How to fly Jetstar domestically with firearms and ammo. A dummy’s guide.

A guide, by someone who would’ve loved one like this while packing for their trip.

So, I see your choices up until right now have lead you to this guide and you’ve taken interest in it for one reason or another, whether that be you have a competition or a hunt far away from home or just plain have nothing better to do.
Welcome, the water’s fine come on in.

Step 1: Book a plane ticket to your intended destination.

You can’t fly without a plane ticket now can you?

Step 2 (Only required if you intend to fly with ammo skip to step 3 if you are flying with firearms only): Apply for consent from airline to fly with dangerous goods.

The link can be found here: https://www.qantas.com/nz/en/travel-...-firearms.html
Scroll to the big red button that says request airline approval

Step 3: Pack firearms into lockable case and lock the case

SOFT bags are acceptable as long as they are lockable but I do not recommend for the sake of your firearm(s) just get a hard case please
Ensure unloaded and empty
Remove actions of firearms where possible and pack seperate (possibly with ammunition)
IF you can’t be bothered doing so, a trigger lock on the firearm is sufficient for the “inoperable” status required

Step 4: Buy checked baggage

WEIGH the firearms in their case and buy as much checked baggage as required
Measure your case if it is over 1m in length you will have to pay a $25 oversized item handling fee.

Step 5 (For ammo bringers only skip to Step 6 if you aren’t one): Pack ammo into a lockable container.

5KG maximum no matter how much checked baggage you buy
Must be packed separately from your firearms and seperate from each other like in something like this.
https://www.guncity.com/ooflip-top-a...-rounds-245260

Step 6: Great now your firearms and ammo are all packed don’t forget to bring the essentials
Extra socks, undies, clothes
Chargers
Spare shoes

Step 7: Go to the airport on the day of your flight

Airports are where you board planes.
Aim to arrive half an hour before bag drop closes

Step 8: Arrival at the airport

Get weird stares from people who see the guy with a big ass black rifle case
It is highly recommend you use a baggage trolley, your rifle case will get heavy after a while of waiting in line trust me

Step 9: Check in

Panic and have a heart attack when the auto check in machine won’t let you check in because your flying with dangerous goods
Go to the counter and inform the employee that you’re flying with firearms (and ammo) and get checked in by them.
You will need to present:
Booking reference
Firearms license
Rifle case to be weighed

(Potentially)
Permit to fly with ammo
Ammo to be weighed
Any other checked bags

Step 10: Bag drop

The employee will use special tape to seal your firearms case and tell you where to drop the case off at.
Go there and give the person manning the conveyor belt your firearms case (and ammo)

Step 11: Go through security

Hope you don’t pulled aside for extra screening or a full cavity search

Step 12: Go to your gate and wait for your flight

Now is the perfect time to pray to who or whatever you worship that nothing bad happens to your precious items in route to your destination

Step 13: Get on plane

The plane takes you to your destination

Step 14: Get off plane

You made it to your destination well done

Step 15: Bag pick up

Your ammo case will be placed onto the regular conveyor belt unless it is really obvious that it is ammo.
Collect the ammo case and any normal checked bags you have
Then ask an employee where the special area to pick up firearms are for Jetstar and head there and tell the employee you flew in with a firearms case

Step 16: Retrieval

All going well the firearms case will be delivered in one piece to you
The employee will check your License before handover so make sure you have that ready

Step 17: Leaving the airport

Once again get weird stares from strangers because you’re carrying a big black rifle case through the airport.

Step 18: Congratulations
You did it!
You’re in a whole new place with your firearms in tow.
Now go do whatever you had to do.

Step 19: Going home
Repeat Steps 1 through 18 again

Thank you for reading I hope my guide will help at least one person in their trips. If you have any questions I’ll try answer them in the replies
Feel free to chip in if you have something to add

Maybe include a link to Jetstar's lost luggage application form

And keep an eye out for your rifle on the luggage carousel.
Although not restricted to Jetstar, I've had mine come out with my baggage on more than one occasion.
None of the officials seemed too concerned when I asked the first time if it needed checking off.
Didn't bother after that. Just get all my gear and leave.

In reality there are not 18 steps

I went CHCH Auckland return with 2 firearms in each direction recently
There was absolutely no hassle in line or check in and out.

You just need to give yourself a little more time than usual to check in and baggage pick up can be a little slower because there are fewer staff allowed to hand back the firearms

Let's not make it any more of a drama than it needs to be.

@charliehorse some airports like QNE they will bring the rifle out of a separate area to the baggage area (it's by the carousel), so find out where this is when you land.
@akaroa1 I'm picking it's probably that the airline staff are more accustomed to rifles/hunters down south (CHCH, Dun, QNE). My tip is don't travel with me from Auckland airport. Last time I went through it took me about an hour of concerned airline staff checking my ammo (must be stored in a plastic case - checked in) and then holding up the plane on the tarmac as they thought my gun case was a wheel chair??? I schooled my mates for their Fiordland trip on all the above and they went through sweet as.

A couple of suggestions. Don't have hunting stickers all over your stuff. Pack your binos in your carry on. Wear your boots if they are heavy. Case - get something like this... https://www.repco.co.nz/tools-equipm...83l/p/A6145130

You can store your rifle and a whole lot of gear including clothing around the rifle for protection. Bonus - you look like less of a Hitman than usual

Recently flew from Hamilton the Christchurch return with two rifles on AirNZ. Didn't put the ammo in a locked cased, just in checked baggage. No one asked to see it just to confirm it was packed appropriately so they aren't loose rounds. Also didn't need to fill in any forms just ring them to say we were traveling with rifles and ammunition.

It's very easy and hassle free.

The only tip relevant to rifle transport is pack lots of stuff that isn't ammo or bolts in to the rifle case. It shouldn't be anywhere near the weight limit with even two rifles in it. So make the most of the extra space and weight allowance! Plus if clothing is jammed around the rifles is extra protection.

Another tip is the luggage limit without paying extra is 23kg for AirNZ, but I was only charged $20 to go up to 32kg for the return journey with a chilly bin about 1/3 full of venison which I expected and was happy to pay. What I hadn't realised is 32kg is the luggage limit, which required a couple of kg of shuffling between bags... Over 32kg it becomes freight essentially and needs to be booked a few days in advance. Lucky we gave about 70kg of venison away before I left Christchurch as the chilly bin was entirely full plus a cardboard box of it.. would have been a bit awkward trying to distribute in the airport!

This is also one of the benefits of flying out in a squirrel helicopter instead of a H500 or Robbie - not too worried about the weight of meat being brought out!

Just fly with ANZ lot less hassle