Shipping luggage home
 

Have any of you had experience shipping your luggage home from an international trip> If so, which company did you use?

Hi K,

UPS, DHL and Fedex can all do it for you, but it is expensive.

Give us some details: from where, how much, why?

((I))

Hi Ira, and thanks for your response. I've posted part of the story on this board already, so I apologize for being redundant. My husband and I are going to Istanbul in two weeks to present at an academic conference. Because it's government travel, I have to abide by specific rules in order to get reimbursed. I was booked on a return flight from Istanbul on AA, landing at Heathrow at 11 a.m. and leaving from Gatwick at 2 p.m. (the same day)to get to Dallas. Even though I'm not changing airlines, because I have to change airports I'll have to get my luggage at Heathrow and take it to Gatwick. I've been worried about making that connection, and everyone that responded on this board agreed that it would be difficult to impossible (AA of course says that 3 hours is a legal time limit). Soooo I thought that if I could ship the luggage ahead I'd save some time. We travel light, so it would be two 22" rolling suitcases.

I sent a couple of boxes home from Australia by the post office a number of years ago. I think it is quite a bit cheaper than using fedex or the others. But it also took about 4 weeks for my packages to make it home. That was OK though, there was nothing special inside... just dirty (a bit rank by that time, actually) laundry!!

Hi K,

>landing at Heathrow at 11 a.m. and leaving from Gatwick at 2 p.m. (the same day)to get to Dallas.... We travel light, so it would be two 22" rolling suitcases.<

I agree, you have a very high probability of not making it.

However, the airline should check your luggage through to Dallas from Istanbul.

There's no need for you to ship it.

((I))

Ira,
You would think so, but everyone I've spoken to at AA says we the luggage won't be checked through because we're changing airports.

I compiled a list of companies (with links) that ship luggage. It's not cheap.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34855268

I had a luggage predicament about ten years ago. I had two REALLY heavy duffel bags for which I had paid a fortune as overweight from Manama to Amsterdam. The return from Amsterdam to Los Angeles would have been another fortune down the potty. I found the KLM air freight office in Schiphol and shipped the stuff that way for about $200, a fraction of the excess luggage costs.

Sent dirty clothes and gifts home from France to make room for books I bought.
I was expensive.

Shipping books and printed matter is very cheap if you send them by French La Poste, and declare them as such. Same goes for almost every postal service in Europe and the USA.

Exceptions apply. I forget which post office in Europe last year told me that everything going to the USA took the skyway -- at sky-high prices.

I've shipped home a small box of things mid-trip several times (just from a post office) but never an entire suitcase.

I sent two Tumi duffels home from Paris when we realized we were overloaded, I believe the Plaza Athenee used FED EX, I believe we could have stayed another night with what it cost, but it got done.

Hi K,

>>landing at Heathrow at 11 a.m. and leaving from Gatwick at 2 p.m. (the same day)to get to Dallas.... We travel light, so it would be two 22" rolling suitcases.<

OK, AA won't through ticket your luggage.

I still don't see why, if that is all you have, that you can't take your luggage as carryon.

Does it exceed the size limits?

((I))

Hopscotch can you provide details about the air freight? That sounds like an interesting solution for shipping large purchases. What do you do, call KLM ahead of time or just show up at the cargo terminal?
I will be flying with them to Africa in a few months and was wondering about this....thanks!

You most likely will NOT make a 3 hour connection no matter what you do w/ your luggage. So I wouldn't sweat paying a 3rd party shipper.

You need to check w/ AA and find out for sure what they will do when (not if) you miss the flight. If it was booked as one ticket - they will get you home on the next available flight - which might be the next day.

Just having carry on will really not make this a doable connection - unless the stars and planets are all lined up in a miraculous way!

So forget about shipping your stuf - it would be VERY expensive. And IF this was booked as a lega connection -- they do expect one to have a checked bag. So quit jumping through hoops and just let AA take care of things.

(IF they were booked separately - all bets are off BTW)

" . . . legal connection . . . ."

ekscrunchy,

I just happened upon the air freight office in Schiphol. I left my duffels and they went out on a flight the next day.

Here are a couple of links that can give you current information.

Air freight http://tinyurl.com/2e7llr

Map of Schiphol http://tinyurl.com/yrkvb2
Click on
"Departure and Lounges." It's an Adobe file. Zoom in for row 23 on the left.

Find the local post office. They should have PO approved containers for sale. Learn the weight limit. Check air rates and surface rates. If books inquire about 'M' bags. In your own city, inquire at companies doing international business as to how they ship. Ask your airline about air freight service.

Thanks..that is very helpful.