Easyjet refuse Airrifle shooters for not having license...

[RobF]

Thanks, Rob. Any and all contacts / info is welcome, mate, and if you email it to me at terry.doe@archant.co.uk I'll see it gets to the proper people.

Regards.

Check your inbox Anna's details are on the bottom of that. She's been pretty responsive and said she should come back with some sort of statement by the end of the week for publication.

[Airsporter1st]

Did you not read the post to which you replied? When shooters take their rifles abroad to compete, they're flying the flag for whoever produces their rifles. There are also manufacturer-sponsored teams flying out. Plus, and I'm sure you'll struggle to believe this; the trade does actually care that its customers can get the most from the airguns they buy, and if they care enough about their sport to travel abroad to take part in it, those customers deserve support.

The question to which I replied was "I wonder if the magazines or amta would add weight to the cause?"

So what are the magazines going to do about it? I suspect maybe a little moan in an editorial which I can't really see Easyjet's Executives reading.

The rifles being taken abroad are pretty well all produced abroad too. In any given competition, how many Brits will be taking British made rifles, I wonder? Will the Austrians be concerned about the contingent not making it?
You are right, I do struggle to believe your assertions that the trade cares about its customers.

[RobF]

The question to which I replied was "I wonder if the magazines or amta would add weight to the cause?"

So what are the magazines going to do about it? I suspect maybe a little moan in an editorial which I can't really see Easyjet's Executives reading.

The rifles being taken abroad are pretty well all produced abroad too. In any given competition, how many Brits will be taking British made rifles, I wonder? Will the Austrians be concerned about the contingent not making it?
You are right, I do struggle to believe your assertions that the trade cares about its customers.

I think the magazines will perhaps react once the situation becomes clearer. Until we have a statement from Easyjet about this, it's hard to know what the actual problem is/was. That is expected for the end of this week, as per an email I have received from Easyjet.

In terms of the rifles taken abroad, 2/3 of the shooters in that party were shooting Air Arms, one being an Air Arms Grand Prix Team member. Considering that English shooters are extremely highly regarded by the rest of the world in shooting, I'd expect that anything the trade could do to help with the situation they would. The best representation of their products abroad is to have English shooters shooting and winning titles with them. Indeed they do provide statements for the each passenger to state that their rifles were sold as non FAC rifles.

It's worth remembering that the FT & HFT World Championships are the biggest single discipline shooting championships in the world, with over 20 countries competing. The days of it being a shoot in a muddy field are long over. Abroad there's press and TV coverage, and although it's not national news, FT shooters have been invited to meet their country's premieres in recognition. I pretty sure the trade here and abroad wants to be a part of that

[Terry D]

The question to which I replied was "I wonder if the magazines or amta would add weight to the cause?"

The reply you gave when you quoted my post contained a section you had made bold.

'Those shooters represent various manufacturers, do they not? So why would the manufacturers not be keen to help resolve this?'

So, did you highlight this question but answer another one?

[air-tech]

" Have you been given or are you carrying anything on behalf of anyone else?"

"Er - yes, I'm carrying a gun for my relative."

"Walk this way sir...."

Ummm well actually it was not a gun (ammo components) but it's quite irrelevant who was doing the carrying, if it was (and still is) perfectly legal to do so, and the airline has no problem (both boxes ticked) then the police who did the confiscating also with a view to destroy were completely out of order, and were it not for a couple of phonecalls and follow up emails from me putting them straight, the items, a few hundred pounds worth, would have been destroyed, no doubt.

They later simply returned them without comment, and I later took them out of the country via the exact same route, 100% declared.

That's my point, if even the police (firearms officers no less) have no idea, then what chance have you with a check-in clerk? You need to have all your answers ready and to put it bluntly show them who is in charge. Even simple stuff like referring to air rifles, pistols or whatever, as "pellet guns" rather than "-rifles" or "-pistols" makes a hell of a difference as to whether you just get sent to baggage pre-screening or you get a full complement of kevlar-clad glocked-up firearms rapid response officers - been there, done that, too.

I have taken out up to 12 guns at once in my luggage and never had a major problem, but I have known people to attempt to export just a couple, same airport, same airline, same procedure, and fail.

It's not right that someone should be penalised not for doing any wrong but just because of others' incompetence, but that's the way it is right now.

[Airsporter1st]

I think the magazines will perhaps react once the situation becomes clearer. Until we have a statement from Easyjet about this, it's hard to know what the actual problem is/was. That is expected for the end of this week, as per an email I have received from Easyjet.

In terms of the rifles taken abroad, 2/3 of the shooters in that party were shooting Air Arms, one being an Air Arms Grand Prix Team member. Considering that English shooters are extremely highly regarded by the rest of the world in shooting, I'd expect that anything the trade could do to help with the situation they would. The best representation of their products abroad is to have English shooters shooting and winning titles with them. Indeed they do provide statements for the each passenger to state that their rifles were sold as non FAC rifles.

It's worth remembering that the FT & HFT World Championships are the biggest single discipline shooting championships in the world, with over 20 countries competing. The days of it being a shoot in a muddy field are long over. Abroad there's press and TV coverage, and although it's not national news, FT shooters have been invited to meet their country's premieres in recognition. I pretty sure the trade here and abroad wants to be a part of that

All fair points, well made. Interesting to see how this develops.

[Terry D]

In terms of the rifles taken abroad, 2/3 of the shooters in that party were shooting Air Arms, one being an Air Arms Grand Prix Team member. Considering that English shooters are extremely highly regarded by the rest of the world in shooting, I'd expect that anything the trade could do to help with the situation they would. The best representation of their products abroad is to have English shooters shooting and winning titles with them. Indeed they do provide statements for the each passenger to state that their rifles were sold as non FAC rifles.

It's worth remembering that the FT & HFT World Championships are the biggest single discipline shooting championships in the world, with over 20 countries competing. The days of it being a shoot in a muddy field are long over. Abroad there's press and TV coverage, and although it's not national news, FT shooters have been invited to meet their country's premieres in recognition. I pretty sure the trade here and abroad wants to be a part of that

Rob, as you know, the manufacturers sponsor and assist their FT and HFT shooters in various ways, and that assistance wouldn't end at the airport.

I've spoken to two manufacturers about this and they're extremely concerned that dedicated shooters are being prevented from competing in this manner. Thus, we'll be having a meeting on the subject in a few days' time.
Thanks for the info you sent.
Regards.

[Airsporter1st]

The reply you gave when you quoted my post contained a section you had made bold.

'Those shooters represent various manufacturers, do they not? So why would the manufacturers not be keen to help resolve this?'

So, did you highlight this question but answer another one?

No - see post #24.

[Sportsmatch]

It's worth remembering that the FT & HFT World Championships are the biggest single discipline shooting championships in the world, with over 20 countries competing. The days of it being a shoot in a muddy field are long over. Abroad there's press and TV coverage, and although it's not national news, FT shooters have been invited to meet their country's premieres in recognition. I pretty sure the trade here and abroad wants to be a part of that

No where close Rob world shoot X at Bisley many years had 500 from 35 countries

http://www.wsh2011.org/images/storie...%20Results.pdf from 2011

Gary

[Anothermiss]

Whilst it's clearly a problem, I don't think that any article in the airgun magazines will affect the opinion of te civil aviation industry. I am a passionate airgunner but I don't buy the magazines because of their biased product opinions etc. I'm sure that Stavros isn't subscribed to AGW or Aigunner.
Pressure from the manufacturer is where it's at.

ATB

Dan

[RobF]

Rob, as you know, the manufacturers sponsor and assist their FT and HFT shooters in various ways, and that assistance wouldn't end at the airport.

I've spoken to two manufacturers about this and they're extremely concerned that dedicated shooters are being prevented from competing in this manner. Thus, we'll be having a meeting on the subject in a few days' time.
Thanks for the info you sent.
Regards.

No, I wouldn't expect it would. As I understand it AA faxed Easyjet a letter whilst the chaps were at the airport. Walther have always helped me out with any documentation they could provide as well. This so far has been a complete surprise to me. I must have been involved personally in nearly 100 shooters making trips, probably 70 of them with Easyjet. You can probably treble that in the past 5 years the amount of English shooters going abroad for FT, add more for Wales, and that's not forgetting our cousins coming from abroad, who also have the same issue in that there's no paperwork for rifles not requiring a license. (We certainly don't want them stuck at the airport, that would be a real embarrassment)

[Terry D]

No - see post #24.

The mind boggles.

Best leave it there, I think.

[RobF]

No where close Rob world shoot X at Bisley many years had 500 from 35 countries

http://www.wsh2011.org/images/storie...%20Results.pdf from 2011

Gary

Not still going though is it Gary?

[Terry D]

Whilst it's clearly a problem, I don't think that any article in the airgun magazines will affect the opinion of te civil aviation industry.

Who said anything about an 'article in the airgun magazines' being the fix for this? Apart from one informing shooters taking guns abroad how best to avoid problems, of course that's not the way to go.

However, if I can collate information and bring it to the attention of those who CAN influence the proceedings, then 'the magazines' will have done their bit.

That's what I'm doing.

[Anothermiss]

Terry,

It wasn't a pop at those involved in the writing/production of magazines. I was just pointing out that IF an article was to appear in the magazines, it may be an exercise in futility.

Dan