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Gents

I'm looking for anyone's recent airline experience(s) of travelling with firearms (shotgun) to Cordoba Argentina via Santiago Chile.

I am flying American Airlines from Dallas to SA Chile and will continue on with LAN from SA Chile to Cordoba. I've been told that AA will not transfer my bag(s) and that I will need to re-check the my bag(s) with LAN. My outfitter has expressed some concern with my ability to get my bags onto LAN (reason unknown).

If you have recently went through SA Chile en-route to Argentina could you please relate your experience to me. I would appreciate it.

I know this might not be the right forum but I figured some of you may have enjoyed hunting down south. I'm just looking for some information.

Thanks in advance

Croj

Only thing I know is that even though AA and LAN are "partners" AA will not notify you of LAN schedule changes. Recommend you book each separately. Give yourself plenty of time in Santiago. Suggest you call LAN and check on the baggage. 1-866- I FLY LAN

Croj - I think you are making a wise plan via Chile to Cordoba. Last trip landed in BA which had its issue's with customs and such. To few agents (not friendly) very slow but happy to take our money!! Joe has given you good advise regarding contacting LAN. Good airline BTW! Nice airport in Santiago and nice folks. Interesting security! Travel and shoot safe.
Dave

I came back on LAN to SA and changed to American at that point. It was a pain but not mission impossible. Airline & police called me in the waiting area and we walked to an area where the
guncase was waiting, had to identify the gun, prove it was empty and then I walked , with the airline rep back to the waiting area. The case went directly to the plane and we boarded shortly after.
bill

Bill, I'm assuming the authorities in SA wanted to see the RENAR form from Argentina as well as your US Customs - Declaration form. When the authorties in SA were doing their inspection did they want to charge you a fee and or have you fill out any Chilean paperwork?


Both AA and LAN have given me different stories on the their procedures. My outfitter has had very few people travel (w/gun) via SA Chile to Cordoba(?).


What I'm most concerned about is on the way down. AA wont transfer my bag to LAN. I believe I will have to go outside of airport control to retrieve my bag and then try to get back into the terminal via Chilean customs with a shotgun in my bag. (gun/foreign country/non-english/eek)

You might think of leaving your gun home and renting a gun at the Estancia you are staying at. I just got home from Cordoba(Cordoba/Panama City/Houston, via COPA and United)and the entire group of us rented guns there.
All of the group but my self and my son had been to Argentina many times and all had given up on the hassles of taking their own guns. We used Beretta 20 ga. autos and they worked flawlessly.
As a side note, these guns get retired every 4-5 years, after having 4-500,000 rounds fired through them.
Just a thought.

. I have gone to Argentina many times, usually through Santiago and always with guns. Sometimes nothing happens and your guns will arrive in cordoba with your luggage. Other times, the procedure is exactly as described above. The security folks in Santiago merely page you at the gate area (listen carefully, your name may sound quite different when spoken by a Spanish speaker) and they take you to your guns. No papers are requested and no fees are paid. Whole thing takes about 10 minutes, people are perfectly nice and it is not stressful. No reason not to take your guns.

I totally agree with HOS. I have flown two times to Cordoba via Santiago, both times on LAN CHILE. That is one fine airline, IMO, with the most accommodating stewards (no stewardesses on any of the four flights) I have ever seen.

I have had zero problems carrying my own gun(s). It is all very straightforward and easy. I hunted with Luis Sier both times and he provides a lady that meets you at the Cordoba airport and walks you through every step. She is a hoot, and the authorities know she knows her business.

This is just me now, but I would not enjoy the trip nearly as much if I could not use my own personal gun(s). Rented guns, to me, are for the very small chance that mine break and cannot be used. Hunting, and hunting trips, are a personal thing for me, and my personal guns add greatly to my enjoyment. My guns are an extension of me, and who I am. Rented guns are tools, period. Again, I have seen nothing in two trips there and back that would ever make me even consider not taking my own guns.

Hope you have a great trip. Drink it in deeply, it is an unbelievable sight when the sky is full of doves, constantly, for three plus hours of shooting as fast as you can reload.

All my best, SRH

Stan and/or HOS could I ask you, what airline did you use to fly down to SA Chile from the U.S?

Evidently the new American Airlines policy of not transferring bags with firearms to other carriers is a relatively new policy ( with the last year ).

I would rent a gun but I have 3 fitted Beretta's and it would be a shame not to take one of them down there to shoot.

Stan you couldn't have said it any better about a personal gun becoming an extension of one's owner.

LAN from NYC to Santiago and from Santiago to Cordoba and return. Most recently last month. Excellent airline. Totally agree about taking ones own guns. Much more fun.