Travelling abroad with airsoft toys

goymon123

Hi guys beside from SAS airlines which other airline accept airsoft toys as special baggage?

We are planning to travel to Monaco to attend a MILSIM event there next year. Any recommendations which airlines accept airsoft toys.

Your prompt reply is highly appreciated

Cheers
Goymon

Lemming

goymon123 wrote: »

Hi guys beside from SAS airlines which other airline accept airsoft toys as special baggage?

We are planning to travel to Monaco to attend a MILSIM event there next year. Any recommendations which airlines accept airsoft toys.

Your prompt reply is highly appreciated

Cheers
Goymon

Few airlines - last time I checked which was admittedly quite some time ago now - specify airsoft (or softair on the continent) in their rules. The closest you are most likely going to get is inspecting the very fine print for references to paintball and bonafide firearms.

So whichever airline you're planning to book flights with, you'll need to check with. What'll happen - in my experience with SAS, Aer Lingus, and FlyBe - is that you'll book your ticket, then contact the airline to add 'sports baggage' charges and to notify them in advance that it's airsoft being transported.

Don't put your guns in your normal baggage. Do make sure it's in a separate, secure, lockable container. DO know your sh1t, and whatever you do, do not come across like a raving lunatic. You most likely know far more about the subject than the other guy does. If you appear calm, knowledgeable, and authoritative, you've won half the battle.

goymon123

Thanks for the reply mate,

We areplanning to fly with Aer Lingus from Ireland to NIce and heading to Monaco by rent a van.
We already experienced flying with SAS before with our airsoft toys and gears. Just pay the special baggage with hard cases .

By the way do we need a letter of invitation stating that we are attending a MILSIM event.

Lemming

goymon123 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply mate,

We areplanning to fly with Aer Lingus from Ireland to NIce and heading to Monaco by rent a van.
We already experienced flying with SAS before with our airsoft toys and gears. Just pay the special baggage with hard cases .

By the way do we need a letter of invitation stating that we are attending a MILSIM event.

Aer Lingus did - last time I used them back in 2009 iirc - allow airsoft on flights. Was about €40 each way though for sports baggage so wasn't cheap. As for a letter of invitation, it wouldn't hurt if the organisers are willing to do so. I'd have proof of my event booking + details to hand in any case. If you've got IAA membership, bring proof of that along too. You shouldn't need any of it, but then again such is life.

OzCam

I have found that a ticket (even an e-ticket) for the event is sufficient. Print out your booking confirmation email and bring it. That should be enough.

You always need to check out the local laws in the landing country though, even if you're going on to a third country by road. For example, France is ok, but Germany is not.

Some airlines - not all - have a rule that you can only pack one "firearm" in a case. That's an airline rule, so even if the checkin agent knows about it (and very few do) they can waive the rule at their discretion.

If you are bringing BBs, pack them in your checked baggage. They won't be allowed into the cabin. Bring a valve key, just in case you have to remove valves from GBB magazines. You probably won't, but bring a key anyway.

If you have AEGs, disconnect the batteries and pack them in your checked baggage. You can then demonstrate to the security people that the device is unpowered as well as unloaded.

The current EI charge for "sporting equipment" is €50 per case.

Lemming

OzCam wrote: »

If you are bringing BBs, pack them in your checked baggage. They won't be allowed into the cabin. Bring a valve key, just in case you have to remove valves from GBB magazines. You probably won't, but bring a key anyway.

Just an FYI, buy your BBs in-country or have them ordered to for pick up at the event if you can. Your checked-in baggage allowance is going to be eaten up by your kit & guns. A single bag of 4000 .25g BBs is 1kg, just as food for thought. You can bring them on the cabin, but it very much depends on the airport staff on the day. I've brought them on a cabin several times with no issue but I've also had the "BB = replica firearm" argument at the security gate in Dublin last time through so your mileage may vary wildly.