Short notice rifle permit- Frankfurt

[Mountaineer]

Does anyone have experience in getting a rifle permit to transit Frankfurt Germany in a week or less. Also, has anyone had United airlines change their route and send them through Germany? Thanks

 

[mdwest]

I thought the Frankfurt transit permit thing died several years ago? Is it back?

The last time we flew united through Frankfurt was 2016 I think.. so it’s been a while.. there was no permit requirement at that time.. we simply checked the rifles in at the united desk at DFW and they were checked all the way through to Jo’berg…

When returning to the US, Lufthansa (code shared with United) charged us a $200 handling fee for the rifles when we checked in at Jo’berg… but then checked the rifles straight through to Dallas…

 

[NTX]

You need the permit. I’d say it’s 50/50 if they get it done in a week. I’ve had it happen, but there’s no guarantee

 

[Spearhead]

Not to get off topic, but does Doha or Dubai require a permit too when passing through?

 

[Doubleplay]

Not to get off topic, but does Doha or Dubai require a permit too when passing through?

No. But there’s paperwork to be filled when boarding in US with certain documents required like invitation letter and 4457.

 

[wildwilderness]

I flew through Doha last year and no permit was required. Was checked all the way through to Harare.

Interesting to find out about Frankfurt- I have a stop there this year to change airlines and most likely will not be able to check all the way through to Windhoek. Second flight will be on Lufthansa

I thought about just renting a gun from the outfitter….
What’s the opinion of its worth dealing with Frankfurt firearms?

 

[NTX]

I flew through Doha last year and no permit was required. Was checked all the way through to Harare.

Interesting to find out about Frankfurt- I have a stop there this year to change airlines and most likely will not be able to check all the way through to Windhoek. Second flight will be on Lufthansa

I thought about just renting a gun from the outfitter….
What’s the opinion of its worth dealing with Frankfurt firearms?

The permit process is very simple, and you will have no trouble once it’s complete.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

I flew through Doha last year and no permit was required. Was checked all the way through to Harare.

Interesting to find out about Frankfurt- I have a stop there this year to change airlines and most likely will not be able to check all the way through to Windhoek. Second flight will be on Lufthansa

I thought about just renting a gun from the outfitter….
What’s the opinion of its worth dealing with Frankfurt firearms?

It’s been a few years since I’ve traveled with firearms through Frankfurt. The rules may have change but Germans have not.

You will find that (unlike in US airports) they both know the rules and follow the rules. Fill out the paperwork and if you get approved in time, dealing with German officials will be a smooth and efficient process.

As far as if it’s worth bringing your own gun or not, that depends on what’s available where you will be going and your personal preferences. The one time I used an outfitters gun (Argentina), it didn’t hold zero and I had to walk my shots in like artillery. It worked eventually. But there has been a murder with a hunter’s rifle a few weeks prior to my trip and I was advised it wasn’t a great time to try to bring in a firearm and deal with Argentine officials (who, disappointingly and perhaps surprisingly, are NOT German)

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I thought the Frankfurt transit permit thing died several years ago? Is it back?

The last time we flew united through Frankfurt was 2016 I think.. so it’s been a while.. there was no permit requirement at that time.. we simply checked the rifles in at the united desk at DFW and they were checked all the way through to Jo’berg…

When returning to the US, Lufthansa (code shared with United) charged us a $200 handling fee for the rifles when we checked in at Jo’berg… but then checked the rifles straight through to Dallas…

This has also been my experience traveling with guns to South Africa four times since 2019. I book only with Star Alliance member airlines. My guns are checked in at my airport here ($50) and I don't see them again until I get to Joberg. I am always flying through either Zurich or Frankfurt and have never needed a permit. No problems. The airlines I fly are Air Canada, Swiss Air, Lufthansa, and South African Airways (before it went belly up). All are members of Star Alliance as is United. Locally in South Africa I fly Airlink or Safair, both of which are not members but will let guns be checked. A British Airways affiliated local airline there (forgot the name) will not allow guns. Returning from Joberg on Lufthansa I get hammered +$200 for their gun handling fee. Swiss Air is very reasonable.

 

[Oil & Dirt]

Does anyone have experience in getting a rifle permit to transit Frankfurt Germany in a week or less. Also, has anyone had United airlines change their route and send them through Germany? Thanks

I flew thru Frankfort to Joberg in April of ‘21. I did have a permit. I think at that time it was debatable whether necessary or not. The China Virus was having a rebound at the time and I made sure all paperwork and testing requirements were undoubtedly 100%. My flight was United to Lufthansa. I never touched the rifle until I got to Joberg, though there seemed to be confusion over this too. All flights from the US came and went thru the same terminal and we were all restricted to that terminal. Anyway, I can’t find when exactly I submitted my permit but I know it was after 3/17 and it was approved 4/1.

Funny story, being a hillbilly that doesn’t hear well I had quite the misunderstanding on the Lufthansa flight. I was taking sleeping pills to try to adjust to time. The stewardess asked if I wanted “pork rinds” I thought there’s no way pork rinds will help me sleep. She asked me several times, insisting I’d sleep better. Finally I said what the hell, I’ll at least eat them so she’ll quit bothering me. She came back with two glasses of “port wine”. I swear they could’ve run the plane on it. Drank those two glasses after my sleeping pills, never woke up until descent into Joburg

 

[Spearhead]

I flew thru Frankfort to Joberg in April of ‘21. I did have a permit. I think at that time it was debatable whether necessary or not. The China Virus was having a rebound at the time and I made sure all paperwork and testing requirements were undoubtedly 100%. My flight was United to Lufthansa. I never touched the rifle until I got to Joberg, though there seemed to be confusion over this too. All flights from the US came and went thru the same terminal and we were all restricted to that terminal. Anyway, I can’t find when exactly I submitted my permit but I know it was after 3/17 and it was approved 4/1.

Funny story, being a hillbilly that doesn’t hear well I had quite the misunderstanding on the Lufthansa flight. I was taking sleeping pills to try to adjust to time. The stewardess asked if I wanted “pork rinds” I thought there’s no way pork rinds will help me sleep. She asked me several times, insisting I’d sleep better. Finally I said what the hell, I’ll at least eat them so she’ll quit bothering me. She came back with two glasses of “port wine”. I swear they could’ve run the plane on it. Drank those two glasses after my sleeping pills, never woke up until descent into Joburg

I laughed out loud. Pork rinds/ port wine. Love it. If it was cracklings she was offering, I'd been allover that.

 

[Mountaineer]

I flew thru Frankfort to Joberg in April of ‘21. I did have a permit. I think at that time it was debatable whether necessary or not. The China Virus was having a rebound at the time and I made sure all paperwork and testing requirements were undoubtedly 100%. My flight was United to Lufthansa. I never touched the rifle until I got to Joberg, though there seemed to be confusion over this too. All flights from the US came and went thru the same terminal and we were all restricted to that terminal. Anyway, I can’t find when exactly I submitted my permit but I know it was after 3/17 and it was approved 4/1.

Funny story, being a hillbilly that doesn’t hear well I had quite the misunderstanding on the Lufthansa flight. I was taking sleeping pills to try to adjust to time. The stewardess asked if I wanted “pork rinds” I thought there’s no way pork rinds will help me sleep. She asked me several times, insisting I’d sleep better. Finally I said what the hell, I’ll at least eat them so she’ll quit bothering me. She came back with two glasses of “port wine”. I swear they could’ve run the plane on it. Drank those two glasses after my sleeping pills, never woke up until descent into Joburg

What state are you from? I’m still laughing.

 

[BryceM]

I flew SLC-Frankfort direct and then Frankfurt to Windhoek direct in 2022. My first flight was delayed a day, and it messed up everything. My new itinerary required a change of airline (Eurowings to Lufthansa), claim and "import" of my rifles at the baggage claim in Frankfurt, and check-in of the rifles a few minutes later at the Lufthansa counter.

Originally, the rifles were supposed to be checked all the way through. Fortunately, I had the Frankfurt transit permit in place, just in case. Without it, my trip would have been a disaster. As it was, it was only 3 short hours of messing around with German police and customs agents. Good thing I had a long layover.

I don't remember exactly how long it took to get the permit, but I'm 100% certain it was longer than a week. Might be time to make some phone call to see if you can make it happen.

 

[Oil & Dirt]

What state are you from? I’m still laughing.

Originally from WV currently live in Ohio

 

[wildwilderness]

I flew SLC-Frankfort direct and then Frankfurt to Windhoek direct in 2022. My first flight was delayed a day, and it messed up everything. My new itinerary required a change of airline (Eurowings to Lufthansa), claim and "import" of my rifles at the baggage claim in Frankfurt, and check-in of the rifles a few minutes later at the Lufthansa counter.

Originally, the rifles were supposed to be checked all the way through. Fortunately, I had the Frankfurt transit permit in place, just in case. Without it, my trip would have been a disaster. As it was, it was only 3 short hours of messing around with German police and customs agents. Good thing I had a long layover.

I don't remember exactly how long it took to get the permit, but I'm 100% certain it was longer than a week. Might be time to make some phone call to see if you can make it happen.

I am flying direct ANC- Frankfurt on Condor booked through Alaska airlines. It’s a long layover all day then Lufthansa direct to Windhoek. Same on the return. Since they are booked separately I am not sure I can check luggage all the way through?

I guess I need to decide if it’s worth bringing or renting a rifle…

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I am flying direct ANC- Frankfurt on Condor booked through Alaska airlines. It’s a long layover all day then Lufthansa direct to Windhoek. Same on the return. Since they are booked separately I am not sure I can check luggage all the way through?

I guess I need to decide if it’s worth bringing or renting a rifle…

Condor is not part of Star Alliance network of airlines so it would appear you would have to recheck your guns in Frankfurt when you changed to Lufthansa. Had you booked the first leg on United or Air Canada your guns would have went straight through out of Franfurt on Lufthansa to Africa, barring a cancelation in Frankfurt and significant (longer than 12 hours or overnight) delay.

 

[Throwback]

Does anyone have experience in getting a rifle permit to transit Frankfurt Germany in a week or less. Also, has anyone had United airlines change their route and send them through Germany? Thanks

Yes. In June 2023, since United cancelled my flight from Joburg to Newark on the day I was to fly back (fun stuff), Travel With Guns put us on a Lufthansa flight from Joburg to Frankfurt that same day, then FRA to Houston. We had two rifles. I was concerned about this last minute route through FRA and with Lufthansa vs. United but the rifles were checked in Joburg and I never saw them again until Houston. I had airtags on them so I could see they were moving with us. By the way, when I went to baggage claim in Houston my Tuffpak case was just sitting there beside the luggage carousel with no one attending it. I grabbed it with my other luggage and walked out of the airport from that point forward without interacting with anyone.

+1 on Pork Rinds and Port. Both top tier items for consumption in my world. Cheers

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Yes. In June 2023, since United cancelled my flight from Joburg to Newark on the day I was to fly back (fun stuff), Travel With Guns put us on a Lufthansa flight from Joburg to Frankfurt that same day, then FRA to Houston. We had two rifles. I was concerned about this last minute route through FRA and with Lufthansa vs. United but the rifles were checked in Joburg and I never saw them again until Houston. I had airtags on them so I could see they were moving with us. By the way, when I went to baggage claim in Houston my Tuffpak case was just sitting there beside the luggage carousel with no one attending it. I grabbed it with my other luggage and walked out of the airport from that point forward without interacting with anyone.

+1 on Pork Rinds and Port. Both top tier items for consumption in my world. Cheers

So, you flew Lufthansa all the way from Joberg to Houston?

It seems the only risk of flying through Frankfurt is getting bumped onto another airline (not a coop member) or delayed overnight. Then the guns have to be rechecked and Frankfurt police transit form will have to make an appearance. I have always lucked out and made it onto my connecting flight through Frankfurt okay. But next time I will be prepared for the worst and do the paperwork. Lesson learned from African Hunting forum.

My guns have also been dumped at oversize baggage in Toronto and totally unsupervised. By the way, this is a violation of Canadian law as I read it. While in Canada, the guns are always to be in possession of someone with a possession license. So, isn't someone with a PAL license supposed to be handing it to me and checking to make sure I'm the owner? Well, you'd think so. Guns are not the kind of luggage that any of us wants to wind up in the wrong hands. Gun owners are required to be responsible but airports are authorized to be careless? I don't get it.

 

[Throwback]

So, you flew Lufthansa all the way from Joberg to Houston?

It seems the only risk of flying through Frankfurt is getting bumped onto another airline (not a coop member) or delayed overnight. Then the guns have to be rechecked and Frankfurt police transit form will have to make an appearance. I have always lucked out and made it onto my connecting flight through Frankfurt okay. But next time I will be prepared for the worst and do the paperwork. Lesson learned from African Hunting forum.

My guns have also been dumped at oversize baggage in Toronto and totally unsupervised. By the way, this is a violation of Canadian law as I read it. While in Canada, the guns are always to be in possession of someone with a possession license. So, isn't someone with a PAL license supposed to be handing it to me and checking to make sure I'm the owner? Well, you'd think so. Guns are not the kind of luggage that any of us wants to wind up in the wrong hands. Gun owners are required to be responsible but airports are authorized to be careless? I don't get it.

Yes, all the way on Lufthansa, Joburg-FRA-Houston. No permit.

 

[wildwilderness]

Condor is not part of Star Alliance network of airlines so it would appear you would have to recheck your guns in Frankfurt when you changed to Lufthansa. Had you booked the first leg on United or Air Canada your guns would have went straight through out of Franfurt on Lufthansa to Africa, barring a cancelation in Frankfurt and significant (longer than 12 hours or overnight) delay.

that’s the only option direct from Anchorage- worth it for sure since other wise it becomes annoying with so many layovers.

I’ve seen past info saying the flight is operated by Discover airlines which was linked to Lufthansa? No personal experience though