Qatar Airways no longer able to accept firearms at London Heathrow

[Donnachaidh]

If you are flying with Qatar Airways from (or possibly transitting through) Heathrow, I recommend you speak to QA as a matter of urgency.
I am due to fly to Namibia on Saturday and phoned QA to check everything was in order yesterday. I was told they are no longer able to accept firearms at Heathrow. This is despite me completing and returning QA's documents to export a rifle and ammunition several weeks ago, and receipt being acknowledged at that time.
I have planned and saved for this trip for several years and it is a very big blow that I can not take my own rifle.

 

[sierraone]

Just another gun transit/transport problem at Heathrow. It seems they never end. Sorry about this Donnachaidh.

 

[wesheltonj]

Nothing on their website or any news feed regarding Qatar & Heathrow regarding no more firearms.

 

[CAustin]

Sorry to hear this sir. Will your outfitter be able to provide a rifle?

 

[Donnachaidh]

I haven't seen anything on QA's website either. I am very disappointed that I was not told about this until I phoned QA less than a week before I depart. I don't think other airlines are affected, and assume it's a temporary situation whilst legal papers are processed.
I have emailed my Outfitter (Kowas Adventure Safaris) to enquire about hiring a rifle, and I'm confident they will be able to me.

 

[edward]

as a handgun hunter id be up the creek.

 

[slam8031]

That really stinks.

 

[JimP]

With hearing about all these problems that people are having transiting through different airports with firearms makes more sense to use a travel agent that is familiar with flying with firearms and avoiding these places that have restrictions. I know on my trip that I was thinking of using a airline to fly from Denver, Co to NYC but when I contacted Lori at Travel Express she set me straight about their policies concerning firearms and booked me with a airline that works with South African Airlines to where once I checked my rifle I never saw it again until I got to Joberg, and that was with two transfers in two different airports.

These hunting trips are way to few and far apart for a lot of us to risk running into any problems and all you want to do is to make it as easy as possible. And flying through Europe and or England seamed like a problem area to me. I was scared enough about my rifle just going through NYC.

 

[Spooksar]

Last year when I was in Namibia South African Airways let their agreement lapse with Heathrow, not knowing if it would be resolved in 5 days I rebooked going through Franfurt cost me $8000 extra for business class, I had the trip on points but couldn’t rebook on points.

 

[johnnyblues]

With hearing about all these problems that people are having transiting through different airports with firearms makes more sense to use a travel agent that is familiar with flying with firearms and avoiding these places that have restrictions. I know on my trip that I was thinking of using a airline to fly from Denver, Co to NYC but when I contacted Lori at Travel Express she set me straight about their policies concerning firearms and booked me with a airline that works with South African Airlines to where once I checked my rifle I never saw it again until I got to Joberg, and that was with two transfers in two different airports.

These hunting trips are way to few and far apart for a lot of us to risk running into any problems and all you want to do is to make it as easy as possible. And flying through Europe and or England seamed like a problem area to me. I was scared enough about my rifle just going through NYC.

I live in New York and have been traveling to hunt for over 30 years. Never once did I have any problems checking in my firearms or returning home wth them. NY port authority police have always been very courteous and helpful.

 

[Bwana Bob]

I haven't seen anything on QA's website either. I am very disappointed that I was not told about this until I phoned QA less than a week before I depart. I don't think other airlines are affected, and assume it's a temporary situation whilst legal papers are processed.
I have emailed my Outfitter (Kowas Adventure Safaris) to enquire about hiring a rifle, and I'm confident they will be able to me.

I hunted with Kowas last October, and due to an issue with Jet Blue's handling of my firearms, I decided to use one of Kowas rifles. They have a model 70 chambered in 300 Win Mag topped with a Leupold scope. Although I was apprehensive about using a borrowed gun, it worked out well for me. Good luck. I look forward to hearing your hunting report when you get back.

 

[BRICKBURN]

It is a royal pain in the ass but last minute changes because of screw ups with airlines are almost regular occurrences.

Agreements not being signed,
New Regulations due to responses to terrorism, etc.
Strikes,
Schedule changes, Complete cancellation of the route, etc.

Here's one that I ran in to just looking at this today. Some folks are about to get a surprise.

@Donnachaidh I feel for you
I'll bet that QA either decided the cost was too high or they did not get their paperwork and thus a contract in place.
Airlines leaving people hanging seems to be standard practice.

They have rifles at Kowas and I wish you good luck on your hunt.

 

[spike.t]

SAA is also cutting internal and regional routes. mango is taking over some of the internal routes.....

 

[Eric Anderson]

I live in New York and have been traveling to hunt for over 30 years. Never once did I have any problems checking in my firearms or returning home wth them. NY port authority police have always been very courteous and helpful.

Last time I flew through JFK, the ticket agent had to browbeat the port authority. Apparently they have to carry the rifle from check in to he TSA screening area. I waited for 30 minutes on a tight layover while 4 jawjacked 100 feet away.
The ticket lady sounded like she was from Georgia, and let me tell you, she LIT into them.

It was hilarious watching this somewhat large black southern lady reduce them to jello.

 

[JimP]

When I flew through JFK I came in on Delta and left on SSA. With their agreement all luggage was transferred from one airline to the other without me doing a thing. I checked with the SAA gate agent and she told me that both of my pieces of luggage was on board the flight to South Africa. My rifle was on the same plane that I was about to get onto.

 

[Donnachaidh]

Well, Qatar finally offered me a full refund less than 48 hours before I'm due to fly but that didn't give me enough time to sort out alternative flights. Communication has been very poor and I will never use them again. A cheap flight had proved to be very expensive.