AGGGHH! What would YOU do?

diverklondike

Mike,

Sorry to hear of your challenge...

Alex,

Interesting approach....

Has anyone considered or tried "shipping" their rig to a destination via DHL, UPS or some other method in advance of a trip?

Based on what Mike was quoted it may not be a bad deal...

Dive Safe

Mark

The Purist

There is a flip side to that - a few years ago I had a trip booked to W Coast USA which, about 4-5 months before travel, was rescheduled and changed to Mexico (Cabo San Lucas but had to connect in San Diego anyway where I was originally going)). So I phoned the airline and asked about changing the flight details... "sorry sir, your ticket is non changeable and non refundable"...

So I spoke to the manager explaining that they had 5 months to fill the seat & the airline weren't possibly losing out, and I still wanted to fly with them, just on a different date. Same response... so I said "that means I've got a ticket that I have no intention of using that's going to cost me 450 quid anyway - what would it cost you airline if I were to turn up and check a bag and then not board the flight? a lot more than 450 quid I bet!". His first response was "I could be recording this call" which rapidly changed to "which dates would you like to travel? I'll call you back"

Of course these days there would be men in dark suits outside the front door before you put the phone down

Janos

Most security measures are a result of specific incidents. The unaccompanied baggage rule is a direct result of Lockerbie.

Musicians regularly book seats for things like 'Cellos and harps as they clearly cannot go in the hold. However this is currently on hold (certainly on US flights) and musicians are up in arms about it.

So I'd check with the airline first.

Janos

__________________
You can lead a horse to water but you can't climb a ladder with a large bell in both hands - Vic Reeves
www.hellfins.com/shed

Grizz

Drmike ,can you give a list of all the gear you are taking on your trip?

Dutchy

What unaccompanied baggage rule? I mean unaccompanied baggage goes on flights all the time. (What do you think will happen to baggage that missed a flight? RIGHT!) The point is that baggage can not go on a flight unattended UNEXPECTEDLY. When known up front it will just get a higher screening level. When it clears at the higher level it CAN go. Be there in time and offer the ailine to do so.....

__________________
= This post is environmentally friendly. It is composed of 100% recycled electrons only. = SK #007

AD_ward9

Mark, trust me, it is a bad idea. I have done this. Or rather, people have done this on my DHL, UPS and FedEx accounts .
The cost is unbelievable. Customs duties with unaccompanied baggage. DHL are really expensive, and UPS change their rates after they give you a firm quote, and in my experience, are late more often than not. FedEx and TNT are OK, but you still get severe Customs problems.

What does work is Exhibition shippers. I use Schrenker and they are pretty good. You can send pallets at a similar cost to the "Mr RIB" route. However, Customs can be a problem as it is cargo so Carnets do not work. In the US they have some really nice people to handle things. You want the chap who works for Schrenker who sounds like Forest Gump: he is the most knowledgable gentleman I have ever been in contact with. I do mean, Gentleman: super polite, calm, attentive and follows up wonderfully with an unmatched knowledge of air shipping.

On the other posting about musicians using this and it being suspended, the baggage is not unaccompanied. I emphasise this. You MUST travel with the baggage. Gone are the times when I could turn up at an airport and pass a package to the fantastic United Airlines service, where they would deliver it to any airport they flew to at incredibly low cost. That service does not exist, and has not for the past 5 years. If you buy a ticket for the kit, you must have a ticket on the same plane. I have not tried buying children's tickets for kit: I think you would be told where to go if you try this on. You can be clever, but not too clever.

If you use the route I use, you are on the plane with Mr RIB. You accompany Mr RIB, and Mr RIB being under 14, is accompanied as a young minor by you, but under 14 pays adult economy rates.

With the security restrictions, the UK to USA route may be a problem. I have seriously avoiding going to the US for the past 5 years: security hassle and visas for people accompanying is too much hassle for me now. However, in November 2001 I did this from London to New York with a "Mr Scope", and the "Mr RIB" was flying from London to Florida. As regards the recent security issues, flying into the UK over the past month was OK, but flying out is harder going. Flying anywhere else seems fine over the past month (at least, when I flew to Holland, Norway and Russia).

Cheers,

Alex

lizardland

This suggestion might be daft as it is a bit obvious. Wouldn't it be a lot cheaper to send it as cargo by air freight if there is that much of it?

__________________
Can you imagine drifting along in the sea with your mouth open and a load of f***ing plankton going in? You'd like it, would you?

www.westons-cider.co.uk

Azerbaijani Association of Technical Divers Publicity Officer and Goat Wrangler

AD_ward9

I have made some aluminium boxes (14 of them), the exact maximum dimensions for shipping by air, that will fit into a regular plane (as opposed to some giant cargo special that only flies via Cologne). It takes 230kg, and sending it anywhere takes $700.
This is OK. Just does not fit into hire cars when you get to the other end. I can post the design of this if people are really interested. It is engineered very well: minimum materials (still uses 30kg of Aluminium), thoroughly tested, designed for flat pack on the return, has handles so four people can pick it up, and straps so it can be picked by a forklift without wasting space with skids.
If anyone wants one, I can supply them at $700 ea as I have some excess to my needs.
You are going to have customs problems using them, but that is another issue. For going on dive trips, the "Mr RIB" ticket is the business.

Thanks to the three who kindly Green Blobbed my first post on this thread. Much appreciated. Names noted. This is what forums should be about, sharing the clever little things that make life easier for us.

Cheers,

Alex

bgpartri

Here are some of my attempts:

In '98, I went to Scapa Flow on British Airways and had too much stuff. They told me to get under the limit or buy another ticket for "Mr. Tech gear"

In '99, I shipped my Rebreather to Cayman with a hold for pickup via American Airlines.

I picked it up at customs, and since I was a tourist there was no tax or duty. Cayman, since they have no income tax, is brutal on import taxes. No problem.

When it arrived, the suitcase looked ok, but inside there was a fair amount of damage. I spent the first couple of days getting what I could working. It was diveable, but my gas switch block was ruined.


In '02, I tried to do it again (much more carefully packed in a hard case) but was refused. No airline was allowed to carry cargo except for specific customers with a long pre-9/11 history.

I checked UPS, but it was very expensive.

I just booked a flight to the US and I had to fill in a lot of stuff including names, passport numbers, hotel address, etc. I'd want to make sure you could buy a second seat. Logically, I don't see why not, but there is a serious money grab happening with airlines, so they might just say you have to pay the extra charges.

I think my next rebreather is going to weigh 30 pounds.

__________________
http://www.rebreather.ca

Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.

decoweenie

I like the way you think...

Have to remember this one for possible later use...

__________________
"...after a while you get bored offering advice to a bull that like to keep butting the fence with its head rather than walking through the open gate..."

- Rebreather World PM