If you are going to Africa

[rattus58]

American Airlines has taken the un-stated reason for position of not handling firearms anymore as checked baggage to overseas destinations via Europe or Asia. Their reservations people, though trying to be helpful, have given me erroneous information about shipping via Fedex and UPS. Hunters going to Africa for hunting are out of luck with American Airlines, which now throws a huge burden on hunters going overseas. What is sad about all this, is that it is hunters who are financing the conservation efforts over in Africa, and without these necessary dollars, many animals may have already gone beyond being threatened, to worse. Because of hunters, the Rhino, Elephant and others are more secure now because poaching has an economic impact and resources to protect these game animals from poaching and possible extinction is provided by hunters. This maneuver by American Airlines, though reasons are unstated in their policy, and they refuse to answer my emails than other by a ridiculous

“Hello,

You’ve just sent your first email to me since I’ve installed Bsafe Online’s spam killer. For this first time only, please help me add your email address to my approved sender list.

Simply reply to this email with the following code in the subject line of your reply.

Xxxxxxxxx (code number here)

Thanks for your help!
powersquare@comcast.net

I’ve received 3 of these from American Airlines.. obviously they hope we’ll go away with questions or complaints by playing this “authentication” game.

Here is their published restricted items policy.

“Firearms Handguns, rifles, shotguns Checked baggage only, with restrictions May travel in checked baggage only, and must be declared to agent at check-in. For more information, see Transporting Firearms And Ammunition.

Effective with tickets purchased on/after September 24, 2007, American Airlines will no longer accept firearms in checked baggage to/from any European or Asian destination (except for military/government personnel with proper documentation).”

Personally I’d ask any hunter/shooter/friend of such to contact American Airlines and voice your displeasure. They don’t discriminate against any other lawful sports equipment, so why firearms… is this a political statement? Is this bowing to U.N. pressures to restrict firearms from law abiding citizens while anyone in the street can have an AK-47… abroad?

I’m not flying American Airlines again anytime soon, so I hope this letter has the desired effect on others as well.

Much Aloha,

Tom Lodge
Hawaii Hunting Association

[grayghost]

After receiving many emails and letters from concerned hunters and a big push by the NRA, American Airlines has rescinded their previous stand, but it doesn't include the UK. And the UK has been the problem from the beginning. Negotiations are ongoing and AA promises to try and work something out, but again, the problem lies with the UK, and not AA. Delta and South African Airlines fly everyday to Africa. I've been on 4 safaris within the last 13 months. Flew SAA with no problems. grayghost

[rattus58]

Cool, thank you. Have they changed their position to asia as well?

Aloha..

Tom

[grayghost]

You can find all the details at SCI, NRA or contacting AA.

[pistolchamp]

I have about a jillion air miles on AA and would hate to lose them. I travel back and forth to TZ several times each year on business and usually carry at least one firearm one way or the other.

NEVER through the UK.

Usually we go DFW to Zurich or Geneva via AA and then non-stop to Dar-Es-Salaam via Swiss Air.

Due to difficult security problems we have quite the arsenal at our ranch and mines. All of the guns and ammo is carefully registered with the government and we have secured permission to have extra ammo on hand for all weapons.

We must hunt to feed over 100 employees and this just doesn't work with only a few rounds of ammo per gun. Now we have managed to secure permission to keep up to 1,000 rounds per gun.

6m/m Remington
6.5x68
30.06
375 H&H
416 Rigby
357 magnum
44 magnum
45 Colt
7.62x39
22 LR

I hate the red tape, but, with a lot of friends and many years experience in business in TZ we have managed with what I often hope never occurs in the US. TZ is poised to adopt all of the UN positions on small arms... many are trying to get them not to do it, but, pressure from large countries on small poor countries is hard to buck.