Unaccompanied luggage
#1
Unaccompanied luggage
Hi.
I've just found the forum and wondered if anyone can help with something I'm a bit stuck on please.
My wife and I are moving from Bristol (UK) to Melbourne (Oz) on the 2nd Feb for 18-24 months. We're shipping quite a bit of house stuff which will get to us by the end of March (hopefully!!!). However, we're only allowed 20kg of luggage each and yet we're going to need quite a bit more clothes to get us through til the end of March. Does anyone know what the best way to send a further 20-30kg of clothes is please? I wonder whether I can send a bag as unaccompanied luggage but I phoned Qantas who said "ooh, no, really expensive" and now I'm stuck.
Many thanks
Matt
I've just found the forum and wondered if anyone can help with something I'm a bit stuck on please.
My wife and I are moving from Bristol (UK) to Melbourne (Oz) on the 2nd Feb for 18-24 months. We're shipping quite a bit of house stuff which will get to us by the end of March (hopefully!!!). However, we're only allowed 20kg of luggage each and yet we're going to need quite a bit more clothes to get us through til the end of March. Does anyone know what the best way to send a further 20-30kg of clothes is please? I wonder whether I can send a bag as unaccompanied luggage but I phoned Qantas who said "ooh, no, really expensive" and now I'm stuck.
Many thanks
Matt
#2
Debs M
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Ballarat
Posts: 42
Re: Unaccompanied luggage
Hi Matt,
We were in the same predicament as you. We ended up having 100kg go excess baggage with "Excess Baggage" at Gatwick Airport. They are also located at Heathrow too. The charge was 4.85p per kilo plus insurance and handling charges which took the total to 530 pounds. It took a week to get to Oz and the company this side handled customs and quarantine for no charge which was a bonus. Beware though as quarantine will go through everything in the bag and if you have locks on them, they will break them off. You will also have to be aware too that there is a charge for your bags to go through Customs & Quarantine. Ours was $120.
Your bags will be x-rayed by the excess baggage company and they will also plastic wrap for extra security. There are lots of forms to fill in before sending it and you will be notified by email of when the baggage is due to arrive into Oz. You will then have to contact the handling company in Oz to arrange for pick up.
We had no problems whatsoever using this service and it was a hell of a lot cheaper than using the airlines, who charge on average 30-40 pounds per kilo for excess baggage.
Regards,
Debs
We were in the same predicament as you. We ended up having 100kg go excess baggage with "Excess Baggage" at Gatwick Airport. They are also located at Heathrow too. The charge was 4.85p per kilo plus insurance and handling charges which took the total to 530 pounds. It took a week to get to Oz and the company this side handled customs and quarantine for no charge which was a bonus. Beware though as quarantine will go through everything in the bag and if you have locks on them, they will break them off. You will also have to be aware too that there is a charge for your bags to go through Customs & Quarantine. Ours was $120.
Your bags will be x-rayed by the excess baggage company and they will also plastic wrap for extra security. There are lots of forms to fill in before sending it and you will be notified by email of when the baggage is due to arrive into Oz. You will then have to contact the handling company in Oz to arrange for pick up.
We had no problems whatsoever using this service and it was a hell of a lot cheaper than using the airlines, who charge on average 30-40 pounds per kilo for excess baggage.
Regards,
Debs
#3
womble
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,675
Re: Unaccompanied luggage
Originally Posted by Matt Sabin
Hi.
I've just found the forum and wondered if anyone can help with something I'm a bit stuck on please.
My wife and I are moving from Bristol (UK) to Melbourne (Oz) on the 2nd Feb for 18-24 months. We're shipping quite a bit of house stuff which will get to us by the end of March (hopefully!!!). However, we're only allowed 20kg of luggage each and yet we're going to need quite a bit more clothes to get us through til the end of March. Does anyone know what the best way to send a further 20-30kg of clothes is please? I wonder whether I can send a bag as unaccompanied luggage but I phoned Qantas who said "ooh, no, really expensive" and now I'm stuck.
Many thanks
Matt
I've just found the forum and wondered if anyone can help with something I'm a bit stuck on please.
My wife and I are moving from Bristol (UK) to Melbourne (Oz) on the 2nd Feb for 18-24 months. We're shipping quite a bit of house stuff which will get to us by the end of March (hopefully!!!). However, we're only allowed 20kg of luggage each and yet we're going to need quite a bit more clothes to get us through til the end of March. Does anyone know what the best way to send a further 20-30kg of clothes is please? I wonder whether I can send a bag as unaccompanied luggage but I phoned Qantas who said "ooh, no, really expensive" and now I'm stuck.
Many thanks
Matt
airfreight
unaccompanied
baggage
and as an example: www.upakweship.co.uk comes up at a rate of GBP3.60/kg plus GBP30 handling charges - which for 30kg of baggage will cost you 138 quid! not bad eh?
you just have to be organised and sort it out in advance.
never use the airline unaccompanied baggage unless you really do want to be charged a fortune!
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 27
Re: Unaccompanied luggage
We used www.excess-baggage.com a few times.
If you book off airport (and have it collected from home) it's a little cheaper, but they have a counter right next to Singapore Airlines, Cathay, Thai, JAL, Malaysian, ANZ, etc at Heathrow if you need last minute salvation.
Very handy, we found.
From memory, they have a discounted rate around £3.50kg (14 days to arrive) and an Express rate too, for the next flight out.
Always make sure the operator is minimum a member of Brit Assoc of Removers.
If you book off airport (and have it collected from home) it's a little cheaper, but they have a counter right next to Singapore Airlines, Cathay, Thai, JAL, Malaysian, ANZ, etc at Heathrow if you need last minute salvation.
Very handy, we found.
From memory, they have a discounted rate around £3.50kg (14 days to arrive) and an Express rate too, for the next flight out.
Always make sure the operator is minimum a member of Brit Assoc of Removers.
#6
Re: Unaccompanied luggage
Thanks. I gave www.upakweship.com a ring yesterday and they said they would collect from our house and deliver to Melbourne airport for £2.20/kg which seems pretty good. They said they also have to charge £30 airport handling/£15 UK documentation and £30 collection charge but even so we're thinking that £163 for 40kg of luggage is pretty good for door-to-airport service . Not sure what anyone else thinks about this...
They said it takes 5-10 days...
They said it takes 5-10 days...
#7
Re: Unaccompanied luggage
[QUOTE=dhw210770]Hi Matt,
. Beware though as quarantine will go through everything in the bag and if you have locks on them, they will break them off. You will also have to be aware too that there is a charge for your bags to go through Customs & Quarantine. Ours was $120.
Customs and quarantine don't have to break the locks off there are ways around it, believe me they can get in and lock it back up again without you knowing! Really sneaky how they do it really.
Jenny
. Beware though as quarantine will go through everything in the bag and if you have locks on them, they will break them off. You will also have to be aware too that there is a charge for your bags to go through Customs & Quarantine. Ours was $120.
Customs and quarantine don't have to break the locks off there are ways around it, believe me they can get in and lock it back up again without you knowing! Really sneaky how they do it really.
Jenny
#8
Re: Unaccompanied luggage
Thanks. That sounds like a sneaky customs charge...forewarned is forearmed.
Don't think we'll lock the bags from what you say - if someone steals my pants then hey-ho life's a beach...
Cheers
Don't think we'll lock the bags from what you say - if someone steals my pants then hey-ho life's a beach...
Cheers
#9
womble
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,675
Re: Unaccompanied luggage
Originally Posted by Matt Sabin
Thanks. I gave www.upakweship.com a ring yesterday and they said they would collect from our house and deliver to Melbourne airport for £2.20/kg which seems pretty good. They said they also have to charge £30 airport handling/£15 UK documentation and £30 collection charge but even so we're thinking that £163 for 40kg of luggage is pretty good for door-to-airport service . Not sure what anyone else thinks about this...
They said it takes 5-10 days...
They said it takes 5-10 days...
As for locking - I wouldnt bother. Pack everything into the cargo boxes and the shippers will seal the boxes with tape. Then when customs open the tape they just need to slice it through which makes it easier for all involved. And then they themselves reseal with customs tape so you know it's been opened by them.
#11
womble
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,675
Re: Unaccompanied luggage
Originally Posted by Matt Sabin
Cool. Thanks.
(that's when you hit that old "karma" button...... )
#13
womble
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,675
Re: Unaccompanied luggage
Originally Posted by Matt Sabin
Yep - point is a good one, well made. Done. Cheers.
karma-karma-karma-chameleon......
(I'll get me coat.....)