Traveling thru Frankfurt to Windhoek Namibia

[steamking]

We will be leaving Montana on May 8 to New York. Change planes for a long trip to Frankfurt Germany, and landing in Windhoek Namibia on 5am may 10. I would like to know if anyone as any tips on getting thru Frankfurt airport, We will be changing air carriers, so will claim guns and baggage.

 

[Red Leg]

I am surprised you can't check your luggage all the way through to Windhoek. I have been that route twice (recently as last summer) and even with a ten-hour layover had no difficulty checking bags all the way through (United and then Air Namibia). With the longish layover, I had reserved a day room at the airport hotel (Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel) - easy walk from the terminal. Had a good lunch, great shower, fabulous looooong nap, and was ready for the overnighter on to Windhoek.

 

[BRICKBURN]

If going thru Frankfurt, as long as your arriving airline has a baggage agreement with the connecting airline, then it is not a problem.

But, if for any reason you need to take possession of your guns, even just to take them to another airline, you need a Transit permit there too. So check with your airlines and booking agents on this subject.

If you need further help with Frankfurt, send me an e-mail, and I’ll forward more info.

Referenced article on AH:

Hunting - What Your Hunting Consultant “Forgot” To Tell You

 

[TRAVEL EXPRESS]

steamking~ What carrier are you taking from Montana to New York?

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

You may want also want to check out the following article Importation or Transiting Procedures Through Countries with Weapons & Ammunition, once on that page under the section Weapon / Ammunition Transiting Procedures by Country scroll down to Germany Weapon / Ammunition Transiting Procedures.

As mentioned by Red Leg and BRICKBURN's, I would try to check all luggage (except of course carry on luggage) and firearm through to your final destination airport, Windhoek Airport. Get in contact with the airline that is taking you to Frankfurt to find out if they will transfer your luggage to Air Namibia so that you don't have to pick them up in Frankfurt.

You will find Air Namibia's check-in counters at Frankfurt Airport in Terminal 2. You will more than likely arrive in Terminal 1. Frankfurt Airport has presently two passenger terminals adjacent to each other, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 (T1 & T2). Both are connected by the Sky Line monorail and the free journey takes about 2 minutes once on board. The Sky Line monorail is accessible to passengers in transit who have not gone through customs (so you don't have to go through security) or from the German side of the airport.

The suggestion by Red Leg to take a day room at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel on your way to Africa is excellent, the hotel is connected to Terminal 1 and is easily accessible by an enclosed catwalk, a five minute walk from the Air Namibia check-in counters. This is what I usually do.

There are lots of lounges, places to rest and sit, restaurants, bars, shops... inside the airport while in transit waiting for your flight, however you should know that once you have passed customs to enter Germany, Frankfurt Airport has not that many interesting things to offer from that side. Once you have gone through the German customs, you will need an Air Namibia boarding pass to be able to re-enter the transit area in either Terminals, so if you are not going to stay at the Sheraton, I would suggest trying to stay within the transit area...

 

[Uncompahgre]

I sure hope you are not going through JFK. My experience of going through JFK with guns was "interesting" to say the least. I vowed never again. From Montana I would have gone to Denver and a direct flight to Frankfurt from there.

 

[steamking]

Lori, Iwill be on Delta thru New York to Frankfurt, then transfer. I couldn't get back to you sooner, there was walleye upriseing on Ft Peck that I had to quell. thanks again steamking

 

[TRAVEL EXPRESS]

That's OK, steamking - hope you were successful at Ft Peck! I have a list from Air Namibia of carrier's that have an interline baggage agreement with them and Delta is one of them so you should be able to check your baggage from Montana to Windhoek and vice versa. I hope you have a great safari and enjoy Namibia.

Safe Travels!

 

[driehoek]

Frankfurt Windoek is usaually no problem.
It some times is a hic up travelling via Jo'burg windhoek. Clients luggage is delivered up to 3 days later.
Please check carefully when going through Jo'burg. It is not Windhoek.
The problem is in Jo'burg! We are looking for a solution!
Any tips
Margie

 

[Bert the Turtle]

If you have a reasonable amount of time, don't hesitate to get a train into town and have a decent meal. The train back to the airport runs on time so you don't have to worry about missing your flight. Put your bags in the bag check and enjoy the layover. The airport doesn't have much to do.

 

[rnunez]

I have a few questions regarding transfering through Frankfurt with weapons which I can't seem to figure out from the this thread or from the transferring page on this website. I will be travelling through Frankfurt May 13, 2012 on the way to Windhoek. I will have a 12 hour or so layover and US Airways does not have a transfer agreement with Air Namibia, so I will need to claim my rifles.
1. Can the German Weapon Transfer application be emailed to the emailed address noted or faxed or must it be sent via mail?
2. My very limited German tells me that the the application should also be used for the transferring of ammunition as well, but where should I write down the amount and type of ammo? The boxes only seem to refer to weapon models and their serial numbers.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as the time of my hunt is quickly approaching.

Thank you.

(Great website by the way!)

 

[Uncompahgre]

Munez,
You hit on a topic that I believe very few people know about and that is luggage transfer agreements between airlines. This issue becomes very important on international flights especially with firearms. I have always made it a requirement that there is a transfer agreement in place before I book my flights. Fortunately, I can fly Lufthansa into Frankfurt who does have an agreement thus no problem. I have no solution to your problem. Good luck.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

I have a few questions regarding transfering through Frankfurt with weapons which I can't seem to figure out from the this thread or from the transferring page on this website. I will be travelling through Frankfurt May 13, 2012 on the way to Windhoek. I will have a 12 hour or so layover and US Airways does not have a transfer agreement with Air Namibia, so I will need to claim my rifles.
1. Can the German Weapon Transfer application be emailed to the emailed address noted or faxed or must it be sent via mail?
2. My very limited German tells me that the the application should also be used for the transferring of ammunition as well, but where should I write down the amount and type of ammo? The boxes only seem to refer to weapon models and their serial numbers.

1. I would fax the German Firearm Importation Permit Form and follow up with an email to them.
2. You need to write down the ammunition just after your firearms(s), in the same boxes that you refer being for the weapons. For the ammunition; under (kind of) just note "Ammunition" and under (serial number) just note "Not Applicable".

 

[rnunez]

Unfortunately the price difference for a flight from the west coast was pretty significant or else Luthansa would of been the way to go. Not to mention I believe it's a more comfortable flight.

Thanks.

(Uncompaghre,,, Colorado I'm assuming??? NICE.. love hunting in that part of the state.)

 

[rnunez]

Thank you Jerome. I will do exactly that. Once I get this figured out I will post my results
for future members to reference.

 

[Uncompahgre]

rnumez,
You are correct on the area, western Colorado is a great place to live and hunt. I hope Jerome's suggestions will help you. I don't know how to value the hassle factor but I have been willing to pay more (to a point) to avoid the very problems you are going through. I hope you get it sorted out and have a great hunt.

 

[Red Leg]

I may have missed something, but on two trips to Namibia, my bags, to include rifles and ammunition, remained in transit. Virtually all airlines out of the US have agreements - Unless something changed in the last couple of months, Delta and United do so. Of course you have to check your bags through at departure.

 

[rnunez]

I recieved my German Firearm transportation with no problem and within about 2 days. On Jerome's recommendation, I followed up my faxed application with an email and they responded back with a PDF copy of the stamped permit via email.

Quick and painless. Anyone going this route should double check the baggage agreements between their airlilne carrier to Frankfurt and their airline carrier to Namibia. If for some reason they do not have an agreement in place, this is a quick solution. Hope it helps. Thanks

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Thanks for the update rnunez, nice to hear that they were efficient!

 

[Ryan]

As a quick add on to this. I recently got back from a trip to Namibia travelling through Frankfurt. While I didn't need a transfer permit I attempted to get one to cover the bases. from the sounds of things it would be a fast process. As of early April it was not. I sent an email to them and got an instant reply that the permit would take at least a month to process and to not reply to them I would get the form sent to me. I didn't even receive the permit form for 3 weeks and I got another email with it stating this would take a few weeks to process. I only had a week or so to go til my trip so I looked everything up and it still said transitting without picking my firearms up was ok as long as it was ticketed through. So I went with that and it worked out fine. There was an interesting converstation with US Airways ticketing concerning this since they have it on their site that I'd need it, but eventually they ticketed them through and I got them in Windhoek no problem. So word to the wise, if you need the permit, start a couple months prior now jsut to play it safe.