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Due to a recent article in the Hunting Report, I wanted to pass on information on my recent experience with traveler's carrying firearms through Frankfurt.
Excerpt from the article:
Unfortunately, airlines are telling hunters that they may not check rifles to Frankfurt without a permit, even though no permit is required. This is due to information on the TIMATIC (Travel Information Manual Automatic) website. TIMATIC is the online system used by IATA (International Air Transport Association) airlines to enforce transport regulations.
We learned about this recent problem from Steve Turner at Travel with Guns who is scrambling to resolve the issue for two clients heading to Namibia shortly after press time for this bulletin. As is often the case with hunters heading to Africa, both are traveling on separate tickets via Frankfurt, and must claim and then recheck their guns in Germany. Turner checked the TIMATIC database and found information indicating that only military personnel would be able to claim firearms in Frankfurt without a permit. He followed up with Delta Airlines and found that they would be enforcing this regulation.
As readers know, a transit permit is no longer required to transit firearms through the Frankfurt Airport as confirmed with Sabrina Stock at Frankfurt's Commercial Office (Ordnungsamt der Stadt Frankfurt am Main). In an email conversation, Stock wrote, "No license to take weapons or ammunition into or through Germany shall be required for weapons and ammunition taken on board ships or aircraft, kept in locked storage while within the territory of Germany, reported without delay to the competent supervisory authorities (customs) (including the manufacturer's mark or trademark, caliber and serial number) and removed within one month from the territory of Germany.
"Only in case that your clients leave the airport to spend days in Frankfurt or leave airport to travel by car they need a permit from me. Passengers who must claim firearms cases due to airline refusal to through-check to another carrier on the same day don't need a permit. You don't need a permit for your clients who don't leave the airport."
I had several passengers last month on this route on Delta to Frankfurt and then transferring to Air Namibia after an all day layover in Frankfurt. I believe only one passenger had a problem with firearm at check-in and was told that they could not travel to Frankfurt with it but the problem was quickly resolved when the passenger was adamant. I have also spoken with Sabrina Stock and verified the same information that a permit is no longer required to transit through Frankfurt. I also reviewed the TIMATIC and interpret it differently than above. It only describes what is required for military personnel whether traveling with military firearms or personal firearms. It does not say that sporting weapons/firearms are prohibited for individuals. It reads exactly the same as the one for Paris and firearms are allowed for transit through there.
However, some things to be aware of are that Delta has dropped their baggage agreement with Air Namibia so you have to recheck your bags/firearms in Frankfurt with Air Namibia. Because of the all day layover there that normally is the case, you can't claim and recheck your bags on arrival because the Air Namibia counter is not open. My clients had to "bond" their firearms with customs in Frankfurt in order to leave the airport to go to a hotel for the day. This was quite a process and required a lot of time and paperwork. The problem I believe arises because they were "leaving the airport". Sabrina Stock and I went round and round on this and I asked if they could just leave their firearms in storage in the customs area and she said that would make it easy but she is not associated with the customs department at the airport and cannot instruct them on what to do. The problem is the confusion with the airlines, Frankfurt customs, etc. so at present I am just trying to avoid the whole situation unless the tickets can be issued with one carrier arriving and departing Frankfurt onward to Johannesburg, etc.
Excerpt from the article:
Unfortunately, airlines are telling hunters that they may not check rifles to Frankfurt without a permit, even though no permit is required. This is due to information on the TIMATIC (Travel Information Manual Automatic) website. TIMATIC is the online system used by IATA (International Air Transport Association) airlines to enforce transport regulations.
We learned about this recent problem from Steve Turner at Travel with Guns who is scrambling to resolve the issue for two clients heading to Namibia shortly after press time for this bulletin. As is often the case with hunters heading to Africa, both are traveling on separate tickets via Frankfurt, and must claim and then recheck their guns in Germany. Turner checked the TIMATIC database and found information indicating that only military personnel would be able to claim firearms in Frankfurt without a permit. He followed up with Delta Airlines and found that they would be enforcing this regulation.
As readers know, a transit permit is no longer required to transit firearms through the Frankfurt Airport as confirmed with Sabrina Stock at Frankfurt's Commercial Office (Ordnungsamt der Stadt Frankfurt am Main). In an email conversation, Stock wrote, "No license to take weapons or ammunition into or through Germany shall be required for weapons and ammunition taken on board ships or aircraft, kept in locked storage while within the territory of Germany, reported without delay to the competent supervisory authorities (customs) (including the manufacturer's mark or trademark, caliber and serial number) and removed within one month from the territory of Germany.
"Only in case that your clients leave the airport to spend days in Frankfurt or leave airport to travel by car they need a permit from me. Passengers who must claim firearms cases due to airline refusal to through-check to another carrier on the same day don't need a permit. You don't need a permit for your clients who don't leave the airport."
I had several passengers last month on this route on Delta to Frankfurt and then transferring to Air Namibia after an all day layover in Frankfurt. I believe only one passenger had a problem with firearm at check-in and was told that they could not travel to Frankfurt with it but the problem was quickly resolved when the passenger was adamant. I have also spoken with Sabrina Stock and verified the same information that a permit is no longer required to transit through Frankfurt. I also reviewed the TIMATIC and interpret it differently than above. It only describes what is required for military personnel whether traveling with military firearms or personal firearms. It does not say that sporting weapons/firearms are prohibited for individuals. It reads exactly the same as the one for Paris and firearms are allowed for transit through there.
However, some things to be aware of are that Delta has dropped their baggage agreement with Air Namibia so you have to recheck your bags/firearms in Frankfurt with Air Namibia. Because of the all day layover there that normally is the case, you can't claim and recheck your bags on arrival because the Air Namibia counter is not open. My clients had to "bond" their firearms with customs in Frankfurt in order to leave the airport to go to a hotel for the day. This was quite a process and required a lot of time and paperwork. The problem I believe arises because they were "leaving the airport". Sabrina Stock and I went round and round on this and I asked if they could just leave their firearms in storage in the customs area and she said that would make it easy but she is not associated with the customs department at the airport and cannot instruct them on what to do. The problem is the confusion with the airlines, Frankfurt customs, etc. so at present I am just trying to avoid the whole situation unless the tickets can be issued with one carrier arriving and departing Frankfurt onward to Johannesburg, etc.