NAC airfreight

[Mike Arman]

> mike <mikemk40 at yahoo.com>
>
> But basically you need to find a freight forwarder who will add this to a container.  No one
> ships pallets on boats, they ship standard sized containers full of stuff.
>
> On 11/20/2011 7:43 PM, mike wrote:
>>
>> NAC but a bit of help needed if possible
>>
>>
>> I need to air ship a standard pallet 36 hight&  250lb from Santa Maria, CA 93455 over to the
>> UK, our normal courier doesn't do international pallets and the UK branches of the usual
>> suspects (DHL etc) seem to be quoting ridiculous numbers
>>
>> anyone got any recommendations please?


I've shipped some stuff airfreight, most of the time it goes into an LD(number) container which fits 
jigsaw-puzzle-like into the belly of the aircraft. You call the airline (air freight division), they 
deliver a container to you, you fill it, they take it away. At the other end, it goes to the 
recipient, he empties it and promptly returns it.

You do NOT want to ship any kind of wood (the pallet) internationally - various customs agencies are 
looking for pine-borer beetles (etc.), and if ANY of the packing is untreated, uncertificated wood, 
the whole container is promptly returned to sender, freight collect.

You also don't want to spend money shipping the pallet - airfreight isn't cheap, and what does the 
pallet weigh? (Besides, I'm sure they have plenty of pallets in the UK, do you need to pay 
handsomely to send them another one?)


Talk to the airlines (air freight division), and find or let them refer you to a freight 
consolidator or a customs broker, the courier crowd (DHL/Fedex) doesn't do "exceptions" well ("We 
can't ship your car because it won't fit our overnight envelope.") and they are absolutely NOT 
competitive on larger shipments, not even close to competitive - in fact, they're nuts . . .


Expect some paperwork, and since you are not a "known shipper" (Thanks DHS) expect some more 
questions. It'll take longer to get this prepped and documented than to fly it there ;-)

Who pays freight, you or him? It may be easier for you to pay at point of departure, airlines don't 
like freight collect shipments, this will also depend on your customs broker - and you NEED a 
customs broker or Her Majesty's O(r)fice of Customs and Inland Revenue will tie it up forever. Don't 
try this without help, if you have people working this for you, it will be easy. If you try to wing 
it, it will be impossible.

example - Someone I know shipped an airplane here and used about a dozen rolls of toilet paper as 
cushioning for some of the spare parts. US Customs let him bring in the airplane duty free, but 
whacked him for importing "personal hygiene supplies". He was a jerk about it, got snippy with the 
Customs Officer, and she didn't appreciate it, when she offered him the choice of having the 
airplane either seized or permanently refused entry and shipped back to the UK at his expense, he 
saw the light and did a little well-advised ass-kissing.


Best Regards,

Mike Arman