Carrying cash - Africa/ME

[Ozgrade3]

Lots of posts here on trips through the Middle East and Africa suggest carrying large sums of cash. For a multi stop trip it could be in the tens of thousand.

So how does one keep that sort of loot safe, can one get a safe installed in the aircraft, not sure I'd like to walk around with that much cash on my person. Are Hotel safe keeping services reliable.

[hawker750]

we routinely carry $20,000 + cash around Africa. It is not uncommon for an airport to be suddenly "cash only" for fuel even though it had been booked on credit in advance.
Give each crew member a couple of thousand and then hide the rest somewhere in the aircraft, there must be a place that is inaccessible from preying eyes and fingers. Do not take the wad with you to the hotel, that is far more dangerous than keeping most of it in the aircraft.

[MungoP]

AND... Make sure that the cash (assuming US$) is of a recent year and that all the bills are in good condition... no nicks/tears are heavy smudge marks... also that you have a good reserve of smaller denominations...5s/10s/20s as nobody will admit to having change for your $100 bill and you REEEeeaaaalllY don't wan't $87 worth of DRCongo toilet paper with you on your return home.

[Bergkamp10]

Also beware of the exchange scams in the hotels, even when playing for extras.
USD small notes work best again, avoid paying if possible in USD 100's

They used this trick with our crews several times in NDJ and KIN.

Happy flying! ;)

[hawker750]

Quote:
you REEEeeaaaalllY don't wan't $87 worth of DRCongo toilet paper with you on your return home.
I don't agree, I find that the 100,000 note to be quite comfy for my arse

[NLTR]

I don't agree, I find that the 100,000 note to be quite comfy for my arse

:p

[Cecco]

We fly a lot to MEA/Africa and always carry 12´000 USD plus 3´000 Euro with us. The money is hidden in the aircraft and always stays there. I consider a locked aircraft safe enough even in Africa. They might try to steal fuel at certain places but trying to force open the aircraft door???
As someone has already pointed out: have small demoninations with you because change is rarely given (exceptions are HUEN, HSSJ and FCBB by the way!), if bills are not in good conditions they might be refused, even though fuel is booked on credit, it might suddenly only be available on cash (this happended twice to us in FCBB and in DRZR).

Cash is King!

Cheers
Cecco

[silverknapper]

Sadly whatever you think you need usually is never enough!

I know a King Air with a safe installed. But as mentioned above if you lock all exits and hide it you should be ok.

And again as said above small notes to satisfy the crowd who congregate around you before departure are invaluable.

[chubbychopper]

We also carry quite a bit of cash in this part of the globe, mostly US$. It should be noted that it is important to declare it on the way out of, or into the EU. If you don't, and they catch you arriving with anything in excess of 10K Euros it could be confiscated.