Any feedback comparing British Airways vs Qatar travelling to SA with firearm?

[xbr897]

I have two options to get me to JNB for my hunt. I can do British Airways going SEA-LHR-JNB in BA's First class (though LHR-JNB was 'downgraded' to business class) or I can go on Qatar SEA-DOH-JNB in Business (Q suite only on SEA-DOH). I have read Qatar is great with firearms handling, and that BA is not as good. But, how bad really is BA? As I understand it, I'll have to pay BA a 125GBP firearm inspection fee at check-in both in Seattle for outbound and JNB for return, so that's about $340 added on to trip cost. That is ~$125 more than rifle rental but has me using my own gun I'm comfortable with as well as my own ammo vs buying ammo at outfitters costs.

I'm trying to judge if BA is going to be a major pain to deal with. Due to them downgrading me on LHR-JNB & back, and the EC261 rules, the cost of flying R/T on BA is about the same as what it cost for just my return flight on Qatar. So, I'm financially inclined to go with BA. Just want to know if I'm going to regret it or it will cause me headaches dealing with them.

 

[spike.t]

Nothing wrong with BA via Heathrow....as I have stated multiple times on here the gun cases are handled by the security company to take off the plane ...store then place on next plane ...this is one reason for the handling charge....and there are people on here who have flown same route without issues...think @PHOENIX PHIL is one...you need to inform BA in advance you are travelling with firearms..can't remember how many days the time frame is....

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I have two options to get me to JNB for my hunt. I can do British Airways going SEA-LHR-JNB in BA's First class (though LHR-JNB was 'downgraded' to business class) or I can go on Qatar SEA-DOH-JNB in Business (Q suite only on SEA-DOH). I have read Qatar is great with firearms handling, and that BA is not as good. But, how bad really is BA? As I understand it, I'll have to pay BA a 125GBP firearm inspection fee at check-in both in Seattle for outbound and JNB for return, so that's about $340 added on to trip cost. That is ~$125 more than rifle rental but has me using my own gun I'm comfortable with as well as my own ammo vs buying ammo at outfitters costs.

I'm trying to judge if BA is going to be a major pain to deal with. Due to them downgrading me on LHR-JNB & back, and the EC261 rules, the cost of flying R/T on BA is about the same as what it cost for just my return flight on Qatar. So, I'm financially inclined to go with BA. Just want to know if I'm going to regret it or it will cause me headaches dealing with them.

Yes, I have flow to JNB on BA. We flew from Phoenix to London to Joburg, opposite on the way back. We had no issues with guns. But as I have stated before, I made sure I was following the advice of others. Fly on BA only, and transit Heathrow only. No other airlines and don't get Gatwick involved. Doing so can complicate matters from what I've been told.

We had no issues with BA either. I flew on BA when I was a kid numerous times to see family in the UK. I can't say BA is operating at the standard it once was. It's ok, no big complaints but no wow factors either. And yes we had to notify BA in advance for the firearms, again no big deal as I recall. It's been a few years since that trip so some details I've forgotten.

The newest int'l terminal at Heathrow is quite nice. Plenty of places to get a meal/drinks and do some walking about. I would not be opposed to getting to Africa again this way. But there are other alternatives now that for me work better.

I flew on Qatar for the first time in 2019. I met up with my hunting buddy at his place in Austin, TX a few days before we left on QA via Houston.

You also have to notify QA of traveling with firearms and make sure you get email notifications back that all is good. You may need this at check-in in case they drop the ball.

Doha airport is huge but also very clean. If you fly biz class with them you also get a pass to their Al Mourjan lounge. From what I've read, the new Q-Suite's on QA are fantastic by the way.

Overall I'd say QA was a better experience than BA, but not a huge difference. If the total cost is going to be about the same, then I think I'd be paying more attention to flight schedules and layover times.

Whatever the case in the age of Covid, even to Joburg I think I'd employ the use of a travel agent. Flying internationally without an agent on your side as an advocate could be bad.

 

[Philip Glass]

Certainly you can do either. I advise using an agent and flying Qatar. The agent can tell you exactly what fare classes are being offered and the current flight loads for your itinerary. This helps in deciding when to book. Some times booking early can be good and sometimes waiting can be better. Qatar overall will be the better airline for guns and overall service. Personally I am not going to or through Europe any time soon.
Philip

 

[Red Leg]

I have flown both. If there is any chance that mask rules will still be in place at the time of departure (and to date Biden and the Dems seem unwilling to get out in front of the unmasking parade) a Qatar Q Suite will be a much much more comfortable ride.

 

[wesheltonj]

BA is getting new Business class seats and should be LHR fleet wide by the end of the year. I have flown BA from IAH to JNB. First you have to call BA about 72 hours before your flight and let them know you are carrying a firearm. They want caliber and make and model. Once you are approved you are good to go. At the airport you will complete your paperwork. Make sure you keep a copy as the agents at JNB are contractors and not the smartest folks alive, but as long as you have your copy you are good. It’s just expensive to carry a firearm on BA. As stated above don’t fly AA metal to LHR and then BA metal to JNB, your gun is not happening. Don’t change airports In London unless you have a very very long layover. You should arrive T5 and depart T5, if so you should have zero problems. Now if you T5 to T3 make sure you have adequate layover time.

And what ever you do don’t fly BA on a short flight, that’s Comair and they don’t carry firearms. Use Airlink.

 

[xbr897]

Re: Travel Agent - As the flights are already booked I can't un-ring that bell and re-book with a Travel Agent. Prices have gone up significantly, almost double. Although, I'm a fairly savvy traveler with over 10 years flying 100k+ miles a year, it would be nice to have comfort of having someone watch over my flights while I'm unavailable out hunting. Just don't know of any agents that will watch over existing bookings or have any ability to do anything about them if they didn't book them.

With BA flights being booked in First class, I'm very much looking forward to time in the Concorde room in LHR. Before COVID I used to enjoy lounge hopping in LHR. But with COVID I'll be perfectly fine in Concorde room lounge.

For BA, my flights are all actual BA flights SEA-LHR & LHR-JNB. No other carriers involved. I will be booking separate flights on SA Airlink to get JNB to PLZ & back. For flights to/from PLZ, I have them booked the day after I arrive and the day before I depart, to have some cushion in case of schedule changes for SA Airlink flights.


Regarding BA's fees , for someone with experience - Do they charge the 125GBP for rifle case & ammo case since its SA requirement to check them separately? They mention that the do not charge an additional baggage fee for the ammo box, but they don't explicitly mention how they handle the inspection fee.

 

[JimP]

It has been mentioned but one of the huge pluses of using a travel agent is that if something happens to one of your flights while you are out of communication range they can take care of it. You may not find out about it until it is too late to do anything about it.

Also as far as agent charges, on my first trip to Africa I looked at doing it myself. By the time that I was done and paid the agents fees I flew cheaper than I would of if I would of booked my own flights. Plus they picked up a schedule change by one of the airlines a week before we left on our trip. Instead of me running around like a chicken with my head lopped off trying to reschedule a flight on one of my legs they took care of the problem.

That right there paid for their fee.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Been reading about pros and cons to using a travel agent.
I have used Jennifer at Travel Express my last 3 trips and for current trip 4 this year. She has saved me a lot of headaches.
2018 first trip had a little hiccup in return flight about 3 days before departure. One email to her and all fixed. Trip 3 was a nightmare and she saves the day. 2021 trip the day I was to depart Houston became ill and running High fever. First call was Ph advising not making plane. Second to Jennifer. Within 2 hours she had me scheduled for one week later departure, full refund on original ticket and new ticket with same airline at price I originally paid. Not higher price as they were asking.
For this years trip we have had to change up travel 3 times already because I keep adding days to safari and change airlines twice.
I will never travel without using a travel agent. She has been the best at sorting things out.

As for Qatar. Flew with them for first time last year. Houston Doha Johannesburg
QSuites. One of the best flying experiences ever. Masks were not really pushed to wear if you were in Q suite and door was closed. Very clean and Doha lounge was amazing. Would be flying with them this year but travel dates and arrival time don’t work for this trip. Going United Polaris this trip. Jennifer got it at price I couldn’t refuse

 

[wesheltonj]

You have good timing. The Concorde Room has reopened from its Covid closure. BA just charges a fee each way for the gun box, the ammo box no charge. It will ride in your check bag. At the airport, in front of the BA agent, you will place it in your checked bag.

Your BA app will watch over your fights. If you use an agent, you can’t do crap on the app, everything thru the agent. And don't put your Airlink flights on your BA reservation, it screws up the BA app.

 

[Novice Huntress]

Hi Xbr897 how you doing?

Interesting to read the thread regarding BA. Check again the charges, you may find it's £125 per box each way, plus there could be an additional charge in JNB? So if carrying rifle case and ammunition case as per SA rules £250 each way!
Also you must contact them at least 72 hours before you travel!

BA are not to friendly to traveling hunters with firearms. On UK forums BA are not at all well regarded. Qatar Airways have a better reputation.

I was in JNB with a party of returning hunters 2016, BA guys really struggled in getting on their returning flight with their firearms, proper last minute before the gate was closed on them!

Perhaps the use of an agent handling the flights could give some peace of mind, make sure you have that email trail.

I flew to SA in 2019 via Qatar Airways, economy we had a really good service, carried our firearms via their system, which can be slow but it did work well and at no additional costs, just a touch slow in JNB getting checked in on the flight, again having that email trail helps!

Spending first class or business class money I'd like to think you would receive a decent service! Qatar business possibly the best there is at the moment!
The only downside is BA is direct to SA from LHR whereas Qatar is via Doha, good excuse to visit their modern airport.

We used Qatar in 2020 just before CV19 struck, good service.

We are going to SA in April May 2022 and shall use Qatar Airways and Airlink internal.
I would see if you get some decent feedback from someone who has just used BA recently to way up the pros and cons.
Rgds

 

[wesheltonj]

Mine was for the gun only and each way. The ammo goes into your check bag.

 

[xbr897]

If it were same cost, I'd definitely choose QR's Q-Suites over BA's Business class. I've flown Q Suites for many flights now and their service is top notch. However, there are other factors in play here that leave me looking to understand the trade-offs for flying BA.

The biggest one is cost as even with the firearms inspection fees, the BA tickets are likely going to end up as only $600 more for round trip than I'd pay for one-way on QR. And that is flying in First class on BA for SEA-LHR and Business (in their new biz suites according to seat map) for LHR-JNB. There are other benefits as well, mostly related to frequent flier program status and accumulating miles, so as long as travelling with firearms is not overly onerous, I'd like to fly on BA.

As for checking in at JNB, my plan is to fly PLZ-JNB on one day and then depart JNB on BA the next. As there is a BA Lounge in JNB, I'm fine arriving early to the airport. I do also already have booking with Africa Sky to assist with firearm permits for inbound as well as checking in for outbound, so I feel pretty good about that part as well.

 

[Robmill70]

I have two options to get me to JNB for my hunt. I can do British Airways going SEA-LHR-JNB in BA's First class (though LHR-JNB was 'downgraded' to business class) or I can go on Qatar SEA-DOH-JNB in Business (Q suite only on SEA-DOH). I have read Qatar is great with firearms handling, and that BA is not as good. But, how bad really is BA? As I understand it, I'll have to pay BA a 125GBP firearm inspection fee at check-in both in Seattle for outbound and JNB for return, so that's about $340 added on to trip cost. That is ~$125 more than rifle rental but has me using my own gun I'm comfortable with as well as my own ammo vs buying ammo at outfitters costs.

I'm trying to judge if BA is going to be a major pain to deal with. Due to them downgrading me on LHR-JNB & back, and the EC261 rules, the cost of flying R/T on BA is about the same as what it cost for just my return flight on Qatar. So, I'm financially inclined to go with BA. Just want to know if I'm going to regret it or it will cause me headaches dealing with them.

Why are those your only 2 options? i'm flying Delta, Seattle to Atlanta to JNB

 

[Scott CWO]

Why are those your only 2 options? i'm flying Delta, Seattle to Atlanta to JNB

Delta requires way more FF miles for free or discounted tickets.

 

[xbr897]

Why are those your only 2 options? i'm flying Delta, Seattle to Atlanta to JNB

I'm very much invested in the OneWorld alliance. For this trip, flying on BA I can earn a large amount of miles when flying in premium cabins. For Qatar, their Q Suite product is a great miles redemption value.

 

[wesheltonj]

I'm very much invested in the OneWorld alliance. For this trip, flying on BA I can earn a large amount of miles when flying in premium cabins. For Qatar, their Q Suite product is a great miles redemption value.

And that just got better, now that Qatar is using Avios points, with a 1 to 1 transfer from BA to Qatar.

 

[ianevans]

Just returned from SA on friday using BA You will be charged for ammo seperately from rifle also staff in Joberg had no idea what to do and overcharged me about $100 . decided to pay it and try and reclaim over here when i can communicate better with them . allow a lot of time. I stood at checkin for 50 minutes

 

[Doug3006]

I haven’t flown BA but I have flown Qatar. No issues traveling with rifles and ammo. Great airlime.

 

[xbr897]

After thinking it all over, and talking to the outfitter some more, including their warnings about dealing with JNB airport staff, the questions around firearms handling is all moot now. I've decided with this being my first Africa trip to just rent a rifle and make it easier. If I like the Africa experience then I'll consider dealing with taking my own rifle hassles on future trips.