Ethiopian held guns & lost connection

[Tusker]

Hi! First time I heard about an airline pulling fireamars for inspection on a layover in Addis Abeba. This was Ethiopian Airlines coming from the USA heading to Zimbabwe.

Long story short our client called us from the airport hotel at ADD explaining that the airline called him to show some paper work. They took him to a room to check the gun case, that obviously was everything correct, assuring that he wouldn't loose the connection to VFA. He did loose the connection and they have put him in a hotel without his firearm nor his suitcase. We do not know yet if those pieces made it to the plane on time and maybe they departed.

Hopefully he will arrive tomorrow and everything will be in place.

Has this ever happened to anybody here?

Definitely will stop recommending Ethiopian Airlines to my clients. I always recommend to fly with Qatar Airways or Ethiopian Airlines.

 

[mark-hunter]

Has this ever happened to anybody here?

Standard procedure. Authorities check firearms in transit, serial numbers and documents.

 

[Surgeon1]

I’ve used Ethiopian including this last trip a month ago, but the one thing I will tell you do not walk away from your incoming flight until there is a representative there to escort you to the Firearms checkpoint insist that that happens rather than have them rush you through security by getting you on the bus when they unload you on the tarmac Otherwise you will miss your flight
Gone is the day that they have a representative meet those with Firearms passengers listed on a board to escort you to the dungeon for law-enforcement to Check your Firearms. It’s up to you to figure it out and unless you’ve done it before a big issue. They always have very short layovers so u must be on ur toes and finding a representative that speaks English can be a challenge

 

[Rider717]

Ugh.

I'll be travelling through ADD next week on my way to Tanzania. Ethiopian Air is the fastest way from Atlanta. Any other helpful information for making the stop over and gun check less painful? This is about the only part of the journey that is causing anxiety so far.

 

[375Fox]

It’s standard procedure there. I’d fly other routes for that reason if pricing is similar. They take you to baggage handling area and open the gun case in transit to verify serial numbers against US 4457 or your gun license. It’s been discussed in a lot of threads here.

 

[375Fox]

Ugh.

I'll be travelling through ADD next week on my way to Tanzania. Ethiopian Air is the fastest way from Atlanta. Any other helpful information for making the stop over and gun check less painful? This is about the only part of the journey that is causing anxiety so far.

If you search my username for the word Ethiopian I’ve wrote about it a lot. Bring multiple copies of your Ethiopian firearm declaration form, your 4457, and I always have copies of my passport as well. Be prepared to give a firearm declaration for every flight you get on, but if you have a partner airline connection in US make sure you declare firearm to Ethiopian gate agent on first real Ethiopian flight. If no one is waiting for you in Addis Ababa make sure you find someone to help. The process worked good on my way there and I was met off plane but it was a busy airport on my way back and I had to find someone to help with rifle. It’s a major inconvenience but flying Ethiopian isn’t that bad.

 

[Mountaineer]

Have 8 copies of your 4457 and 8 copies of Ethiopian Airline firearm declaration form with you. Have your passport in hand. When you step off the plane tell the first person you see with a green jacket you need to verify your firearms. It will be a rodeo, but they will quickly take you to the dungeon, verify your gun, and your gun n your way. If you don’t have copies of the two documents you’re in for a long wait and difficulty. If the green coat person appears a little confused asked the next person with a green coat also. Good luck!

 

[Surgeon1]

If you search my username for the word Ethiopian I’ve wrote about it a lot. Bring multiple copies of your Ethiopian firearm declaration form, your 4457, and I always have copies of my passport as well. Be prepared to give a firearm declaration for every flight you get on, but if you have a partner airline connection in US make sure you declare firearm to Ethiopian gate agent on first real Ethiopian flight. If no one is waiting for you in Addis Ababa make sure you find someone to help. The process worked good on my way there and I was met off plane but it was a busy airport on my way back and I had to find someone to help with rifle. It’s a major inconvenience but flying Ethiopian isn’t that bad.

100% agree with above

 

[Rider717]

Have 8 copies of your 4457 and 8 copies of Ethiopian Airline firearm declaration form with you. Have your passport in hand. When you step off the plane tell the first person you see with a green jacket you need to verify your firearms. It will be a rodeo, but they will quickly take you to the dungeon, verify your gun, and your gun n your way. If you don’t have copies of the two documents you’re in for a long wait and difficulty. If the green coat person appears a little confused asked the next person with a green coat also. Good luck!

Thank you! That's the intel I needed. Where do you get the Ethiopian firearms declaration?

 

[Mountaineer]

Travel Express website has it.

 

[Sika98k]

Ugh.

I'll be travelling through ADD next week on my way to Tanzania. Ethiopian Air is the fastest way from Atlanta. Any other helpful information for making the stop over and gun check less painful? This is about the only part of the journey that is causing anxiety so far.

Look at the Ethiopian website. It’s been a few (4) years since I flew with them but IIRC you require 3 copies of your passport, 4457 or firearms licence and something else which escapes me at the moment.
You will need the same on your return journey. Put 1 set in your rifle case.
6 copies in total ! Got that ?

ok, @Mountaineer may have more up to date info than myself and yes it was the Ethiopian airlines declaration form I was forgetting.

 

[Mort Hill]

All in all, Ethiopian good airlines and transit with guns in Addis Ababa is your first real experience with adjusting to “African” time and processes. As stated above, don’t panic, come prepared, be firm but with a smile, and assert yourself when others in the same que are just standing around with thumbs in their butts. I have transited through ADD many times with guns. Never not made my flight and always got my weapons. It has been touch and go sometimes, even being taken up back stairs of boarding gate to be last one on the plane. Now days, I also use AirTags to give me some peace of mind that my guns made flight along with me. I think the underlying knowledge that Ethiopian Air, nor Ethiopia, want your guns left at the airport in their possession is feeling that things will work out no matter how chaotic the process seems(present OP story withstanding). Enjoy your hunt@Rider717!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

OP needs to add something to his company's website re AirTags in guncases. Ends the guesswork about where the guns are at any given moment ... on the ground anyway.

I should add that I use android so AirTags don't work with my phone. The workaround is my daughter has an iPhone. She tracks the guncase from here in Ontario and texts me these images of where it is located. Works just fine. I always know where my guns are (except in flight).

 

[JimP]

OP needs to add something to his company's website re AirTags in guncases. Ends the guesswork about where the guns are at any given moment ... on the ground anyway.
View attachment 619304

Doesn't work unless you have a Iphone.

After a few dealings with Apple years ago I refuse to even look at their products. And while they are coming out with them for android phones they still have bugs to work out.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Doesn't work unless you have a Iphone.

After a few dealings with Apple years ago I refuse to even look at their products. And while they are coming out with them for android phones they still have bugs to work out.

I was editing my post while you posted this one. I use an android phone but my daughter has iPhone. She tracks my guns from home here in Ontario and texts me those screenshots of where the guncase is located. It's proven to be a good workaround.

 

[leslie hetrick]

i only take my firearms on hunts in the usa and never had a problem, i took my long time good friends advice on my six trips to africa to hunt. i hunted with the same person on all six trips and used his firearms and ammo, in return i brought things from the US he had a hard time getting in africa. it would have been nice to use my own firearms, but to me it was not worth the chances of losing them to theft or with breaking unknow laws. rifles used were a .243- 7mm mag-300 wm-9.3x62-375 h&h.

 

[LivingTheDream]

If you start to get the run around in Addis, just go to the first class lounge. They will get on the phone and someone will come get you to take you down below.

 

[Rider717]

Another question for those that have travelled via Ethiopian. How are the seats on the plane? Is it worth spending $120 to upgrade to a bulkhead seat with extra legroom? Looking at my flight there are multiple open rows in the back that would allow me to almost lie down if no one buys the other seats. Did you notice if there were open seats on your flights?

 

[Mountaineer]

All the Ethiopian planes I have been on were full and overhead storage at a premium. I have always paid for balk head seating. It’s also at the exit door so you deplane after first class. You want the additional time for the rifle verification.

 

[30.06king]

Only flown Ethiopjan twice, coach each time and flights were absolutely full. On one of these flights I found my seat occupied when I reached it. Despite a couple of polite requests the gentleman stubbornly refused to budge. Didn't want to instigate an incident so went and found a stewardess and asked for help. This short lady immediately rocked up to the interloper, giving him both barrels at point blank range. Wow, I was impressed and gratefully claimed my seat. Yep, no mistaking Ethiopian is an African airline but I would fly them again anytime.