Trip report AA-Qatar-Airlink

[Philip Glass]

Trip report AA-Qatar-Airlink

SJT-DFW on American Airlines
DFW-DOH-JNB on Qatar - A350-1000 & 777
JNB-PLZ on Airlink - Embraer E190

SJT departure AA 3953 1h 8m: AA agents in San Angelo were much trouble for us on check in. First of all the woman checking me in was asking for a RSA rifle permit. I totally shut her down and adamantly explained that there was no such thing available until we arrived in JNB. I got past that bit of poor training and then they were asking for our Covid test results. I asked why they were asking for them when it is typically just the international departure airline who asks for such documents. She said something about people not having the right paperwork and getting sent back home from an international flight. Whatever! Then she proceeded to tell me that she could not check our bags through to JNB. She said it was purchased on separate tickets and could not check through. Once again I began deliberately correcting her that AA and Qatar are OneWorld partners and as a matter of fact she can check bags through regardless of how the tickets were purchased. She said she was sorry and hit print for the bag tags and what do you know, it said JNB! She began apologizing profusely and we moved on to the next part of the journey. My friend Travis was departing from Austin and got the same run around from AA. They were wanting a gun permit from RSA. He gave up after trying to explain the situation to a manager and just checked to DFW. My friend Travis from Austin was trying to check in for his flight to DFW and ran into the same issue with AA and them wanting a rifle permit for RSA. He also told them there was no such thing and after speaking to a manager finally just checked to DFW. Seth from South Carolina ran into AA asking for a Qatar covid form which was not required. He finally got another agent to help him and he checked bags and rifle through to JNB.

DFW-DOH QR730 14h 55m

We arrived in DFW and went to have a meal at Pappadeaux seafood restaurant. Then we met up with more of our group in Terminal D to present the Qatar rifle paperwork to the gate agent just like we did last year. There was only one woman there who could not help us and said we had to go out of security and do the rifle forms and show the Covid tests and then come back through security. Well what a mess. Of course we get down there and most everyone on our flight was trying to check in last minute! We finished the process and headed to the gate. By the time we got there they were beginning the boarding process. I had 7 in business class and 9 in economy on this trip. Although I was a little rattled from the two unnecessarily difficult check in procedures, many of my group thanked me for navigating us through to this point. My wife Jennifer and I were in the Qatar QSuite business class double bed seats. These are rear facing seats and I had to get used to that. The business class seating, food, and service on Qatar is excellent. I personally enjoyed a great meal, drinks, and a James Bond marathon of movies. We all slept well even the guys and gal in coach got some rest. I always explain to my safari groups, when contemplating flight options, that economy get you there but the QSuite is an experience all by itself.

We arrived in DOH pretty close to on time and just had about 3 hours to explore the airport. We hit the duty free shop for some necessary supplies and then just explored the airport on our way toward our departure gate. Sadly we just didn’t have enough time to enjoy the business class lounge. I’ll get to report on the lounge after my Zim and Tanzania safaris later this year.

DOH-JNB QR 1368 8h20m

This is the shorter flight of the two. The meals and service are about the same as the first flight however I do not understand why they don’t serve a proper breakfast on a flight that arrives at 4am.

JNB Arrival: I had organized the @riflepermits.com VIP service for our group. This was just for the convenience of our large group as I’ve been there and done that so to speak. We got our luggage fairly quickly and we’re off to the SAPS office where Marius had our pre-approved rifle permits ready for us. All 16 of us were in and out of there in short order. I have always been happy with Riflepermits.com service at JNB. The Airlink check in is always fine but slow due to the fact that the ticket agents in Africa can’t take payments. You have to go to the business office to pay the rifle handling fee ($40) and any baggage fees. You are allowed 44lbs for your suitcase, 33lbs for the rifle case, and no charge for your locked ammo box which must be checked separately. With the rifles dropped off we went through security and then to Wimpy for some breakfast/lunch.

JNB-PLZ Airlink 4Z 797 1h 45m

This is a fun flight on a nice Embraer E190 which is one of the larger regional jets. The view of beaches, ships, and the port coming in to Port Elizabeth is really beautiful. Get a window seat!

Arrival At PLZ is uneventful and all of our luggage and rifles were there and in good order. My friend and PH Fred Burchell met us at the firearms room and really expedited the procedure! We were off on the one hour fifteen minute drive to Frontier Safaris camp.

Departure: We left camp at 8:15 AM and arrived at PLZ at 9:30.

Airlink 4Z 798 1h 50m:

Ticket agents were not available until 10:30 for our 12:30 flight. For 16 of us to navigate the Airlink rifle check in process it took 1.5 hours total. Once again the main hold up is simply paying for baggage fees and rifle handling fee. The delay has little to do with rifles and is just an antiquated process. Then it was time to go through security.

Somehow Patrick with TWG Travel Agency was able to get several of us business class seats (round trip) for an economy price! 4 of us were sitting in comfort up front on this short flight.

JNB Arrival:
We collected our luggage then we got our rifles from the little office by baggage claim. Each of us had to show SAPS form and passport and we were out of there. A long trek across the airport got us to the Qatar check in counter. This is where all progress was halted. Qatar had just one young woman to check us in. It was a slow process. We gave her our passport and Qatar rifle form and received boarding passes and luggage was checked in. Rifle cases had to go to the usual security office and then we went through security.

Shopping at JNB can be fantastic and many in my group bought gifts and then we headed to the Shongololo Lounge and awaited departure. The lounge is a welcomed retreat from the airport on a long layover. This one has very basic food and decent drinks. There are showers in this lounge however so that can be a plus for those with a long layover.

JNB-DOH Qatar 1368 8h 20m

We had good meals and service in business class once again. Economy passengers commented on having very good service and decent food. We had only 1 hour layover in DOH so there was no time to do anything but navigate the two security checkpoints and get boarded. For some reason on much of this trip Qatar was boarding the back of the plane first. Not so much fun if you are anticipating enjoying your QSuite.

DOH-DFW Qatar 729 14h 55m
Departed late at 8:30AM
We had good meals and service in business class. We did experience some turbulence on this flight that was enough that it was hard for me to sleep.

DFW Arrival- luggage was very slow coming out. Customs process was a breeze as always at DFW. Rechecking rifles was a bit of trouble as each AA person told a different story to each of us. They received some rifles at the AA counter and then later called the owner to come take it to TSA after we were gone. I was told to take mine upstairs to oversized baggage where the TSA gentleman made the process very easy and quick. I will remember this for next time.

DFW-SJT AA 3273 1h 12m
Departed late at 11:40, Arrived at 12:30
“Unruly passenger situation.” I was visiting with a gentleman just before take off across the row when the very sensitive male flight attendant asked us to stop talking while he did the announcements. We complied of course but wondered why he was so worried about two passengers having a conversation. A little while later he comes over and very smartly stands over us and asked in a very arrogant way if everything was alright. I said “everything is fine” but the other guy got a little testy with him. That was all it took for this flight attendant to throw the man off the plane and cost us a 30 minute delay as we approached midnight on our final leg home.

I love Africa and I love traveling but this trip was a whole lot more trouble than ever before. All of our flights were close to on time and no luggage was lost or delayed but I have a bad taste in my mouth over this one. As always I review all flight options with my travel agent annually so we will see what route we choose next time. Everyone traveling these days must know the rules of airlines and countries and be prepared to meet untrained and in some cases uncaring airline personnel.

Regards,
Philip

 

[buckshot85]

Great read! Thank you.

Next spring will be our first flight and safari to RSA.
We are not wealthy and on a budget.
What seating in a plain is worth any extra?
I truly do not know the difference from economy to main cabin or anything else. Where is the smart money spent and where is it not?
We plan to fly from Milwaukee or Chicago to Atlanta then Joburg.

 

[Philip Glass]

Great read! Thank you.

Next spring will be our first flight and safari to RSA.
We are not wealthy and on a budget.
What seating in a plain is worth any extra?
I truly do not know the difference from economy to main cabin or anything else. Where is the smart money spent and where is it not?
We plan to fly from Milwaukee or Chicago to Atlanta then Joburg.

Great read! Thank you.

Next spring will be our first flight and safari to RSA.
We are not wealthy and on a budget.
What seating in a plain is worth any extra?
I truly do not know the difference from economy to main cabin or anything else. Where is the smart money spent and where is it not?
We plan to fly from Milwaukee or Chicago to Atlanta then Joburg.

You will be flying on Delta and you do have some choices. Their business class is great but it is $10K so that is out for most of us. Now we are down to three choices. Economy, Comfort +, and the new Premium Select. I was set to try the Premium Select last year but as you may know the flight was cancelled and we went with Qatar. The Premium seat is reportedly very good but usually fetches about $3000. If you can get it for $2500 or so I would buy it. The Comfort+ is simply 4" of recline, 4" of more legroom, and priority boarding. I have only flown Comfort+ and feel it is worth it most of the time. ($200-400 Round trip)

 

[Philip Glass]

Great read! Thank you.

Next spring will be our first flight and safari to RSA.
We are not wealthy and on a budget.
What seating in a plain is worth any extra?
I truly do not know the difference from economy to main cabin or anything else. Where is the smart money spent and where is it not?
We plan to fly from Milwaukee or Chicago to Atlanta then Joburg.

For reference this year (AA-Qatar-Airlink) was $2000rt economy and $5000 for business.

 

[buckshot85]

Thanks, Philip!

 

[shootist~]

Thanks for the detailed report, Philip. Sad to see that traveling with hunting rifles has become more difficult - since just last year.

 

[JimP]

A couple of things to add to Phillips post, I was one of the ones in economy but that's another story.

The Qatar check in in Dallas was great. We had one person who was taking forms and getting things done, I would say that he worked his rear off getting all of us through the process. Security was a mess for me. Once I got to the front of the line we had what looked like 2 full crews of international flights hit the line, then there were the handicap folks in wheelchairs that went after the flight crews. I stood there wondering if I was going to fly or have to wait until the next day. Once I got down to the gate the line was long. I occupied my time talking to a young gentleman who was flying with his family. As his wife and 2 children had disappeared I helped shuttle all of their carry on baggage as we moved up. We did get away from the gate a hour late, perhaps due to late check ins.

Phillip mentioned that Joberg was a breeze, I'll agree here. With Marquis and his help getting us through the process. The only hitch was with the payments with Airlink. With the first couple of us the agent wanted to charge for the ammo box. One of Marquis's agents quickly stepped in and showed them on their computer that we should only be charged for one bag and not two. With that settled the process went smoothly.

Fast forward to the return trip and the Qatar check in at Joberg. As Phillip mentioned there was only a single agent working the process. after a while a second agent showed up to her left and another one to her right. They both sat there not even thinking of helping the single agent who had a dozen of us in front of her. It took a little over 4 hours to get us all processed, I was one of the last through so it was a very long wait. We managed to be able to sit down for 30 or so minutes at the gate before loading. And I wondered what I was going to do with a 6 hour layover.

Customs in Dallas couldn't of been better. A couple of agents were working together, one checking our rifles and the other doing the rest of the paperwork to get us through. I waited for them to ask about my boots. They were in my suit case in a plastic bag but there was no mention of them.

Over all the flights were not too bad except for the length of the one from Dallas to Doha, then the 8 hr one to Joberg was a piece of cake. But being in the air a total of 36 or so hours takes a toll on a person. Younger folks handle it better than those of us pushing 70. But after a few days rest if someone was willing to pay for a trip back I would be the first in line.

 

[LWPhunt]

Great recap, thanks for the intelligence report, a few noteworthy take aways

 

[Tanks]

A couple of agents were working together, one checking our rifles and the other doing the rest of the paperwork to get us through. I waited for them to ask about my boots. They were in my suit case in a plastic bag but there was no mention of them.

Last August I had my boots in my carry on in a plastic bag for the anticipated spray. They did not ask for them. Maybe they no longer spray boots?

 

[Hunt anything]

Was that a giant shrimp or a tiny plate? That looked pretty tasty!

 

[Rare Breed]

View attachment 471737
Trip report AA-Qatar-Airlink

SJT-DFW on American Airlines
DFW-DOH-JNB on Qatar - A350-1000 & 777
JNB-PLZ on Airlink - Embraer E190

SJT departure AA 3953 1h 8m: AA agents in San Angelo were much trouble for us on check in. First of all the woman checking me in was asking for a RSA rifle permit. I totally shut her down and adamantly explained that there was no such thing available until we arrived in JNB. I got past that bit of poor training and then they were asking for our Covid test results. I asked why they were asking for them when it is typically just the international departure airline who asks for such documents. She said something about people not having the right paperwork and getting sent back home from an international flight. Whatever! Then she proceeded to tell me that she could not check our bags through to JNB. She said it was purchased on separate tickets and could not check through. Once again I began deliberately correcting her that AA and Qatar are OneWorld partners and as a matter of fact she can check bags through regardless of how the tickets were purchased. She said she was sorry and hit print for the bag tags and what do you know, it said JNB! She began apologizing profusely and we moved on to the next part of the journey. My friend Travis was departing from Austin and got the same run around from AA. They were wanting a gun permit from RSA. He gave up after trying to explain the situation to a manager and just checked to DFW. My friend Travis from Austin was trying to check in for his flight to DFW and ran into the same issue with AA and them wanting a rifle permit for RSA. He also told them there was no such thing and after speaking to a manager finally just checked to DFW. Seth from South Carolina ran into AA asking for a Qatar covid form which was not required. He finally got another agent to help him and he checked bags and rifle through to JNB.

DFW-DOH QR730 14h 55m

We arrived in DFW and went to have a meal at Pappadeaux seafood restaurant. Then we met up with more of our group in Terminal D to present the Qatar rifle paperwork to the gate agent just like we did last year. There was only one woman there who could not help us and said we had to go out of security and do the rifle forms and show the Covid tests and then come back through security. Well what a mess. Of course we get down there and most everyone on our flight was trying to check in last minute! We finished the process and headed to the gate. By the time we got there they were beginning the boarding process. I had 7 in business class and 9 in economy on this trip. Although I was a little rattled from the two unnecessarily difficult check in procedures, many of my group thanked me for navigating us through to this point. My wife Jennifer and I were in the Qatar QSuite business class double bed seats. These are rear facing seats and I had to get used to that. The business class seating, food, and service on Qatar is excellent. I personally enjoyed a great meal, drinks, and a James Bond marathon of movies. We all slept well even the guys and gal in coach got some rest. I always explain to my safari groups, when contemplating flight options, that economy get you there but the QSuite is an experience all by itself.

We arrived in DOH pretty close to on time and just had about 3 hours to explore the airport. We hit the duty free shop for some necessary supplies and then just explored the airport on our way toward our departure gate. Sadly we just didn’t have enough time to enjoy the business class lounge. I’ll get to report on the lounge after my Zim and Tanzania safaris later this year.

DOH-JNB QR 1368 8h20m

This is the shorter flight of the two. The meals and service are about the same as the first flight however I do not understand why they don’t serve a proper breakfast on a flight that arrives at 4am.

JNB Arrival: I had organized the @riflepermits.com VIP service for our group. This was just for the convenience of our large group as I’ve been there and done that so to speak. We got our luggage fairly quickly and we’re off to the SAPS office where Marius had our pre-approved rifle permits ready for us. All 16 of us were in and out of there in short order. I have always been happy with Riflepermits.com service at JNB. The Airlink check in is always fine but slow due to the fact that the ticket agents in Africa can’t take payments. You have to go to the business office to pay the rifle handling fee ($40) and any baggage fees. You are allowed 44lbs for your suitcase, 33lbs for the rifle case, and no charge for your locked ammo box which must be checked separately. With the rifles dropped off we went through security and then to Wimpy for some breakfast/lunch.

JNB-PLZ Airlink 4Z 797 1h 45m

This is a fun flight on a nice Embraer E190 which is one of the larger regional jets. The view of beaches, ships, and the port coming in to Port Elizabeth is really beautiful. Get a window seat!

Arrival At PLZ is uneventful and all of our luggage and rifles were there and in good order. My friend and PH Fred Burchell met us at the firearms room and really expedited the procedure! We were off on the one hour fifteen minute drive to Frontier Safaris camp.

Departure: We left camp at 8:15 AM and arrived at PLZ at 9:30.

Airlink 4Z 798 1h 50m:

Ticket agents were not available until 10:30 for our 12:30 flight. For 16 of us to navigate the Airlink rifle check in process it took 1.5 hours total. Once again the main hold up is simply paying for baggage fees and rifle handling fee. The delay has little to do with rifles and is just an antiquated process. Then it was time to go through security.

Somehow Patrick with TWG Travel Agency was able to get several of us business class seats (round trip) for an economy price! 4 of us were sitting in comfort up front on this short flight.

JNB Arrival:
We collected our luggage then we got our rifles from the little office by baggage claim. Each of us had to show SAPS form and passport and we were out of there. A long trek across the airport got us to the Qatar check in counter. This is where all progress was halted. Qatar had just one young woman to check us in. It was a slow process. We gave her our passport and Qatar rifle form and received boarding passes and luggage was checked in. Rifle cases had to go to the usual security office and then we went through security.

Shopping at JNB can be fantastic and many in my group bought gifts and then we headed to the Shongololo Lounge and awaited departure. The lounge is a welcomed retreat from the airport on a long layover. This one has very basic food and decent drinks. There are showers in this lounge however so that can be a plus for those with a long layover.

JNB-DOH Qatar 1368 8h 20m

We had good meals and service in business class once again. Economy passengers commented on having very good service and decent food. We had only 1 hour layover in DOH so there was no time to do anything but navigate the two security checkpoints and get boarded. For some reason on much of this trip Qatar was boarding the back of the plane first. Not so much fun if you are anticipating enjoying your QSuite.

DOH-DFW Qatar 729 14h 55m
Departed late at 8:30AM
We had good meals and service in business class. We did experience some turbulence on this flight that was enough that it was hard for me to sleep.

DFW Arrival- luggage was very slow coming out. Customs process was a breeze as always at DFW. Rechecking rifles was a bit of trouble as each AA person told a different story to each of us. They received some rifles at the AA counter and then later called the owner to come take it to TSA after we were gone. I was told to take mine upstairs to oversized baggage where the TSA gentleman made the process very easy and quick. I will remember this for next time.

DFW-SJT AA 3273 1h 12m
Departed late at 11:40, Arrived at 12:30
“Unruly passenger situation.” I was visiting with a gentleman just before take off across the row when the very sensitive male flight attendant asked us to stop talking while he did the announcements. We complied of course but wondered why he was so worried about two passengers having a conversation. A little while later he comes over and very smartly stands over us and asked in a very arrogant way if everything was alright. I said “everything is fine” but the other guy got a little testy with him. That was all it took for this flight attendant to throw the man off the plane and cost us a 30 minute delay as we approached midnight on our final leg home.

I love Africa and I love traveling but this trip was a whole lot more trouble than ever before. All of our flights were close to on time and no luggage was lost or delayed but I have a bad taste in my mouth over this one. As always I review all flight options with my travel agent annually so we will see what route we choose next time. Everyone traveling these days must know the rules of airlines and countries and be prepared to meet untrained and in some cases uncaring airline personnel.

Regards,
Philip
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Sounds like we want to avoid AA. Fortunately I travel starting in ATL so Qatar can work all the way given I don’t trust Delta either. Can’t wait for hunting report!!!

 

[Red Leg]

Being mother hen for sixteen is going to be a bit more stressful than for two or three.

 

[rookhawk]

Great chronology of events @Philip Glass and glad you had a good trip. This whole process points to the sheer artistry and know-how of complex travel. While you used additional expertise and services (riflepermits.com) it's clear you knew the policies and rules to the Nth detail and "stuck to your guns" when you were getting bad info of which you received a lot from ticket agents.

My question to you is in light of your last experience, what would you do differently next time if anything?

Some ideas that struck me would be: 1.) Don't tell domestic carriers you're leaving the country, keep the tickets separate. (different rules, keep them naive, assume you must recheck bags). 2.) With the number of guests you had, maybe a group charter flight in Africa would have been even-money or close to it, thus simplifying everything? 3.) Placate the ignorant by printing out duplicates of all the documents they do not actually need and just give them out anyway? 4.) Get pre-approval from SAPS so you can show them the SAPS permits in USA even though everyone usually gets them upon Jo'Burg arrival?

Thanks for sharing this great real-world experience.

View attachment 471737
Trip report AA-Qatar-Airlink

SJT-DFW on American Airlines
DFW-DOH-JNB on Qatar - A350-1000 & 777
JNB-PLZ on Airlink - Embraer E190

SJT departure AA 3953 1h 8m: AA agents in San Angelo were much trouble for us on check in. First of all the woman checking me in was asking for a RSA rifle permit. I totally shut her down and adamantly explained that there was no such thing available until we arrived in JNB. I got past that bit of poor training and then they were asking for our Covid test results. I asked why they were asking for them when it is typically just the international departure airline who asks for such documents. She said something about people not having the right paperwork and getting sent back home from an international flight. Whatever! Then she proceeded to tell me that she could not check our bags through to JNB. She said it was purchased on separate tickets and could not check through. Once again I began deliberately correcting her that AA and Qatar are OneWorld partners and as a matter of fact she can check bags through regardless of how the tickets were purchased. She said she was sorry and hit print for the bag tags and what do you know, it said JNB! She began apologizing profusely and we moved on to the next part of the journey. My friend Travis was departing from Austin and got the same run around from AA. They were wanting a gun permit from RSA. He gave up after trying to explain the situation to a manager and just checked to DFW. My friend Travis from Austin was trying to check in for his flight to DFW and ran into the same issue with AA and them wanting a rifle permit for RSA. He also told them there was no such thing and after speaking to a manager finally just checked to DFW. Seth from South Carolina ran into AA asking for a Qatar covid form which was not required. He finally got another agent to help him and he checked bags and rifle through to JNB.

DFW-DOH QR730 14h 55m

We arrived in DFW and went to have a meal at Pappadeaux seafood restaurant. Then we met up with more of our group in Terminal D to present the Qatar rifle paperwork to the gate agent just like we did last year. There was only one woman there who could not help us and said we had to go out of security and do the rifle forms and show the Covid tests and then come back through security. Well what a mess. Of course we get down there and most everyone on our flight was trying to check in last minute! We finished the process and headed to the gate. By the time we got there they were beginning the boarding process. I had 7 in business class and 9 in economy on this trip. Although I was a little rattled from the two unnecessarily difficult check in procedures, many of my group thanked me for navigating us through to this point. My wife Jennifer and I were in the Qatar QSuite business class double bed seats. These are rear facing seats and I had to get used to that. The business class seating, food, and service on Qatar is excellent. I personally enjoyed a great meal, drinks, and a James Bond marathon of movies. We all slept well even the guys and gal in coach got some rest. I always explain to my safari groups, when contemplating flight options, that economy get you there but the QSuite is an experience all by itself.

We arrived in DOH pretty close to on time and just had about 3 hours to explore the airport. We hit the duty free shop for some necessary supplies and then just explored the airport on our way toward our departure gate. Sadly we just didn’t have enough time to enjoy the business class lounge. I’ll get to report on the lounge after my Zim and Tanzania safaris later this year.

DOH-JNB QR 1368 8h20m

This is the shorter flight of the two. The meals and service are about the same as the first flight however I do not understand why they don’t serve a proper breakfast on a flight that arrives at 4am.

JNB Arrival: I had organized the @riflepermits.com VIP service for our group. This was just for the convenience of our large group as I’ve been there and done that so to speak. We got our luggage fairly quickly and we’re off to the SAPS office where Marius had our pre-approved rifle permits ready for us. All 16 of us were in and out of there in short order. I have always been happy with Riflepermits.com service at JNB. The Airlink check in is always fine but slow due to the fact that the ticket agents in Africa can’t take payments. You have to go to the business office to pay the rifle handling fee ($40) and any baggage fees. You are allowed 44lbs for your suitcase, 33lbs for the rifle case, and no charge for your locked ammo box which must be checked separately. With the rifles dropped off we went through security and then to Wimpy for some breakfast/lunch.

JNB-PLZ Airlink 4Z 797 1h 45m

This is a fun flight on a nice Embraer E190 which is one of the larger regional jets. The view of beaches, ships, and the port coming in to Port Elizabeth is really beautiful. Get a window seat!

Arrival At PLZ is uneventful and all of our luggage and rifles were there and in good order. My friend and PH Fred Burchell met us at the firearms room and really expedited the procedure! We were off on the one hour fifteen minute drive to Frontier Safaris camp.

Departure: We left camp at 8:15 AM and arrived at PLZ at 9:30.

Airlink 4Z 798 1h 50m:

Ticket agents were not available until 10:30 for our 12:30 flight. For 16 of us to navigate the Airlink rifle check in process it took 1.5 hours total. Once again the main hold up is simply paying for baggage fees and rifle handling fee. The delay has little to do with rifles and is just an antiquated process. Then it was time to go through security.

Somehow Patrick with TWG Travel Agency was able to get several of us business class seats (round trip) for an economy price! 4 of us were sitting in comfort up front on this short flight.

JNB Arrival:
We collected our luggage then we got our rifles from the little office by baggage claim. Each of us had to show SAPS form and passport and we were out of there. A long trek across the airport got us to the Qatar check in counter. This is where all progress was halted. Qatar had just one young woman to check us in. It was a slow process. We gave her our passport and Qatar rifle form and received boarding passes and luggage was checked in. Rifle cases had to go to the usual security office and then we went through security.

Shopping at JNB can be fantastic and many in my group bought gifts and then we headed to the Shongololo Lounge and awaited departure. The lounge is a welcomed retreat from the airport on a long layover. This one has very basic food and decent drinks. There are showers in this lounge however so that can be a plus for those with a long layover.

JNB-DOH Qatar 1368 8h 20m

We had good meals and service in business class once again. Economy passengers commented on having very good service and decent food. We had only 1 hour layover in DOH so there was no time to do anything but navigate the two security checkpoints and get boarded. For some reason on much of this trip Qatar was boarding the back of the plane first. Not so much fun if you are anticipating enjoying your QSuite.

DOH-DFW Qatar 729 14h 55m
Departed late at 8:30AM
We had good meals and service in business class. We did experience some turbulence on this flight that was enough that it was hard for me to sleep.

DFW Arrival- luggage was very slow coming out. Customs process was a breeze as always at DFW. Rechecking rifles was a bit of trouble as each AA person told a different story to each of us. They received some rifles at the AA counter and then later called the owner to come take it to TSA after we were gone. I was told to take mine upstairs to oversized baggage where the TSA gentleman made the process very easy and quick. I will remember this for next time.

DFW-SJT AA 3273 1h 12m
Departed late at 11:40, Arrived at 12:30
“Unruly passenger situation.” I was visiting with a gentleman just before take off across the row when the very sensitive male flight attendant asked us to stop talking while he did the announcements. We complied of course but wondered why he was so worried about two passengers having a conversation. A little while later he comes over and very smartly stands over us and asked in a very arrogant way if everything was alright. I said “everything is fine” but the other guy got a little testy with him. That was all it took for this flight attendant to throw the man off the plane and cost us a 30 minute delay as we approached midnight on our final leg home.

I love Africa and I love traveling but this trip was a whole lot more trouble than ever before. All of our flights were close to on time and no luggage was lost or delayed but I have a bad taste in my mouth over this one. As always I review all flight options with my travel agent annually so we will see what route we choose next time. Everyone traveling these days must know the rules of airlines and countries and be prepared to meet untrained and in some cases uncaring airline personnel.

Regards,
Philip
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[PARA45]

I had a little bit of a cluster f*ck moment with the Delta ticket counter. The lady (very nice by the way) informed me that my pelican case needed two additional locks, because there were two empty slots on my gun case. I had to go around all over the airport dragging my gun case looking for a store that had locks. I had to deal with rude store employees, and then a plastic container where the locks were that I couldn't open without the help of a knife, which no one has one at the airport. Luckily one lady at a store had a box opener, and that worked. Once I had four locks on my case, everything else went smooth. So, if your gun case has holes for 4, 5, 6, 7 or whatever number of locks, don't be surprise if the ticket agent ask you put one in each hole.

 

[rookhawk]

Great read! Thank you.

Next spring will be our first flight and safari to RSA.
We are not wealthy and on a budget.
What seating in a plain is worth any extra?
I truly do not know the difference from economy to main cabin or anything else. Where is the smart money spent and where is it not?
We plan to fly from Milwaukee or Chicago to Atlanta then Joburg.

Why fly from MKE or ORD to ATL? Get a flight from ORD to JHB direct! Emirates departs at Chicago O'Hare at 8pm, connects via Dubai, and gets you right into JHB on a single carrier with a fool-proof rifle permit process that you as passenger do yourself. (the best process I've seen so far)

 

[buckshot85]

Why fly from MKE or ORD to ATL? Get a flight from ORD to JHB direct! Emirates departs at Chicago O'Hare at 8pm, connects via Dubai, and gets you right into JHB on a single carrier with a fool-proof rifle permit process that you as passenger do yourself. (the best process I've seen so far)

Whenever I have looked for flights that has never been an option.
No rifle for me. Using the outfitters.

 

[rookhawk]

I had a little bit of a cluster f*ck moment with the Delta ticket counter. The lady (very nice by the way) informed me that my pelican case needed two additional locks, because there were two empty slots on my gun case. I had to go around all over the airport dragging my gun case looking for a store that had locks. I had to deal with rude store employees, and then a plastic container where the locks were that I couldn't open without the help of a knife, which no one has one at the airport. Luckily one lady at a store had a box opener, and that worked. Once I had four locks on my case, everything else went smooth. So, if your gun case has holes for 4, 5, 6, 7 or whatever number of locks, don't be surprise if the ticket agent ask you put one in each hole.

100% true. Every hole on a gun case must be filled with a lock. This is TSA nonsense of which I can recount you with hilarious tales ad nauseum. Because they are also imbeciles and break locks to get inside, I always bring spare locks with me. Your trouble is always leaving the USA dealing with TSA, getting your stuff back in the USA is easy...they'll let anything slip through. Bring extra TSA locks and extra non-TSA locks. If possible, buy all your TSA locks with the same TSA key-code on them. I buy in person rather than online so that all my locks have keyset 007. This is because TSA has childlike temper tantrums trying to use their master keys and if you give them an item that has 2-4 TSA locks that all require a different master key, they just break the locks. Then they smirk at you and say "you can't fly with this, all the locks are broken, have a F*ing nice day you capitalist swine".

I've watched them do this to me, I reach into my carry on, whip out more locks, and move forward.

Postscript: I've filed twice for lock replacement due to their breaking my locks. Both times, TSA denied my $20 claims with a "tough luck" attitude.

 

[Pheroze]

I always explain to my safari groups, when contemplating flight options, that economy get you there but the QSuite is an experience all by itself.

Business class is a game changer! I arrived without that dopey, hungover feeling. I found myself looking forward to it on the way back!

Thanks for the informative report!

 

[rookhawk]

Business class is a game changer! I arrived without that dopey, hungover feeling. I found myself looking forward to it on the way back!

Thanks for the informative report!

Another cure for the dopey-hangover feeling is to get an AMEX platinum card. They have a membership fee of $550 per year but there are benefits that self-fund this. 1.) You get a $200 credit each year for your favorite declared domestic carrier, 2.) You get free Boingo wifi access on flights that offer it. 3.) You get Priority pass lounge access so you can drink/eat/nap at every airport I've ever visited. 4.) You get AMEX centurion lounge access in cities that have it for more drink/eat/nap avoiding what would be uncomfortable and expensive fast food at airports. 5.) You get a statement credit for your Global Entry / TSA Pre every three years which is a substantial benefit. 6.) No foreign transaction fees when you need to buy something on CC. 7.) If you use AMEX travel for your booking, you get 5x points and if you redeem points for a flight they kick back 40% of them to you as an incentive. 8.) The AMEX point is the most powerful of any loyalty point and you can hit a button on your phone and convert them to miles, hotel rewards, or anything you need to do instantly to "top up" for enough points with your various airline and hotel loyalty programs for a free upgrade, room, flight, etc. 9.) It also gives you $25 in uber credits kicked back every month.

As a frugal person, this is one area where I pay the extra money. It pays for itself in just one round-trip visit with myself and a companion in the amount of food/drink we avoid buying at airports...and we get a decent nap during a connection stop too.

 

[MTA]

Thanks for the report. Those Qsuites look outstanding

Thanks, Philip!

I was able to get my ticket for this Oct a few weeks back for Premium select around $2500. This is for DFW -> ATL -> JNB