10.09.2012

Message to hunters concerning the transport of cartridges

Autumn is the traditional hunting season in Finland. Finavia advises hunters to familiarise themselves with official instructions for weapons and cartridges in case your plan is to fly to the hunting ground.

The Finnish Transport Safety Agency says that five kilograms per person is the limit for cartridge transport by air when the cartridges are intended for your personal use. They must be transported in the cargo hold, not in your hand luggage.

The instructions say that the category of cartridges transported by air must be 1.4S and the UN number UN0012 or UN0014. Cartridges that contain explosive or igniting bullets are not allowed on-board at all.

In addition, cartridge and weapon transport is subject to a permit granted by the airline, and you must apply for this permit well in advance before your departure. The airline will give you more detailed instructions for packing the cartridges.

There are designated cartridge boxes available for cartridge transport. The boxes are designed to stay shut when in transit. Original cardboard packaging of cartridges may pop open during the trip unless it has been firmly taped.

- Hunters must make sure that the cartridges will remain in their packaging and that the detonator of the cartridges does not hit on anything in the bag when in transit, says Jari Amnell, Finavia's Security Expert.

Weapons are also to be handled with particular care. The Finnish Transport Safety Agency says that sports or hunting weapons transported by air must be unloaded and in a robust case. Cartridges and the weapon must be transported in separate packaging.

For travel instructions for passengers, please visit http://www.finavia.fi/for-travellers/attheairport

If you have any questions about your flight and the transport of weapons, please contact your airline. It may also be the case that the airline has stricter weapon and cartridge regulations than the Finnish Transport Safety Agency. The airline is entitled to refuse to transport passengers' cartridges by air.

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