Travelling to South Africa for a Hunt, Looking for airline and route advice

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Loosehead

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G'day. To keep my spirits up I am starting my planning for a big game hunt in RSA. My Bru is a proper PH and during my visit last year took me up to Pilanesburg for a 2 day safari and invited me back for a hunt (before he hangs up his gloves). So, here I am, lurking and learning for the most part and awaiting my PAL so I can get to work on my marksmanship. We'll be going after plains game (edible stuff) and with some luck he'll be able to hook us up so I can see rhino darting up close and personal like. We might even go after buff so I can get one of the big five (their tenderloin is apparently quite good).
Has anyone ever stopped off en route to/from Africa for hunting? Ideally I'd get a week or two in the UK en route (catching a few EPL games as the season will end late next year) then continue to RSA but the little reading I've been able to find suggests this is not a reasonable option. Struth, it's looking likely I will have to transit through the USA rather than Europe.
Also, any guidance on which airlines are hunter friendly for international travel (as well as hunter hostile) is most welcome. I've already been cautioned to avoid British Airways with hunting equipment.

FWIW I found an earlier thread on hunting in South Africa in this forum with some great advice but thought it best to start a new one rather than resurrect something from 4 years ago.

FYI, my shoulder surgery is tentatively scheduled for October/November this year so it should be healed enough (thanks again for your comments and advice). If not then the hunt gets pushed back to September. And of course it all depends on the pandemic emergency being relaxed and relatively free travel is allowed.
 
Connect AC Toronto to Sao Paulo; layover in transit area to connect with SAA direct to Joburg. You get to JNB around 07:30 and SA Police Firearms office is at the airport

BTW - Good lounge in Sao Paulo if you go in business, otherwise a nice clean airport with lots of shops in transit area.

BTW - Enjoy, buffs make great biltong
 
I’ve heard it’s best to avoid going through the US with firearms (possible, but a PIA) I brought back 2 firearms with me last August, and flew with Swiss Air / Air Canada via Zurich, no problems. A friend did the same but with BA via London no problems. For me the biggest risk is handing your firearms over to incompetent people in SA on the way back and hope like hell it makes it onto the flight. When I go again for another trip, I’ll rather arrange to use a loaner rifle that side....much less hassle and stress.

Enjoy the planning and the trip, skiet raak boet.
 
Donkin said:
I’ve heard it’s best to avoid going through the US with firearms (possible, but a PIA) I brought back 2 firearms with me last August, and flew with Swiss Air / Air Canada via Zurich, no problems. A friend did the same but with BA via London no problems. For me the biggest risk is handing your firearms over to incompetent people in SA on the way back and hope like hell it makes it onto the flight. When I go again for another trip, I’ll rather arrange to use a loaner rifle that side....much less hassle and stress.

Enjoy the planning and the trip, skiet raak boet.
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daarom gaan ek nie meer daarheen nie
 
medvedqc said:
i will avoid saa and i used a lot saa/sal in those days.

the delta flight from new york can be a good idea when it will resume.
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NY-Joburg is a bear of a flight, longer than London-Cape Town I reckon. I took a redeye form YYZ to LHR on BA last year and selected the 20h00 rather than 10h00. Spent the day in London, caught up with some friends, had a great lunch then jump on the tube back to Heathrow. I'll look into Delta though, never flown with them so might be a good option.

Donkin said:
I’ve heard it’s best to avoid going through the US with firearms (possible, but a PIA) I brought back 2 firearms with me last August, and flew with Swiss Air / Air Canada via Zurich, no problems. A friend did the same but with BA via London no problems. For me the biggest risk is handing your firearms over to incompetent people in SA on the way back and hope like hell it makes it onto the flight. When I go again for another trip, I’ll rather arrange to use a loaner rifle that side....much less hassle and stress.

Enjoy the planning and the trip, skiet raak boet.
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Danke my Bru! I like BA personally so was heartbroken to read in the other thread they should be avoided. Never flown Swiss but they have a great rep so another proper option to be considered. What I'd REALLY love to do is spend a few days in London and catch some football but travelling with the equipment, probably too big an ask...
 
Fastest way in my experience has been Toronto - Frankfurt -Joburg Even did that route once on an around the world ticket which included Joburg-Singapore-Seoul-Vancouver-Toronto.
More relaxing as mentioned is the Toronto-London-Joburg flight with BA or Toronto-Amsterdam-Joburg (at least you get the little houses filled with gin from KLM, I have a nice collection LOL)
Longest is the flight via New York - did that once and with weather delays etc then unplanned stop in the Canary Islands was over 30 hours to get there. But lovely views of thunderstorms crossing over the Atlantic at night.
Have not done the Sao Paolo flight but have heard it was pleasant and the comment about the airport is correct, nice place to wander.
AVOID Air France - did that once and the only nice thing I would say is the food was very good. After that......
That is always a long way so have lots of reading material.
Had a meeting one time in Joburg with a client that I told my supervisor we could do over the phone and he pushed to go personally. Landed at 6am, meeting at 9am. Finished at 10am and back to the hotel for a rest and on the flight back with the same flight crew that evening. Not fun......
 
SAA is not the carrier is used to be but the SAO - JNB flight is direct and you get to Joburg reasonably human. You can stay at one of the hotels right at Tambo for your connecting flight or hop the Gautrain into the city - like Sandton and wander the mall and have a few beers and lunch.

Here is some info about transiting UK, France, NL, Germany with firearms. You may want to revise your desire to visit any of those places on this trip or as one of the other posters suggested, arrange to rent / borrow a firearm from your PH. YMMV...

https://www.shakariconnection.com/transiting-with-firearms.html
 
mineguy said:
Fastest way in my experience has been Toronto - Frankfurt -Joburg Even did that route once on an around the world ticket which included Joburg-Singapore-Seoul-Vancouver-Toronto.
More relaxing as mentioned is the Toronto-London-Joburg flight with BA or Toronto-Amsterdam-Joburg (at least you get the little houses filled with gin from KLM, I have a nice collection LOL)
Longest is the flight via New York - did that once and with weather delays etc then unplanned stop in the Canary Islands was over 30 hours to get there. But lovely views of thunderstorms crossing over the Atlantic at night.
Have not done the Sao Paolo flight but have heard it was pleasant and the comment about the airport is correct, nice place to wander.
AVOID Air France - did that once and the only nice thing I would say is the food was very good. After that......
That is always a long way so have lots of reading material.
Had a meeting one time in Joburg with a client that I told my supervisor we could do over the phone and he pushed to go personally. Landed at 6am, meeting at 9am. Finished at 10am and back to the hotel for a rest and on the flight back with the same flight crew that evening. Not fun......
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The glamour of business travel! I'm almost crying just thinking about this - 50 hour round trip for an hour face time. Must've been a REAL good (big) client...

Snowballs said:
SAA is not the carrier is used to be but the SAO - JNB flight is direct and you get to Joburg reasonably human. You can stay at one of the hotels right at Tambo for your connecting flight or hop the Gautrain into the city - like Sandton and wander the mall and have a few beers and lunch.

Here is some info about transiting UK, France, NL, Germany with firearms. You may want to revise your desire to visit any of those places on this trip or as one of the other posters suggested, arrange to rent / borrow a firearm from your PH. YMMV...

https://www.shakariconnection.com/transiting-with-firearms.html
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My mate lives in Pretoria so assuming I fly to JNB, I'd stay at a hotel until we head off. I took uber from JNB to my hotel in Sandton last year. They warned that thieves will sometimes work the Gautrain so I reckoned with my luggage, better safe than sorry. Quadruple if I have "equipment" with me. He'll help me handle all the import stuff to RSA. I doubt we will leave RSA for Namibia or Zim but if we do, he's got us covered there too. Thanks for this link, I'm also planning to check with the UK High Commission re: if I and where I could store my equipment for a few days while I enjoy London.

Thanks again for the replies and guidance. En om my Afrikaans te help oefen. Ek het die seuns in Kaapstad belowe dat ek die taal in Toronto sal "rep" (I promised the lads in Cape Town I would rep the Taal in Toronto)!
 
Loosehead said:
The glamour of business travel! I'm almost crying just thinking about this - 50 hour round trip for an hour face time. Must've been a REAL good (big) client...



My mate lives in Pretoria so assuming I fly to JNB, I'd stay at a hotel until we head off. I took uber from JNB to my hotel in Sandton last year. They warned that thieves will sometimes work the Gautrain so I reckoned with my luggage, better safe than sorry. Quadruple if I have "equipment" with me. He'll help me handle all the import stuff to RSA. I doubt we will leave RSA for Namibia or Zim but if we do, he's got us covered there too. Thanks for this link, I'm also planning to check with the UK High Commission re: if I and where I could store my equipment for a few days while I enjoy London.

Thanks again for the replies and guidance. En om my Afrikaans te help oefen. Ek het die seuns in Kaapstad belowe dat ek die taal in Toronto sal "rep" (I promised the lads in Cape Town I would rep the Taal in Toronto)!
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Yep the client had been great. But that was just a stupid trip. $11K for the round trip business class ticket on short notice. The client had us for 4 months living at The Ranch just outside of Potgietersrus (Mokopane now) working on a nickel platinum project called Platreefs. Great Canadian connection with that hotel. The owners mother was a Canadian nurse who came over from Nova Scotia in WWII. She met his father, married and had a working ranch which became a lovely resort. They also raised lions for various movies also and spent time with those raising them and the new babies. Developed a taste for biltong, warthog and kudu. Just incredible people there and tremendous story of that place. Very blessed to have spent time there and certainly look fondly back at that time even with the brutal flights. That and cruising on the N1 at 180 km/hr in a VW Golf and having a diesel BMW pass me pulling a venter trailer pass me. LOL
 
I did two red eyes YVR-Franfruit and then down to Johannesburg. And a short one up to Harare.

I sometimes work crazy work hours but I was able to stay awake watching movies on my first flight and what’s nice about Frankfurt is it’s the same time zone as your destination. So I was able to get my sleep schedule quicker and my PH said in 20 years I was the only North American to not show jetlag!!!

But firearms I have heard, can be more hassle going this route!
 
If I was going I would rent a rifle from the outfit
Less hassle for traveling
Plus it will be suppressed so not loud

Toronto to Atlanta to RSA would be ok I think
 
dan belisle said:
Used to fly to south Africa a lot for work. Overnight from Edmonton to the UK (about 8 hrs). Then there to Jo'berg. (Another 7 or 8, depending. Not sure I would take any firearms through the UK these days though. - dan
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I'm looking into the rules now. S/b fine so long as I don't need to switch airports, they'll just go straight through.

Bigbubba said:
If I was going I would rent a rifle from the outfit
Less hassle for traveling
Plus it will be suppressed so not loud

Toronto to Atlanta to RSA would be ok I think
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If it isn't practical to travel with my equipment that's what I'll do. I can borrow one from my friend as he's a PH and has several large bores he can bring along. But I know he loves his .375 and I'd prefer to use one I'm familiar with. Plus, I'm building up a collection...
Atlanta top Joburg is 8400 miles. It hurts to think of sitting in a tin can that long. Striuth I'm leaning to connecting via Sao Paulo or Europe. It'll depend on cost and restrictions. Some Europ countries are not firearms friendly and I'd need paperwork even if just in transit. And I'll also need to consider the full ticket price.
 
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