Firearms and Ammunition

When making a reservation, you need to tell us about your intent to carry a firearm and/or ammunition on a given UIA flight.

In all Ukrainian airports, passengers’ gun licenses are checked by designated AVSEC officers or by representatives of authorized departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In airports outside Ukraine the check is exercised by representatives of authorized law enforcement bodies, according to the local procedures and regulations.

  • Fee for Carrying Firearms and Ammunition
  • Articles prohibited on board in the passenger cabin
  • The right to carry firearms and ammunition in cabin
  • Firearms and ammunition in checked baggage
  • Transfer carriage
Fee for Carrying Firearms and Ammunition
  • UIA charges a special handling fee for carrying firearms and ammunition, as well as certain types of cold weapons, such as crossbows, swords and other large-size cold weapons, on all its flights: €50 one-way per each piece/container/case with firearms and separately per each package/container/case with ammunition (maximum weight of 5kg per passenger including the container).
  • Passengers must pay a single service fee at the time of buying tickets for UIA-operated flights regardless of number of the route segments.
  • This special handling fee is an additional fee for firearms handling services only and it does not cancel or substitute excess baggage charges.
  • NOTE. One container with weapons and one container with ammunition (not exceeding 5 kg) are considered as one piece of baggage and must be paid if in excess of the free checked baggage allowance per class of service (in total with the other checked baggage of passenger).
  • A paid invoice confirming the payment of a special fee for carrying firearms and ammunition must be presented at check-in. If such service fee has not been paid beforehand, the payment should be made at an airport of departure.
Articles prohibited on board in the passenger cabin

Devices that may shoot and injure:

  • all types of short-barreled firearms (pistols and revolvers);
  • all types of long-boled weapon (rifles, hand-guns, carbines, fowling pieces, automatic small arms, etc.);
  • firearms copies or imitation, including toys;
  • parts or components of firearms;
  • air guns, rifles and small shot pistol;
  • signal pistols;
  • starting pistol;
  • gas pistols;
  • all types of toy pistols;
  • air weapon;
  • pneumatic weapon
  • cartridge-operated and nail guns;
  • crossbows;
  • catapults;
  • harpoons and harpoon guns, rifles;
  • rifles for underwater shooting;
  • scuba diving guns;
  • cattle killing devices;
  • devices for putting animal down or shockers;
  • electro-pulse devices, including ballistic electron-beam weapon (tasers);
  • lighters imitating firearms.

Devices that may shoot and injure:

  • spears, arrows, crossbows;
  • harpoons and darts for underwater hunting;
  • axes; sabres, swards (rapiers);
  • daggers, bowie knives, stilettos, etc;
  • all jackknives and switchblade knives (with any blade length);
  • knives for ceremony purposes;
  • throwing stars.

Explosive and combustible substances belonging to dangerous goods and transported according to UIA rules as cargo:

  • all types of ammunition and blasting devices (capsules, time-fuse, etc.), explosive capsules;
  • detonators and primers;
  • explosive substances and devices, explosive device models;
  • mines and other military explosive ammunition, including detonators, primers, explosives;
  • all types of grenades, including tear gas grenades;
  • pyrotechnical devices, fireworks equipment, all types of torches, flares and other pyrotechnical devices;
  • smoke pots or cartridges;
  • highly inflammable matches;
  • gas tanks and cartridges;
  • combustible liquids (benzine, kerosene, liquid petroleum gas, spirit, ethanol, etc);
  • paint containers (aerosol spray-on paint);
  • safety suitcase with self destruction;
  • turpentine and paint solvent;
  • alcoholic drinks, containing more than 70% of spirit (70% VOL).

Chemical and toxic substances:

  • acids and bases, for example expired batteries;
  • corrosive and bleaching substances, for example, mercury, chlorine;
  • smoke curtain devices;
  • all types of tear gas sprays and other aerosols that make one disable or cause the loss of work ability;
  • radioactive materials, for example medical or industrial isotopes;
  • infectious or biologically dangerous substances, for example infected blood, bacteria or viruses;
  • fire extinguishers;
  • poisons;
  • highly inflammable materials, for example saltpeter, phosphorus, etc.;
  • car body padding set.

Other thrust/cutting items that may cause injury:

  • metal knives or any other material knives, hard enough to be used as weapon;
  • choppers;
  • machete;
  • shaving knives and blades;
  • scalpels;
  • darts;
  • scissors;
  • hooks;
  • ice picks;
  • skates;
  • knitting needles;
  • corkscrews;
  • ski equipment;
  • boomerang;
  • metal cutlery (knives, spoons, forks);
  • toys or other items imitating weapon;
  • task and bench tools, that may be used as thrust or cutting weapon, for example drill, perforator, all types of saws, screwdrivers, crowbars, blowtorches;
  • all types of syringes (except passengers vitally needing to use them for diabetes, allergy treatment, etc., provided the availability of proper medical certificate from the medical institution or written confirmation from a doctor).

Any blunt items that may cause injury:

  • baseball and softball bats;
  • soft and hard bats and cudgels, for example wooden, rubber, or sticks;
  • golf and cricket clubs;
  • hockey clubs;
  • all types of oars;
  • lacrosse clubs;
  • skateboards;
  • billiard cues;
  • fishing rods;
  • sport fighting equipment (hand-to-hand fight facilities), for example, knuckle-dusters, bats, cudgels, bludgeon, chains, nunchaku etc.

The list above is not complete; it just outlines the variety of objects that must be withdrawn from passengers or their hand baggage at the airport of departure during security check.

The right to carry firearms and ammunition in cabin

The only persons entitled to carry firearms in aircraft cabin are the law enforcement officers on duty, who are guarding high-rank official, in accordance with that person's status.

Firearms and ammunition in checked baggage
  • You may carry on board UIA flights as checked baggage only in the aircraft holds small firearms (combat, sporting or hunting), as well as ammunition of class 1,4S (UN0012 or UN0014) that are not considered to be dangerous goods.
  • Explosive and incendiary ammunition (bullets and shells) are prohibited for transportation by air transport.
  • Also prohibited for carriage in hand and/or checked baggage: all explosives, fireworks, Bengal lights, flares, firecrackers, exploding toys, distress signals or flares, etc. They can only be shipped as cargo.
  • All firearms, belonging to passengers, are transported unloaded and dismantled (if possible), packed in cases, boxes or special metal containers, equipped with secure locks, inside the aircraft holds, which are inaccessible to passengers and crew throughout the flight.
  • Ammunition must be carried separately from the firearms.
  • Firearms must be unloaded, with a safety device engaged.
  • According to the UIA regulations, it is passenger’s responsibility to duly pack firearms and ammunition. If they are not properly packed and/or their carriage was not prior agreed with UIA, the Company reserves the right to refuse such a passenger to transport these arms and ammunition on its flight.
  • Maximum allowance for ammunition per passenger is 5 kg (including package weight). Pooling procedure is not applicable.
  • If firearms and ammunition, belonging to a passenger, are not packed in a case or box with secure lock, it may be carried in a special container (gun box) mounted inside forward hold of Boeing 737.
  • It is allowed to transport:
    • Short-barrel guns 4 items with one set of ammunition for each;
    • Long-barrel guns 2 items with one set of ammunition for each.

Ammunition with total gross weight over 5kg per passenger and ammunition of over 19,1mm calibre shall be shipped as cargo.

NOTE: Bows/crossbows can be considered as hunting and projectile weapons as well as sporting firearms, but not as sporting equipment.

Transfer carriage

Transfer carriage of arms and ammunition has to be agreed upon by all the carriers involved.

Passengers carrying firearms and ammunition must hold a valid ticket for a given flight, a license for each item of weapon to be carried, issued by a relevant department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine with a note of commercial organization, which has sold the weapon, or a duplicate of such license.

Firearms and ammunition belonging to a legal entity must be carried as cargo.

Carriage of weapon on flights to/from USA must be reserved not later than 48 hours prior to scheduled flight departure.