest you checkout alternative carriers. Possibly seek advise from one of the specialist firearm travel agents.

 

[.45 colt hunter]

As far as i know there are NO alternative carriers since SAA went out of business.
I am in contact with one of "the specialist firearms travel agents" but so far they have not yet been able to get a clear answer from Safair.
I had hoped that some of the members in here had experience with Safair and handguns. I was actually advised by KMG Safaris earlier in this thread and i quote "Sir, I am pretty sure that your hunting handgun will be allowed. In this instance, they are referring to handgun for self defence. All previous airlines carrying firearms had the same regulations, but hunting handguns were still allowed. Just clear it up with them before your travel date." The problem is, i cannot get past their standard answers or find the right person at Safair, so that i can "clear it up"
Maybe i could take the train or a bus from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth! I wonder if that is legal ?

 

[Hunter4752001]

My last trip was in 2014 with SAA so its not much help to you. What KMG Safaris said may be correct but I can't see a junior check-in officer exercising their discretion when the printed policy is so definite in its wording. I hope I'm wrong. If you have a LinkedIn membership you might be able to look up the email address for the SAFAIR CEO. While he would direct the question to an underling there's a better chance of getting the issue looked at. Alternatively get back to the customer service agent and ask for your question to be escalated to more senior management. I wouldn't want to travel without some confidence that they will carry your firearm. I hope to be able to go again sometime in the next few years so have a vested interest in finding out how this resolves.

ps. Congrats on having a Freedom Arms .454 . Very nice.

 

[.45 colt hunter]

I have an agent that do pre-approved permits etc look into it, they have tried to contact Safair, but they seem very hard to get in contact with.
I did some research last night and it looks like Airlink is also offering transportation of firearms and their policy is that they WILL carry hunting handguns, That is, if they really are in business.
Can someone on this forum confirm that Airlink is now operating and will carry firearms ?

 

[.45 colt hunter]

My agent has now confirmed that Safair has finally answered that they will not carry any kind of handguns, period. That information came from a high level at Safair. From another professional agent in the Firearms pre-approved permit and meet and greet business, i was told that Safair is absolutely hopeless to communicate with. I can only confirm this as they never picked up the phone when i tried to call them.
The good news is that Sa Airlink is in business and have confirmed that it has been approved that they will transport my hunting revolver between Joburg and Port Elizabeth and return.
It took 1 single mail and they came back the next day, with a clear YES.

 

[Mountaineer]

I flew airlink July 11 from Namibia to South Africa with two rifles. It cost $40 US dollars extra and Gracy Travel got my rifles permit. I takes 48 to 72 hours to get confirmation they will permit the rifles on the plane.

 

[Hunter4752001]

My agent has now confirmed that Safair has finally answered that they will not carry any kind of handguns, period. That information came from a high level at Safair. From another professional agent in the Firearms pre-approved permit and meet and greet business, i was told that Safair is absolutely hopeless to communicate with. I can only confirm this as they never picked up the phone when i tried to call them.
The good news is that Sa Airlink is in business and have confirmed that it has been approved that they will transport my hunting revolver between Joburg and Port Elizabeth and return.
It took 1 single mail and they came back the next day, with a clear YES.

Glad to hear this has been sorted out. Now we all know which airline to book with and which to avoid.