Alternatives to Travel With Guns (TWG) in San Antonio, TX?

[Philip Glass]

Emirates is all on-line, very simple and more end-user friendly then Qatar.

Firearms | Submit a form for your request | Help | Emirates

Complete the form to request approval to carry personal firearms on your upcoming Emirates flight.

www.emirates.com

Good to know. Qatar has always been paper but super easy. The issue this year was they made a new form without telling anyone. So we had to fill it out at the counter. No big deal.
So when you get to the check in counter Emirates staff can see your form? What if they say they can't find it? You know how airport staff can be!
Maybe I'll get to fly Emirates in the future.

 

[Philip Glass]

I’ve used both of the popular TA services referenced in this thread. They both quoted similar prices for my 2022 Safari. I was booking for 4 of us total. At the time, I was able to get the same flights for a savings of $625 per person. I had access to the same airlines, flights, and seats so I booked them myself and helped the others in my group save $625 each.

My point is that I would have, and will, save time and money booking familiar flights to my destinations. That does not diminish the value of a Travel Agent/Agency to others. It only provides my first hand experience to others that may be looking for “Alternatives”.

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There are people that go out and pay Window Sticker price for a new vehicle from a car dealership. I’m not one of those types. I like to uncover value, find a good deal, discover an alternative process that may require a small effort on my part but result in less dependency on others. That’s likely more due to my nature than anything else. If I goof up and it doesn’t work, I’ll post about it…

Emirates flight August (This year); I struggled with the idea of the unknown of using a different carrier, route, airport to transit through, their rules for rifle and ammo transport, lay over times, and changing planes in a different country. I felt the need for changing flights to avoid flying Delta (I had 2 terrible trips in a row with Delta to 2 different countries) and having to waste an extra night staying in Joberg. Emirates got me to JNB in the am without any hassles, delays, or impacts. I chose a longer layover on the front leg because I wasn’t certain of how they would handle my riffle and ammo transport. I reduced that layover significantly on the return leg and it worked out great for my final destination. No delay or impact through Delta, great exit row seats with a lot of room for my long legs (I’m 6’-2”), no Atlanta shoe douche and rifle recheck, no lost gear or rifles, and an overall rewarding experience. I will book Emirates flights again myself for next year once I sort out my Safari plans.

To each their own…

I was wondering if you confronted the agents with the price difference? It would be interesting to know if there was a reason for it. If one is comparing apples to apples (same route & same type of ticket) it should be the same price. Thanks for letting us know your experience.

 

[Philip Glass]

Hi @Philip Glass yes we handle all aspects of the Emirates approval.

Thank you!

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

I was wondering if you confronted the agents with the price difference? It would be interesting to know if there was a reason for it. If one is comparing apples to apples (same route & same type of ticket) it should be the same price. Thanks for letting us know your experience.

I’m not certain of the exact circumstances that resulted in better ticket prices at the time almost 3 years ago. I use the carrier (Delta) App to check on ticket prices. I was surprised that I could find a better price. I wasn’t interested in wasting more time negotiating or waiting, so I just booked them myself. Same flights.

I sent a thank you email and noted the ticket price I procured. I don’t recall a response.

**Again, this is my first hand experience to provide information that could lead to alternative option of an unfamiliar process. I also appreciate the service that a Travel Agency may provide. I’ve used both TA referenced in the past.

 

[Philip Glass]

I’m not certain of the exact circumstances that resulted in better ticket prices at the time almost 3 years ago. I use the carrier (Delta) App to check on ticket prices. I was surprised that I could find a better price. I wasn’t interested in wasting more time negotiating or waiting, so I just booked them myself. Same flights.

I sent a thank you email and noted the ticket price I procured. I don’t recall a response.

**Again, this is my first hand experience to provide information that could lead to alternative option of an unfamiliar process. I also appreciate the service that a Travel Agency may provide. I’ve used both TA referenced in the past.

One thing that comes to mind on this subject that I've seen quite a bit is the layovers you choose. For instance we see a good TA demanding a 3 hour layover before the international flight typically. When searching flights one might see a difference in the fare for say a 90 minute layover versus the longer one. The reason I bring this up is that we all see the posts here and on other socials of the guy who has already bought the tickets and is now asking if a certain layover is going to work. This just one the doomsday scenarios I see all too often from the guy who bought his plane tickets on his phone.
One thing is for sure and that is airfare is a moving target!

 

[Rellik]

I fly a fair bit domestically, sometimes with gun, and always book those flights myself. Flying out of a regional, non- International airport doesn't leave me with a lot of options, so it's easy. But, as a total newbie flying to a different hemisphere with a firearm, I needed all of the guidance I could get. I booked my upcoming (and first) trip to SA with Nicole at Gracy. She was patient with my questions and prompt to communicate options. We shall see how smooth it all goes. Hopefully all of the travel related horror stories I read about on this forum are the exceptions rather than the norm. Knowing I have the travel agent's services at my disposal should trouble arise, and the added comfort of their VIP airport escort service makes the small extra fee I paid seem like a no brainer.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I fly a fair bit domestically, sometimes with gun, and always book those flights myself. Flying out of a regional, non- International airport doesn't leave me with a lot of options, so it's easy. But, as a total newbie flying to a different hemisphere with a firearm, I needed all of the guidance I could get. I booked my upcoming (and first) trip to SA with Nicole at Gracy. She was patient with my questions and prompt to communicate options. We shall see how smooth it all goes. Hopefully all of the travel related horror stories I read about on this forum are the exceptions rather than the norm. Knowing I have the travel agent's services at my disposal should trouble arise, and the added comfort of their VIP airport escort service makes the small extra fee I paid seem like a no brainer.

Good moves. At Tambo, Bruce will be of great assistance.

 

[fourfive8]

Yes, Bruce is “The Man” around OR Tambo.
I have used Gracy for all my Africa hunting trips. This year using them for a non-hunting trip to a completely different, international destination in July. Nicole at Gracy has been very pleasant to work with.

 

[wesheltonj]

Nicole at Gracy booked my rather complicated vacation & hunting trip combo. IAH to JRO, ARK to ZNZ, ZNZ to KGL, KGL to NBO, NBO to ARK, JRO to IAH.

 

[revturbo9967]

@TRAVEL EXPRESS is who I used and will use for my next trip