Ethiopian Airlines - Anxiety in Addis Abada

[Sika98k]

I'm doing the same route on July. But not bringing a firearm.

For what it is worth, having gone through Addis a couple of times. If you go the business class lounge even if not business class, they will get someone to take you to clear your rifle.

@LivingTheDream , thanks for the heads up on that.

 

[Altitude sickness]

A thread like this has a huge amount of value. Saving someone that level of stress and time can’t be measured. It’s strange that a travel agent wouldn’t send a quick note on the step by step process to follow in that particular airport.


As a matter of fact. Instead of dealing with the same issues and questions, rebooking missed flights. I would think it would be easier to build a generic template for each leg of each itinerary I sell. Do it one time instead of answering the same questions for each client.

 

[Fixfire]

A thread like this has a huge amount of value. Saving someone that level of stress and time can’t be measured. It’s strange that a travel agent wouldn’t send a quick note on the step by step process to follow in that particular airport.


As a matter of fact. Instead of dealing with the same issues and questions, rebooking missed flights. I would think it would be easier to build a generic template for each leg of each itinerary I sell. Do it one time instead of answering the same questions for each client.

My thoughts exactly! Thanks for posting.

 

[Philip Glass]

Staffing at airports everywhere seems to be degrading in quality each time I fly. It simply amazes me that people can work daily in a job and still seem so clueless, like it’s their first day and they’ve been abandoned to figure it out themselves. The handling of luggage and firearms in particular are becoming a giant pia. It’s a burdensome process with all the rules, it’s a pia when the ones you have to deal with in the process don’t know the rules themselves.

So true. I take big groups on safari with people checking in at different airports. Same airline, same day, same itinerary (basically) and vastly different check in experiences! One of the funniest experiences was with a group flying AA-Qatar to JNB. The AA agent insisted we ( I had 10 people standing right behind me to check in guns and bags with me) would have to recheck in DFW. I told her she was mistaken and she popped off about how long she had been on the job. I again stated that this ticket was booked by a TA and we could check through. She said no again, hit print and the bag tags and what do you know they all said JNB! She was red faced and began apologizing.
You are correct in that they simply do not know their job. Every day is a crap shoot flying these days.

 

[Philip Glass]

Stories like this help cement my decision to forego hunting in Africa unfortunately.

This is sad and ignorant and the main reason I work so hard to help people get to Africa for the first time. Please just use a TA and follow the advice of those of us who have done it many, many times. Oh yea and take your own gun!

 

[Philip Glass]

I’ve only flown Ethiopian on one trip. Going to was fine. I was met off plane and all went well. The return trip it seemed every plane landed at 9 pm and airport was incredibly busy. No one was waiting for me. I was however able to find someone to help me and clear my rifle. I barely made flight but made it. It created a lot of stress. I’d fly Ethiopian again but I’d prefer not to. The serial number check in baggage handling is completely unnecessary. I will add though I’ve flown Qatar twice now. They will not accept firearms from partner airlines. Claiming bags and rifle and making it to a different terminal in Chicago or Dallas then finding someone who knows gun procedure is also a stressful experience. For most trips I’m going to fly to Johannesburg direct from US, overnight, and take airlink the next day to wherever I’m going. It’s a lot less stressful.

I agree Delta is the overall pick for most situations. Qatar will accept rifles and bags from partner airlines if it is ticketed by a TA and is on one ticket. But as we all know the staff are poorly trained and do not know the rules. This applies to all airlines and airports!

 

[Altitude sickness]

So true. I take big groups on safari with people checking in at different airports. Same airline, same day, same itinerary (basically) and vastly different check in experiences! One of the funniest experiences was with a group flying AA-Qatar to JNB. The AA agent insisted we ( I had 10 people standing right behind me to check in guns and bags with me) would have to recheck in DFW. I told her she was mistaken and she popped off about how long she had been on the job. I again stated that this ticket was booked by a TA and we could check through. She said no again, hit print and the bag tags and what do you know they all said JNB! She was red faced and began apologizing.
You are correct in that they simply do not know their job. Every day is a crap shoot flying these days.

I had the exact opposite leaving Michigan on American Air to Chicago for Qatar to Doha.

The American woman at check in said she was checking everything all the way to Harare. I said I think I need to collect and check my firearms back into Qatar air in Chicago. She was insistent. So I think cool, less hassle.

We had a long layover since AA canceled our midday flight. So we booked the airport hotel. While chilling out I get a call asking where I was they were frantic. Unclaimed firearms.

No biggie. Plenty of time to deal with it. But undue stress.

Then on return the Qatar internal airport security called my rifle scopes firearm parts. They were going to confiscate a lot of $ worth of scopes, 4 total. It took two more levels of seniority to get it corrected. More undue stress from uninformed employees. And I had their own rules printed out repeatedly showing them their rules. No impact on them whatsoever.

Note to self check rifle scopes next trip.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Qatar, in Joburg, is/was a goat rope. I had my firearms paperwork and the agents were using their phones to make copies, then printing them. When I realized what they were doing, I told them I had copies of everything. On the other hand, Airlink in RSA is generally knowledgeable about firearms, even the 20k limit on gun cases.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Oh that is a good reminder, bring 5 copies of everything, passport photo, 4457, anything that you are bringing. It will speed the process up. Seems like everyone wants a copy.

I would also like to quote the head of security at Addis when we were in bowls of the airport. "Sir, there nothing I want more than for you and your rifle to be on that plane". It is a hassle but they aren't trying to play games, and for the most part are super friendly.

 

[DieJager]

Oh dear, this doesn’t make particularly good reading. I’m wheels up in eighteen hours to Windhoek via Frankfurt and, you’ve guessed it, Addis Ababa. Two hours forty minutes of a layover
My previous experiences have been ok. The security/ serial number check in the recesses of baggage handling are a PITA. Never missed a flight before. There’s always a first time.

Two of the German hunters in my camp in Namibia flew through Addis Ababa. They missed their flights due to the tight layover. They thought they could save some bucks going through there instead of the direct flight from Frankfurt.

They said it was a major PITA. Next time they would pay the extra fees for flying with a rifle. The direct flights from Germany come with a hefty rifle fee.

Hope your layover time is long enough. Safe travels and enjoy!

 

[dogcat1]

Stories like this help cement my decision to forego hunting in Africa unfortunately.

;What you experienced in Addis is not abnormal in Africa. I have cleared in 10 minutes in Zim, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Botswana.
I have taken several hours in CAR, Cameroon, Zambia and the good old USA.
I took 30 minutes or so in Tajikistan and Ethiopia but paid $200 extra for meet and greet and expedited service.

If expedited service is offered, take it.

Better yet, use local guns..... I do that most of the time nowadays and am selling my rifle collection....
If anyone is intereseted in fine rifles, contact me.

 

[RedTag]

Can we take a boat instead?

 

[Hogpatrol]

Can we take a boat instead?

Sure. Have a month to spare?

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[Sika98k]

Two of the German hunters in my camp in Namibia flew through Addis Ababa. They missed their flights due to the tight layover. They thought they could save some bucks going through there instead of the direct flight from Frankfurt.

They said it was a major PITA. Next time they would pay the extra fees for flying with a rifle. The direct flights from Germany come with a hefty rifle fee.

Hope your layover time is long enough. Safe travels and enjoy!

Sitting on the plane on the tarmac in Dublin airport the clusterf##k has already started.
Despite ringing Ethiopian twice to tell them we were bringing rifles and being assured that no further action was needed we were told our rifles were not booked and should be at least 48 hours prior to departure.
Like with who ?
I think I’ll slowly suck a Valium now. At least we are off and will use camp rifles.
However I will miss using my Rigby.
Usually, always, in Europe I fly with Lufthansa. The €80 fee is bearable. However the high price on the tickets and the €250 fee each way with firearms is a bit onerous.

 

[DieJager]

Sitting on the plane on the tarmac in Dublin airport the clusterf##k has already started.
Despite ringing Ethiopian twice to tell them we were bringing rifles and being assured that no further action was needed we were told our rifles were not booked and should be at least 48 hours prior to departure.
Like with who ?
I think I’ll slowly suck a Valium now. At least we are off and will use camp rifles.
However I will miss using my Rigby.
Usually, always, in Europe I fly with Lufthansa. The €80 fee is bearable. However the high price on the tickets and the €250 fee each way with firearms is a bit onerous.

That sucks. Next time, especially hearing this, if bringing my own rifle, I will suck it up and pay the extra fee. Too many bad stories with Ethiopia airlines and rifles.

Hopefully this is the only hiccup for you and you'll have a great time. Luckily in Namibia camp rifles are not too bad.

 

[Andrew62]

A thread like this has a huge amount of value. Saving someone that level of stress and time can’t be measured. It’s strange that a travel agent wouldn’t send a quick note on the step by step process to follow in that particular airport.


As a matter of fact. Instead of dealing with the same issues and questions, rebooking missed flights. I would think it would be easier to build a generic template for each leg of each itinerary I sell. Do it one time instead of answering the same questions for each client.

I have written out a very detailed description of my experience, each way through Addis, and sent it to Hannah at Gracy Travel.

 

[Whit]

Oh dear, this doesn’t make particularly good reading. I’m wheels up in eighteen hours to Windhoek via Frankfurt and, you’ve guessed it, Addis Ababa. Two hours forty minutes of a layover
My previous experiences have been ok. The security/ serial number check in the recesses of baggage handling are a PITA. Never missed a flight before. There’s always a first time.

Shoot, Condor Airlines (Lufthansa subsidiary) has a weekly-ish cheap flight direct from Frankfurt to Windhoek. Suggest you look into this next time.