Just arrived from SOAZ

From: Air 2000 [mailto:air2000@global.co.za]
Sent: 25 March 2009 11:56 AM
Subject: Transporation of firearms and ammunition
Importance: High
Sensitivity: Personal

Dear all,

After a long discussion involving SAA, various Airport Managers , security companies yesterday, the following has been agreed upon for the transportation of firearms and ammunition .

There is a new Airports Act that requires all luggage (domestic and international)to be screened. Here various airports are finding ammunition in checked bags that is not packed correctly. Therefore the passengers are being called back to unlock bags, causing delays to the departure of the aircraft and disgruntled passengers. The ammunition is taken out and sent out to the next destination in a plastic bag. This causes problems as passengers check their bags to the final destination on departure from say Port Elizabeth and passengers find themselves with ammunition and no where to put it, when they arrive in Johannesburg.

With immediate effect all firearms must be packed and transported in an approved firearm case.

(There are still people arriving and trying to depart with firearms in their checked luggage)

Ammunition must be packed in a lockable box with key and placed in the checked luggage.

Ammo found in checked luggage in a manufacturers box or just thrown in will be taken out and put into a plastic bag and sent to the next destination. It is then the responsibility of the passenger to get the ammo home, which he can't do if his luggage has been checked through to his home base.

There are two options here, either the passenger adheres to having the ammo put into a locked box. OR

They check bags to their departure airport collect bags and firearms, ammo in the plastic bag and then goes and rechecks onto the flight home.

I will keep you up updated on the changes to the Airlink flights and new departure procedures.

Many thanks

Kind regards

Anne Gaines-Burrill

Air 2000 (Pty) Ltd

Hunters Support Service

-----Original Message-----
> From: Danie Barnardt [mailto:DanieBarnardt@flysaa.com]
> Sent: 25 March 2009 02:16 PM
> To: Air 2000
> Subject: RE: Firearms and ammo
> Sensitivity: Personal
>
>
> I have no idea where the Zim issue suddenly comes from. Since about 2004
> there has been (and still is) an embargo from the EU (inclusive to the
> UK)for the transportation of any type of firearms from any EU member
> state to Zimbabwe. This unfortunately includes hunters. SAA however
> still fly hunters and their firearms on the provision that such
> passenger is not through checked to Zimbabwe from the EU or London to
> Zimbabwe. Such passengers are therefore required to terminate their
> journey in SA, clear immigration and customs and then check-in for
> flights to Zimbabwe as originating passengers. At the time and on a
> couple of subsequent occasions SAA have communicated this to industry
> and to date (except for now on) we have never had any issues on this.
> (We are sitting with a similar enquiry from a travel agency in the USA
> stating that Swiss advised them SAA doesn't fly firearms to Zimbabwe.)
>
> In my opinion, I think it is confusion within Swiss Airlines, as
> Switzerland only formally became part of the EU in 2007 or 2008 (not
> sure) and have not previously been restricted to this rule.
>
> To conclude, NO there is no truth to the statement that SAA does not fly
> firearms to Zimbabwe.
>
> Regards
>
> Danie Barnardt (AVSEC P.M)
> South African Airways
> Manager Aviation Security (Compliance & Quality Control)
> Tel: +2711 978 3479 or +2711 978 6522
> Fax: +2711 978 5933
> Cell: +2783 286 8250
> SITA: JNBNZSA