outwestidaho
AH enthusiast
Just returned from Eastern cape . 9 of us flew United airlines.
We booked our air ten months before this hunt. Price was $1400.00 from Idaho. When we booked most peoples complaint was Newark gun handling.
Going over-------
Show up for the flight from Idaho to Denver. Flight leaves 3 hours late because it was to hot to fly and runway to short. So they say.
Cant make connecting flight so overnight in Denver.
Denver to Newark---
2 hours late , no problem as we had a 5 hour layover in Newark.
Newark to Joberg---
20 minutes late but made it up in the air somehow and were 5 mins early on arrival.
Overnight in Joberg at city lodge everything great.
Next day Air link to Port Elisabeth----
on time no problems with guns or flight.
Return home ----
Airlink to Joberg.
3 hours early to airport. Airlink cant run credit cards for gun fees so must pay cash. Card Machine wouldn't work. They wont take US dollar, has to be rand. So across airport to exchange money Exchange takes 17 minutes per person. They wont take card so must pay US cash. 2 pieces of paper to fill out to get money and copy of passport.
I exchanged money for 3 others in our group as we are running out of time to make the flight and cant wait 17 minutes for each person. Cost to exchange US dollars for 3500 rand $88 dollars in exchange fees and $216.00 US must be exact cash. So made it happen between 3 of us and a kind lady standing by to do her exchange.
Back to office to pay fees. Check guns in and go through security. Flight on time and we made it 15 minutes before boarding call. Good flight.
United now informs us they have cancelled our flight back to Newark.
Stay another day in Joberg and we all went shopping.
Arrive to Airport 5 hours early plane is full and over booked. Bruce from Gracy travel goes and talks to some airline people and were on the flight.
Flight is on time and arrives on time. We only have a 2.5 hour lay over in Newark so knew it would be close.
some of our bags don't arrive. TSA wont let us check guns until we have all bags. But we cant get all bags when there not there.
Ask other people no hope. Back to TSA guys still a big no. Out of no where appears an older gentleman in a suit and he works for United and says follow me to get the guns done. But we say TSA says no and he says he doesn't care and we get personal trip past them to check our guns and back to security for our flight when done. Security long slow line running out of time as our flight is already boarding. Cheat and slip through long line and cut to the front. No one had a problem with this except TSA that we know of. TSA, chews wifes ass as they caught her. She told them were late and have to get through. That's the Short version of her deal with them when I was coming back to her and they let her go. Make it to the other side, grab our things and start running to gate.
Get to gate and door is closed , plane loaded. Ask lady standing there if we could still get on flight. She said I will call down. She said your lucky, plane door hast been shut so I can let you go. On we went. She said 1 more minute and we wouldn't have gotten on.
Flight was on time to Denver. We only had a 45 minute lay over so away we went. Made pre board by 10 minutes.
Flight to Idaho on time --good flight.
Go to get our bags----- we are missing 7 bags in all for everyone in group. Guns make it.
They are still looking for our bags. They disappeared from the earth.
We Booked through Gracy Travel. When we had our canceled flights I called Gracy they're time at 1 AM They had all our flights re booked in less than a half hour. Bruce from Gracy in the airport made it all very easy and I believe he pulled some strings as multiple people that also were on our flight that was canceled were going to have to stay 3 more days. Some had booked through other travel agents but they didn't make it on . Dont know who they booked with. One guys said his friend wasn't able to get booked for 6 more days.
Actual flying part with United was good. Planes good ---food--- well its airplane food. They failed in every way they possibly could. But all United employees were nice and helpful.
The hunt well thats a later story.
We booked our air ten months before this hunt. Price was $1400.00 from Idaho. When we booked most peoples complaint was Newark gun handling.
Going over-------
Show up for the flight from Idaho to Denver. Flight leaves 3 hours late because it was to hot to fly and runway to short. So they say.
Cant make connecting flight so overnight in Denver.
Denver to Newark---
2 hours late , no problem as we had a 5 hour layover in Newark.
Newark to Joberg---
20 minutes late but made it up in the air somehow and were 5 mins early on arrival.
Overnight in Joberg at city lodge everything great.
Next day Air link to Port Elisabeth----
on time no problems with guns or flight.
Return home ----
Airlink to Joberg.
3 hours early to airport. Airlink cant run credit cards for gun fees so must pay cash. Card Machine wouldn't work. They wont take US dollar, has to be rand. So across airport to exchange money Exchange takes 17 minutes per person. They wont take card so must pay US cash. 2 pieces of paper to fill out to get money and copy of passport.
I exchanged money for 3 others in our group as we are running out of time to make the flight and cant wait 17 minutes for each person. Cost to exchange US dollars for 3500 rand $88 dollars in exchange fees and $216.00 US must be exact cash. So made it happen between 3 of us and a kind lady standing by to do her exchange.
Back to office to pay fees. Check guns in and go through security. Flight on time and we made it 15 minutes before boarding call. Good flight.
United now informs us they have cancelled our flight back to Newark.
Stay another day in Joberg and we all went shopping.
Arrive to Airport 5 hours early plane is full and over booked. Bruce from Gracy travel goes and talks to some airline people and were on the flight.
Flight is on time and arrives on time. We only have a 2.5 hour lay over in Newark so knew it would be close.
some of our bags don't arrive. TSA wont let us check guns until we have all bags. But we cant get all bags when there not there.
Ask other people no hope. Back to TSA guys still a big no. Out of no where appears an older gentleman in a suit and he works for United and says follow me to get the guns done. But we say TSA says no and he says he doesn't care and we get personal trip past them to check our guns and back to security for our flight when done. Security long slow line running out of time as our flight is already boarding. Cheat and slip through long line and cut to the front. No one had a problem with this except TSA that we know of. TSA, chews wifes ass as they caught her. She told them were late and have to get through. That's the Short version of her deal with them when I was coming back to her and they let her go. Make it to the other side, grab our things and start running to gate.
Get to gate and door is closed , plane loaded. Ask lady standing there if we could still get on flight. She said I will call down. She said your lucky, plane door hast been shut so I can let you go. On we went. She said 1 more minute and we wouldn't have gotten on.
Flight was on time to Denver. We only had a 45 minute lay over so away we went. Made pre board by 10 minutes.
Flight to Idaho on time --good flight.
Go to get our bags----- we are missing 7 bags in all for everyone in group. Guns make it.
They are still looking for our bags. They disappeared from the earth.
We Booked through Gracy Travel. When we had our canceled flights I called Gracy they're time at 1 AM They had all our flights re booked in less than a half hour. Bruce from Gracy in the airport made it all very easy and I believe he pulled some strings as multiple people that also were on our flight that was canceled were going to have to stay 3 more days. Some had booked through other travel agents but they didn't make it on . Dont know who they booked with. One guys said his friend wasn't able to get booked for 6 more days.
Actual flying part with United was good. Planes good ---food--- well its airplane food. They failed in every way they possibly could. But all United employees were nice and helpful.
The hunt well thats a later story.
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