Travel to JNB on Qatar airlines

[godwincp]

Is the duty free open in JNB?

 

[David AK 53]

Thanks for the info. I enjoyed your hut report very much.

 

[David AK 53]

If traveling within RSA, recheck everything.

Thanks! Qatar used to fly Doha to Windhoek direct. That was a nice route, hopefully they will restart it in the future.

 

[Scott CWO]

My daughter and I just booked on Qatar, leaving Boise to JNB, July 28th returning August 12th. For $1660 each I felt it was a good value right now. Especially out of Boise, as that always adds cost when you leave from a minor city. Our return is back through DFW, but outbound is via Seattle. I look forward to that flight as it should take us up over the top pretty close to the pole it looks like. Always excited to have a trip on the schedule!

Did you use a travel agent? You need to get your firearms pre-approved with QA and get written confirmation back from them via email. Print the email and take it with you. You will still have more paperwork to do in person but they will be expecting you.

 

[Scott CWO]

Interesting. I am booked from ATL to Doha to Jberg 6/30 returning 7/11 and flight with Qatar is still o

Did you get your firearms pre-approved? Even with the above forms, you can't just show up with firearms when flying QA. Did you use a travel agent?

 

[50lawman]

Completely agree on Qatar and Doha. I'd definitely fly that route again.

Rifle check in was slow in DFW and JNB.

I flew out of LAX first part of September. Was delayed by Qatar 2 days due to first flight canceled and the next days flight was full. The routed me thru London for the next day. I received an email with the new itinerary flying through London. I was already in contact with Shawn Kennedy of Gracy Travel who worked around that and got me on the next available Their counter personnel still not up to speed with rifle check-ins. When i presented my rifle case she looked at and asked "what is that"? After explaining to her what it was I could feel the apprehension she had with trying to check me in, Fortunately I was first in line and early so another individual took over and was in and out shortly. Both flights (Qatar) to and from were in business class, what a deal. Lax to JNB. Then smaller plane to Bulawayo. The return trips were okay except Bulawayo required the ammo case to be checked also. I got all my luggage tags and was off. When I got to JNB i went to the lounge to relax and wait till boarding. I was called up to their counter regarding the luggage tags. They weren't expecting the extra bag (ammo case), i didn't know with tag went to which bag/ammo can so they had to search the plane, locate my luggage then re-issue the tags. So off i went thru Doha then LAX. Now i started in Honolulu on American Airlines with no problems as regards the rifle case. It was inspected by the check in person, put all the necessary tags in the case locked it up then told me to wait for the law enforcement check. They never showed so she told me to leave the case checked it in and off I went. At LAX it was exactly the opposite. Arrived at the counter and the clerk asked again what was in the case. When I told him he when bonkers telling me that they can take that on the plane no way. Fortunately I had my paperwork out and showed him that it was all ready approved. He had to get his supervisor then check their computers then the supervisor say Nope, nope and i'm ready to jump over the counter when he points to the first and says "Nope, it says right here that we can take rifles on the plane"?/! Jeez i was so glad to get home. But such is the individual experience.

 

[shootist~]

I used Travel Express and did DFW, Doha, JNB - plus I used American for the commuter flights between Albuquerque and Dallas. Jennifer at Travel Express was great and had me prepped for everything needed, including the required pre notification to Qatar on my rifle and ammo.

This was the last half of July 2021 and I did business class if that matters.
Zero problems other than crowded airports, long fights and jet lag on the return.

Sounds like the US city of departure can be a big factor.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

We are headed to South Africa on Qatar in May of this year. For those departing/returning via DFW, did CBP want an AES number in addition to the 4457?

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

We are headed to South Africa on Qatar in May of this year. For those departing/returning via DFW, did CBP want an AES number in addition to the 4457?

Can’t say for DFW but Houston did not. Only 4457 was needed.

 

[Red Leg]

We are headed to South Africa on Qatar in May of this year. For those departing/returning via DFW, did CBP want an AES number in addition to the 4457?

Not in Houston in August - or any other airport I have used previously, including DFW.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

When we were scheduled to fly out of DFW in May 2020, the CBP chief there told me we were required to have an AES number and provided me a link to support her interpretation of the ruling. I contacted CBP offices in all the places I had flown out of in the past and asked if this is a requirement (Fort Lauderdale, Miami, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston) and was told by all that DFW is doing their own thing and the AES is not a requirement. I reached out to CBP DFW and was given a short response of "you were provided with the rules, and they must be followed if you choose to fly out of DFW..."

I contacted SCI, DSC and my congressional rep (even provided copies of the email chains) and got nothing but crickets. If that is the rule or not, it should be the same everywhere.

Has anyone flown out of DFW internationally with firearms in the past year? Was an AES required?

Thanks and safe travels.................LL

 

[shootist~]

We are headed to South Africa on Qatar in May of this year. For those departing/returning via DFW, did CBP want an AES number in addition to the 4457?

Not at DFW last July.

 

[Philip Glass]

I realize this is an older thread but a couple of comments here:
1. In DFW you may get a CBP official who wants to log you into the AES system that does not exist except in fantasy world. Just smile and give them a copy of your 4457 and let them go on their merry way.
2. I had 10 guys plus me with guns and Qatar checkin was super fast since we used TWG and our guns were on our electronic ticket.
There are always folks moaning of airport and rifle problems but most of them didn’t use an agent from what I’ve seen over the years.
I have a group of 16 headed to the EC on Qatar DFW-DOH-JNB-PLZ and I’ll report when I get back.

Regards,
Philip