Africa Report - Travelling with Guns
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:45 pm
South African Airways must be the most gun friendly airline there is.
This was the fourth time I was flying from Mumbai to Johannesberg with them and as usual their courtesy could not be faulted.
One is allowed 30 kgs on this sector. I was carrying my R 93 with only one barrel, still the gun and case weighed 9.5 kgs. So too my shotgun - 9.5 kgs. And my ammo case came to 4.5 kgs.
The lightest I could make my personal luggage was 15 kgs, not counting my hand luggage.
MO 3 Shooter who was accompanying me was 22 kgs overweight with his two barrels and large Mauser case and shotgun and ammo.
But no problem, SA Airwys did not consider the weight of the guns and ammo.
And coming back, we were even heavier. This time it was a little more complicated, but a few smiles and warthog jokes pulled us through again.
Also, the Jo'berg airport weapons inspection was relatively smooth and some thoughtful soul had put the latest hunting magazines to read while the papers were being processed.
All in all not a bad experience.
This was the fourth time I was flying from Mumbai to Johannesberg with them and as usual their courtesy could not be faulted.
One is allowed 30 kgs on this sector. I was carrying my R 93 with only one barrel, still the gun and case weighed 9.5 kgs. So too my shotgun - 9.5 kgs. And my ammo case came to 4.5 kgs.
The lightest I could make my personal luggage was 15 kgs, not counting my hand luggage.
MO 3 Shooter who was accompanying me was 22 kgs overweight with his two barrels and large Mauser case and shotgun and ammo.
But no problem, SA Airwys did not consider the weight of the guns and ammo.
And coming back, we were even heavier. This time it was a little more complicated, but a few smiles and warthog jokes pulled us through again.
Also, the Jo'berg airport weapons inspection was relatively smooth and some thoughtful soul had put the latest hunting magazines to read while the papers were being processed.
All in all not a bad experience.