Frankfurt firearms and baggage transfer from Lufthansa to Discover Airlines?

[x84958]

I purchased a Lufthansa ticket from Texas to Windhoek on “single purchased ticket” with a transfer in Frankfurt to Discover Airlines. Again, this was a single purchased ticket - I didn’t buy a separate ticket from Discover as Lufthansa had it all in a single package.

Does anyone know if I have to reclaim my firearm and recheck it in Frankfurt? I’m trying to avoid the hassle of rechecking bags and firearms.

I called Lufthansa and the agent said yes, I had to recheck my luggage but I could tell he didn’t really know the answer. So I called Discover Airlines and the agent said the firearm will go all the way though from Texas to Namibia without rechecking in Frankfurt.

Appreciate any advice on this.

 

[Killo]

Following

 

[sniper7]

From my understanding everything should be fine without reclaiming.

I’m booked from Denver to Frankfurt to Windhoek in July and everything shows booked through

Discover is a partner of Lufthansa

Verify you notified Lufthansa 72 hours prior that your are bringing guns.

It’s very doable on the app. Let them know your details with serial numbers and ammo, dimensions etc

 

[NTX]

You won’t have a problem as long as you get the appropriate permit for the Frankfurt airport. I have done this twice with Lufthansa/discover. Also, if you call Lufthansa and add a firearm to your booking, you will not get charged the firearm fee when you check in at the airport.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I will let you know as I am getting ready to do this same flight, starting in IAH. You also need a Frankfurt permit to transit with firearms/ammo. Thirty day lead time is suggested, but can get in in 2 weeks.

 

[pimes]

sniper7 has already said everything ... From my knowledge = there is "only for transit" no special permit needed in Frankfurt - important: weapon has to checked trough from Denver to Windhoek!!!

 

[Doug3006]

I booked a single ticket from St. Louis to Windhoek via Frankfort for my trip in April. Lufthansa from STL to FRA and Discover from FRA to WDH. I didn’t have to claim and recheck my rifle in FRA. Lufthansa owns Discover and so there’s no issue.

 

[Reg26]

I booked a single ticket from St. Louis to Windhoek via Frankfort for my trip in April. Lufthansa from STL to FRA and Discover from FRA to WDH. I didn’t have to claim and recheck my rifle in FRA. Lufthansa owns Discover and so there’s no issue.

I can report the same experience last May, same airlines via Frankfurt. Luggage checked all the way to destination. I did NOT have to claim my rifles.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

I had a return from JNB to Anchorage last May with stop in Frankfurt. Was told the same, shouldn’t have to claim and recheck. Also saw varied reports from not needing the permit to then needing it even if just transit in the airport, to not needing it really but folks still having serious issues and confusion by local law enforcement. Ultimately, is spent the few minutes and few bucks it took to do the permit just in case. If going through Frankfurt again, I’d do the same. When I got off my Lufthansa flight in Frankfurt, I received a text notice that my Discover flight was totally cancelled. Within 2-hours they had me rebooked with Lufthansa and United so made it home, just two extra flights and my luggage took different routes entirely.

Never had to claim and recheck my bags, Lufthansa said they’d be on my flight and everything in place. Nope. Saw the AirTag for my Rigby was more than 500 yards away as boarding and never made a move as we started taxi. Land in Chicago, go to get my other luggage and nothing. Go through customs totally empty handed. Bags arrive in Anchorage within a couple hours of me, but my rifle doesn’t. It shows up in Newark the following day where it stays for a few days. I finally get it back 4-5 days after I arrive, my locks cut off, new locks installed without a key I have to grind off and my trusted traveler status revoked…apparently because I didn’t present the customs form when it came through. End of the day, customs promptly fixed my trusted traveler as it was done in error, they system showed I had the form and my firearm entered the country a few thousand miles and a day differently from me.

This wasn’t the first mixup I’ve had with Lufthansa and Frankfurt. Accordingly, I don’t trust a thing I hear for assurances and cover my end should things change, stall, cancel. I avoid Frankfurt if flying with a firearm and if I must go through there, I get the permit. Only takes a few minutes on line and less than $30 USD if I remember correct.

 

[channelkat]

Following

 

[Betterinthebush]

I’m boarding onto Lufthansa transferring from united in Chicago. Javier from Travel with Guns had everything in order and our approval from Lufthansa over a month ago. I did not have to physically recheck my bag, but they (Luft) would not clear my final boarding passes through to Windhoek until I produced my luggage receipts from all checked luggage and produced a copy of my Namibian Visa (guess they didn’t want me stuck..?).

Any how, alls well. Get a travel get like Travel With Guns. Your life will be so much simpler and stress free.

 

[x84958]

I’m boarding onto Lufthansa transferring from united in Chicago. Javier from Travel with Guns had everything in order and our approval from Lufthansa over a month ago. I did not have to physically recheck my bag, but they (Luft) would not clear my final boarding passes through to Windhoek until I produced my luggage receipts from all checked luggage and produced a copy of my Namibian Visa (guess they didn’t want me stuck..?).

Any how, alls well. Get a travel get like Travel With Guns. Your life will be so much simpler and stress free.

Always an adventure with a new item needed like the Namibian Visa ahead of time in the U.S. before the airline even lets you on!

I was tracking Namibia changed the rules for U.S. travelers this year (2025) requiring us to pay for the Namibian visa at the WDH airport or online before leaving the States.

Showing the Namibian visa before boarding the Lufthansa plane in Chicago makes it sound mandatory to apply for the Namibian visa online well ahead of time.

I’ll have to find a different route next safari…I’m already locked in with the plane tickets this year.

 

[Betterinthebush]

@x84958 ok, last report on this route. I’m on 6hour layover for the Discovery flight. The Lufthansa flight landed, got off, went straight to the Lufthansa help desk, asked if the Discovery flight was still assigned to the same gate. It is. I told him I had all my documentation for weapons and ammunition transfer for Germany and Lufthansa. He scanned my baggage claim tickets, said we have been checked and cleared all the way through to Windhoek. Got to the gate and did the same just to be sure and double check with the gate agent. She asked for my ticket and baggage claim ticket, looked up my info, smiled and said our weapon and bags are checked through to Windhoek. We put air tags in everything and I can see that they are together in a caddy one terminal over in “B”.

I’ll definitely take this route again. Now that I’m wet. A lot of help from someone on the forums said to have everything from passport to visas to legal docs for all countries copied several times and put into folders for individual countries. Best advice ever. The Lufthansa babe in Chicago that asked for our visa to verify we were leaving Germany with my weapon complimented my wife on her organization and she seated us in priority boarding for making her life easy.

HTH

 

[x84958]

@x84958 ok, last report on this route. I’m on 6hour layover for the Discovery flight. The Lufthansa flight landed, got off, went straight to the Lufthansa help desk, asked if the Discovery flight was still assigned to the same gate. It is. I told him I had all my documentation for weapons and ammunition transfer for Germany and Lufthansa. He scanned my baggage claim tickets, said we have been checked and cleared all the way through to Windhoek. Got to the gate and did the same just to be sure and double check with the gate agent. She asked for my ticket and baggage claim ticket, looked up my info, smiled and said our weapon and bags are checked through to Windhoek. We put air tags in everything and I can see that they are together in a caddy one terminal over in “B”.

I’ll definitely take this route again. Now that I’m wet. A lot of help from someone on the forums said to have everything from passport to visas to legal docs for all countries copied several times and put into folders for individual countries. Best advice ever. The Lufthansa babe in Chicago that asked for our visa to verify we were leaving Germany with my weapon complimented my wife on her organization and she seated us in priority boarding for making her life easy.

HTH

That’s awesome news! Sounds like it’s a positive route for low-hassle firearms travel via Lufthansa, Frankfurt, and Windhoek!

Good luck with the hunt! I’ll be right behind you next week

 

[DAK]

Just did the Seattle-Frankfurt-Windhoek route in April-May, didn’t have time to get my Frankfurt firearms permit but had zero issues and no one asked for it. The rifle and ammo was checked all the way through. Maybe I got lucky but it was very smooth.

 

[Betterinthebush]

Ok, finally final last final message on this thread. Arrived in Windhoek @8am local exactly.

By having the preprinted visa in hand my wife and I ripped through C&I faster than anywhere else I’ve ever traveled to, with or without a weapon. By having our passports and visas out in hand the first customs agent directed us to a line with only 15 others in and , maybe 15 more behind us in line. We got through there in ~25 minutes. There were two planes that disgorged simultaneously (is seemed like) ours and one from SA. The line for on demand visas was 400+ long. Wow!

All my luggage and weapons arrived. No drama from Namibia Police on weapon registration. Nothing to report at all.

It’s a good route. I’m doing it again in the spring.

 

[x84958]

Ok, finally final last final message on this thread. Arrived in Windhoek @8am local exactly.

By having the preprinted visa in hand my wife and I ripped through C&I faster than anywhere else I’ve ever traveled to, with or without a weapon. By having our passports and visas out in hand the first customs agent directed us to a line with only 15 others in and , maybe 15 more behind us in line. We got through there in ~25 minutes. There were two planes that disgorged simultaneously (is seemed like) ours and one from SA. The line for on demand visas was 400+ long. Wow!

All my luggage and weapons arrived. No drama from Namibia Police on weapon registration. Nothing to report at all.

It’s a good route. I’m doing it again in the spring.

Great travel report! Provides confidence in my travel next week will be as trouble free as yours

 

[Philip Glass]

@TRAVEL EXPRESS please advise. Sounds like the migh

Always an adventure with a new item needed like the Namibian Visa ahead of time in the U.S. before the airline even lets you on!

I was tracking Namibia changed the rules for U.S. travelers this year (2025) requiring us to pay for the Namibian visa at the WDH airport or online before leaving the States.

Showing the Namibian visa before boarding the Lufthansa plane in Chicago makes it sound mandatory to apply for the Namibian visa online well ahead of time.

I’ll have to find a different route next safari…I’m already locked in with the plane tickets this year.

airlines rarely know what they are talking about. That visa can be done on arrival just like a rifle permit in Namibia. It's best to at least have some documentation to bluff them like we do at times with the RSA preapproval paperwork from Riflepermits.com. For instance showing them a filled out Namibian rifle permit form will usually suffice. Again they know not what they speak of!

 

[Betterinthebush]

On returning flights, same route, just reversed.

Returning to USA: getting out with weapon and ammunition (empty trophy brass and two found TSX bullets were confiscated by Namibia airport security. That truly pisses me off.) There are four hoops to jump through before a weapon can exit the country.

1) go to gate agent with your weapon and locked case. Get your boarding passes and check any luggage EXCEPT WEAPONS.

2) proceed as directed to Discover agent at other end of airport to ensure your weapon is cleared through Deutschland.

3) proceed as directed to Namibia Police with your Namibia gun registration you received upon entry! This is critical! He/she will be rude and condescending. Follow instructions. Talk only when asked questions. You’ll get through this. Believe it or not, this was the easy part.

4) go back to ticketing agent. She will then direct you to the (apparently) only qualified Discover luggage checker to pick up your rig and send it through the special Namibia Airport Security X-ray/microwave popcorn popper and tanning bed combo machine.

All through this; you will be asked 40X “Do you have any AMMUNITION?” Here’s the catch; Namibia considers components (even if it’s spent brass and beautifully mushroomed bullets that retained >95% of their weight) as ammunition. And they will take it. And explain to you what I just wrote, with a “tisk-tisk” coy little smile. Then, they’ll rummage through your carryons and take your small crescent wrench (because, you know, I may have to fix the airplane) you carry around everywhere and tell you that no tools are allowed onboard (this he’ll do with a very big satisfied grin on his mug).

HTH

 

[Doug3006]

On returning flights, same route, just reversed.

Returning to USA: getting out with weapon and ammunition (empty trophy brass and two found TSX bullets were confiscated by Namibia airport security. That truly pisses me off.) There are four hoops to jump through before a weapon can exit the country.

1) go to gate agent with your weapon and locked case. Get your boarding passes and check any luggage EXCEPT WEAPONS.

2) proceed as directed to Discover agent at other end of airport to ensure your weapon is cleared through Deutschland.

3) proceed as directed to Namibia Police with your Namibia gun registration you received upon entry! This is critical! He/she will be rude and condescending. Follow instructions. Talk only when asked questions. You’ll get through this. Believe it or not, this was the easy part.

4) go back to ticketing agent. She will then direct you to the (apparently) only qualified Discover luggage checker to pick up your rig and send it through the special Namibia Airport Security X-ray/microwave popcorn popper and tanning bed combo machine.

All through this; you will be asked 40X “Do you have any AMMUNITION?” Here’s the catch; Namibia considers components (even if it’s spent brass and beautifully mushroomed bullets that retained >95% of their weight) as ammunition. And they will take it. And explain to you what I just wrote, with a “tisk-tisk” coy little smile. Then, they’ll rummage through your carryons and take your small crescent wrench (because, you know, I may have to fix the airplane) you carry around everywhere and tell you that no tools are allowed onboard (this he’ll do with a very big satisfied grin on his mug).

HTH

I’m sorry you experienced all this badness in Windhoek. All I can say is that I’ve experienced none of this on my 3 trips to Namibia.

This April, I started the process by going to the Namibian Police kiosk on the outside of the building. The officer was friendly and efficient. He did his thing and I was on my way. Then I went to the Discover ticket counter. They asked if I had ammo and I said yes…and that it was in a locked container in my checked bag. Just once, not 40 times. They took my gun and checked bag and put them on the conveyor. No running to the other end of the airport. I then went to the security lane. They scanned my carry on (which contained 4 mushroomed bullets and a pair of the floating leopard collar bones) and I went to the lounge.

This was essentially the same experience I had on my previous 2 trips.