Thread: Firearms on Airplanes

So after taking to both air NZ and Avsec this morning both are giving me conflicting accounts of what I need to do. Air NZ want me to keep bolt and rifle together and ammo can go in my checked luggage and they would not send me an email to confirm this. Avsec want rifle on its own and bolt and factory only ammo in its factory box together in a locked container in the checked luggage. Think I’ll go with Avsec on this one. Either way I guess I can change things around various baggage if I get there early enough to suit whichever Larry turns up on the day to make up some new rules.


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Travel plenty with firearms. The funniest things is when they say you are checking in a pistol (in a pistol sized case) and they ask if the bolt is removed................ just nold your head and carry on.

Be prepared for stupidity...

In general, firearm and ammo must be separate. Whenever we fly with rifles/pistols, we book a second bag if flying alone. If you are flying with your better half then it is easier.

Phone ahead of time and let them know you are bringing a firearm. When you check in, go straight to oversize baggage or a supervisor. They will rattle off a standard list of questions. In my experience the plastic ammo storage boxes are fine for storing ammo, just answer yes if they ask you about ammo in original packaging.

Most importantly, be prepared for your precious firearm to come out in the conveyor belt with the rest of the luggage ! I kid you not... especially in Welly. Most airports you collect at baggage services.

Flying internationally with firearms is awesome You get escorted past all the queues by your own personal police officer, haha.

So after several calls to Air NZ and them insisting on having everything in one case, I took a seperate one for bolt and ammo which is what both the Air NZ staff and AVSEC wanted. Apart from that went smoothly just took a an extra half hour to check in. Cheers for the advice gents


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Got to have some fun with this then!?

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I have one of those too and there is no way I'm taking the bolt out. I think the "just nod and say yes" rule applies.

Originally Posted by HOO

Firearms on Airplanes
Taking my rifle on a plane for the first time Air NZ are happy for the rifle, bolt and ammo to all go in the same locked case. Is this normal? I’d have thought bolt needed to be seperate?


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Obviously you are American as can be seen from your speech impediment. The noun is Aeroplane i.e. Aeroplanes fly into twin towers. result; 4000+ better americans.

As for the rest of your post, why would you want to double your chances of having an unusable firearm when you reach your destination?

Just had this conversation myself today with AirNZ and Avsec. Yep bolt in rifle is OK as long as no ammo is present. Avsec said they will check that the rifle chamber is empty and if the xray does not show it they will ask me to open the action.
Said that in the last 18 mths they have changed the requirements.
It was stressed that ammo must be single packed in containers and any loose ammo or even empty brass on the return trip is liable to be removed and dumped.
PLB can be packed in either carry on or stowed. Spare battery's and power banks must be in carry on.
Z

The strange rule that I had enforced is the one about no loose ammo/ no part empty boxes. Bit weird, but they were quite strict on it. Don't know how reloaders get on!

Also, I don't think the bolt out of rifle is a requirement. Probably just something people who know a bit about firearms involved in the process insist on.

Related story: I caught a domestic flight from CHCH to Auckland and ended up on a 747 doing the last leg of a UK to Auckland via CHCH. This meant I disembarked at the International terminal, and you just get a little card saying you don't do customs or immigration. A strange experience. A policeman stopped me in the baggage area once I had my rifle and asked to check it. Bolt in rifle wasn't an issue. This was a soft case too. It was quite a while ago so maybe some rules have changed?

I have just had my ammo asked to be inspected for the first time. Had to dig deep in the bag which was pretty annoying as running late

Seems each employee/airport runs a slightly different variant of the rules...

Originally Posted by LOC

I have just had my ammo asked to be inspected for the first time. Had to dig deep in the bag which was pretty annoying as running late

Seems each employee/airport runs a slightly different variant of the rules...

Yep there all singing off a different song sheet.... even if you got it in written form of what was required the guy on the spot will still have the last say...even if what there saying makes no sense

Leaving Auckland on Friday morning there were no issues - the normal process was followed as described above by others.

On Monday when I visited Queenstown Airport, the rules had changed. In summary:

The normal check-in process is followed. The AirNZ staff were helpful and the documentation was completed as noted above.
Guns need to be in locked bags/cases, bolts out, ammo out. Nothing changed there.
Screening is carried out by AVSEC staff with a Police Officer in attendance.
I assume they would stop you from trying to take a MSSA if you tried to move one somewhere.
A Firearms Licence must be produced to the Police.
We were interviewed - politely... general stuff, basic info like what we'd been up to, where were we going etc.
A photo was taken of the FAL.

thanks for the feed back

Originally Posted by ebf

Be prepared for stupidity...

In general, firearm and ammo must be separate. Whenever we fly with rifles/pistols, we book a second bag if flying alone. If you are flying with your better half then it is easier.

Phone ahead of time and let them know you are bringing a firearm. When you check in, go straight to oversize baggage or a supervisor. They will rattle off a standard list of questions. In my experience the plastic ammo storage boxes are fine for storing ammo, just answer yes if they ask you about ammo in original packaging.

Most importantly, be prepared for your precious firearm to come out in the conveyor belt with the rest of the luggage ! I kid you not... especially in Welly. Most airports you collect at baggage services.

Flying internationally with firearms is awesome You get escorted past all the queues by your own personal police officer, haha.

Correct, be prepared for unbelievable stupidity, pack everything as per the rules, smile and be nice as the utterly dumb questions and condescending bullshit flows.