USA to Windhoek Flights and…

[Bandera]

Looking for real world info on flights to Windhoek and travel routes.
My prefered airline is Delta. On Delta I have a short hop to ATL then most anywhere direct, except Windhoek, have a stop over in JNB.
The JNB route means I collect firearms and recheck on next flight. Also requires two import permits.

Other routes with different airlines include stop overs at LRH or Frankfurt.

Frankfurt looks to be a direct route to Windhoek. Does anybody know if rifles are checked through to WDH? Or do they need to collected and rechecked?

Any info on the London route?

 

[Fatback]

I did the Atlanta to Frankfurt to Windhoek route in 2009. At that point, the rifles were checked all the way through. There was about a 10–11-hour layover in Frankfurt with that route back then. Not sure what that route would look like now.

All my other trips have been through Joburg with the overnight and into Windhoek the next day. Using one of the reputable African travel agencies makes this route relatively painless, even with the having claim the gun in Joburg and re-check it for the flight to Windhoek. I will be traveling this way in August this year.

 

[Surgeon1]

I would avoid Germany the system there is unt friendly to guns.
I have used Ethiopian airlines several times and it’s been very effective and efficient, the gun check that so many have complained about is actually very seamless compared to Joberg or Harare or Mozambique! I’ve flown Ethiopian during Covid when no other airline could have got me to my destination I flew couch as that was all that was all that was available with 90% vacant seats! Have used them 3 additional times in Business Class!
With excellent service, and will fly in 4 weeks to Uganda

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I used Jennifer at @TRAVEL EXPRESS and we decided on Lufthansa through Frankfurt with a 12-13 hour layover. I got a day room reserved at FRA. I will fly United to Houston, then FRA and WDH. Arrive Windhoek at 0830, which was the Outfitters preference. From what I gather, when I check in with United, my rifle and bag will be checked through to WDH. However, when I arrive at Houston, I will be required to go to the Lufthansa ticket counter and pay the $250 rifle fee. I am trying to find out if it's possible to do this ahead of time, so I don't have to go outside of the secured part of the airport to get to the ticket counter, and then go back through security. I have a 5 hour connection in Houston, so plenty of time to do it though.

 

[wesheltonj]

What carrier is flying from LHR to Windhoek?

 

[roklok]

I flew Seattle to Frankfurt to Windhoek last October using Lufthansa. Went smooth, and didn't touch rifles from Seattle to Windhoek, checked through in Frankfurt. Travel Express coordinated paying german firearms permits ahead of time.

 

[Don Hinton]

Watching this conversation as I have hunt in Namibia in June. Will take another flight to Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi Strip. Has anyone gone to Katima Mulilo from Joberg or other country
Don

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I am flying from Windhoek to Katima Mulilo (Mpacha) on Airlink (Codeshare w/ FlyNamibia) in mid July. The flight departs WDH at 1015 and does a stop in Maun, Bots, before continuing onto Katima Mulilo and arriving 1225. I think this flight is just 3 a week. (Sun, Weds, Fri)

Return flight departs Mpacha 1305 and arrives WDH at 1515.

It appears you can't get from JNB to Mpacha in one days as the flights don't line up.

 

[Mountaineer]

I travel IAD to ADD to Windhoek. It’s a little over 20 hours on Ethiopian Airlines.

 

[375Fox]

@Bandera There is only 1 in-transit rifle permit needed for the route you described to Namibia through South Africa not two. You will list your first arrival flight and your final departing flight through South Africa at the end of your Namibian hunt.

 

[Doug3006]

I’m booked on Lufthansa in April. Shawn at Gracy Travel is caring for the airline paperwork. St. Louis to Frankfort to Windhoek. It’s a long layover in FRA like @375 Ruger Fan says. However, it’s a one-carrier trip and our guns stay in the cargo holds or in-transit storage the whole way. I’ll let everyone know how it goes.

 

[Sika98k]

What carrier is flying from LHR to Windhoek?

No one flies directly from LHR to Windhoek. Lufthansa and Ethiopian are the only two airlines flying from Europe into Namibia.
Lufthansa necessitates a change in Frankfurt. Ethiopian necessitates a change in Addis Ababa. Otherwise it’s into Jo,burg and from there to Windhoek.

 

[slam8031]

I have done the ATL to JNB on delta with overnight and air link to Windhoek. I have also done Ethiopian air Chs to Dulles to Addis to Windhoek. Jennifer at Travel express arranged both trips. The Ethiopian air route took out the need to overnight. The rifle adventure in Ethiopia caused me to rent a rifle on that route.

 

[ArmyAV8tor]

Have flown Ethiopian 4 x IAD to Windhoek. I agree with Surgeon 1 on the ease of firearms clearance. The flight to WDH from Addis will not leave without you. Have flown coach and business. All w/o issue. Using them again in August. Go Jennifer at Travel Express!

 

[375Fox]

I’m booked on Lufthansa in April. Shawn at Gracy Travel is caring for the airline paperwork. St. Louis to Frankfort to Windhoek. It’s a long layover in FRA like @375 Ruger Fan says. However, it’s a one-carrier trip and our guns stay in the cargo holds or in-transit storage the whole way. I’ll let everyone know how it goes.

How long and what time of day is layover? Being able to stay one carrier without needing to recheck guns sounds like a nice option. I do like the overnight in South Africa though. It helps with adjustment to African time. Is layover in Germany long enough to justify getting a hotel room?

 

[Bill_D]

Looking for real world info on flights to Windhoek and travel routes.
My prefered airline is Delta. On Delta I have a short hop to ATL then most anywhere direct, except Windhoek, have a stop over in JNB.
The JNB route means I collect firearms and recheck on next flight. Also requires two import permits.

Other routes with different airlines include stop overs at LRH or Frankfurt.

Frankfurt looks to be a direct route to Windhoek. Does anybody know if rifles are checked through to WDH? Or do they need to collected and rechecked?

Any info on the London route?

I did Delta flight Atlanta to Joberg, stayed the night at City Lodge (very relaxing, clean, comfortable and good food) and flew to Windhoek the next AM this July. Hired Patric from PWP travel to book everything and got the vip gun escort service, worth every penny.

The rifle permits people in joberg picked us up at the jet bridge and dropped us off at the hotel check in. The next am they picked us up from hotel and took us to our next flight check in. SA police kept my rifle over night and my checked bag with ammo remained checked all the way to Windhoek. The night of arrival in joberg the rifle permits people took us to the SA police office and made sure my rifle arrived there (we physically saw it) they said I could take it to my room of I wanted or I could leave it with them. The next mourning on our way to airlink flight we stoped at the SA police again pick up my rifle and went and checked it in to our flight to Windhoek.

Made me feel very comfortable that the rifle permits people helping us with the vip service knew the SA police people dealing with the guns very well. I think this is a reason in itself to pay for the vip service.

On the way back to the states, overnight in joberg was not needed but the rifle permits people emailed to check in that they had insured my rifle had transferred form the airlink flight to delta flight headed back to Atlanta. This was very comforting.

This was my first time traveling with a rifle and it was an absolute breeze.

 

[Jeff505]

How long and what time of day is layover? Being able to stay one carrier without needing to recheck guns sounds like a nice option. I do like the overnight in South Africa though. It helps with adjustment to African time. Is layover in Germany long enough to justify getting a hotel room?

You are In Frankfurt the whole day, you can easily get transportation by train, taxi or Uber to the old town part of Frankfort. It is worth visiting. When you arrive in Frankfort you are in the same time zone as Windhoek. The flight leaves that night and you will be in Namibia in the morning. I will be going there in April with @Doug3006.

 

[Mountaineer]

@slam8031 can you elaborate on what happened in Ethiopian to cause you to rent a rifle?