Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Information Desk
Reload this Page >

Name of company which pay you for taking parcels/bags?

Name of company which pay you for taking parcels/bags?

Old Jun 7, 2018, 7:35 am
  #1  
p78
Suspended
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Silver, Aegan Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 393
Name of company which pay you for taking parcels/bags?

Some time ago I read some blog boarding area and they post about opurtinity to cover flight ticket by taking parcel with You for example HKG->LHR

but I couldn’t find this post know


do anybody can help me?
p78 is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2018, 11:02 am
  #2  
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 15,609
The term you're looking for is air couriers, but I have no recommendations for you.
chgoeditor is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2018, 11:19 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,648
I believe that the air courier business no longer exists.
jbeckett is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2018, 11:25 am
  #4  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,327
Originally Posted by p78
Some time ago I read some blog boarding area and they post about opurtinity to cover flight ticket by taking parcel with You for example HKG->LHR

but I couldn’t find this post know


do anybody can help me?
I think I remember the blog discussion about some new courier like service, including concerns about whether it would put the courier at risk if there were problems with the contents.
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2018, 12:37 pm
  #5  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Courier travel was common a couple of decades ago and previously. You’d get your travel costs offset or even fully paid for in return for giving the company your baggage allowance, essentially, and transmitting accompanying documents between company representatives at origin and destination airport. That’s pretty rare any longer, and even some years ago courier companies preferred their vetted “regulars”.

Not long ago, a new company, Airmule (link), popped up. Iirc it had a very limited network, mostly Asia, and had packages delivered to one at the airport that one would turn over to a contact on the ground at the other end. The concern many had was that the courier had no idea what you were couriering (some Asian countries offer up to the death penalty for some drugs and weapons) and the company would not guarantee they’d stand behind you.

They don’t buy your ticket - they pay you to carry packages they delegate to you. Years ago I did a bit of courier flying for the US Military. Personally, I’d never take on the risk of signing on with AirMule. “I’m sorry, sir, but xxx was detected in your baggage, and it (is prohibited, is subject to duty); please come with us.” “Yes, we understand someone paid you to transport this as your own baggage. But it’s your baggage, listed on the baggage sticker attached to your ticket.” Etc.

Check Airmule out - but I’d suggest caveat emptor.

Last edited by JDiver; Jun 8, 2018 at 10:25 pm
JDiver is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2018, 12:57 pm
  #6  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
This is not a thing anymore.
LondonElite is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2018, 1:30 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,606
I think the type of service you are looking for has long changed, and with increased security protocols this is not something that an individual should pursue. Those days where you were being paid to fly half way across the country to deliver documents same day or overnight have long been changed/eliminated with fax, emails, computers. I work in International Logistics and I'm a licensed US Customs Brokers, we have some customers of ours that have what is called "hand-carry" when they are sending a last minute high value parcel and it is usually accompanied by a company employee, we meet the passenger at the International terminal upon arrival and provide the customs clearance formalities allowing the passenger to proceed with delivery of said parcel. We do a lot of E-commerce and this is big business. I myself have also been asked to do "hand-carry" shipments, when our customer has a last minute parcel (must be there ASAP) and we are unable to get a same day cargo booking, but we can take it as part of our luggage allowance on a flight. these customer are called "known shippers" and they have been properly vetted.
JDiver likes this.

Last edited by arollins; Jun 7, 2018 at 1:44 pm
arollins is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2018, 9:52 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
I think this was what you read.
https://thepointsguy.com/2018/03/air...ervice-review/
Yoshi212 is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2018, 9:56 pm
  #9  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,920
Originally Posted by LondonElite
This is not a thing any more.
With electronic data transfer, e-mails, etc and with DHL, FedEx aircraft and others circling the globe the need to personally transport small items has almost been eliminated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FedEx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DHL_Express
Mwenenzi is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2018, 10:19 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,879
Originally Posted by Mwenenzi
With electronic data transfer, e-mails, etc and with DHL, FedEx aircraft and others circling the globe the need to personally transport small items has almost been eliminated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FedEx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DHL_Express
Back in 2004 or so, a customer that I supported had a break in and one of the things that was stolen was a print server computer with several proprietary interface cards and license dongles. I had to make arrangements with the software company for a replacement (and then I had to configure that replacement onsite). For the low, low price of $40,000, the company put one of their employees on a plane in San Diego with our server as a carry-on. They flew up to PDX, took a cab to my customer's location 4 miles from the airport, had me sign for it, and left in the same taxi.

It wasn't until I had the new computer plugged in that I learned that the customer had not ever backed up the configuration (as they had agreed to in the original Statement of Work), so I had to recreate dozens of custom data transforms from memory. I ended up being inside of their building for 40 hours straight.

I can't remember what we charged them for my time, but it wasn't enough
februaryfour likes this.
Qwkynuf is offline  
Old Jun 8, 2018, 12:53 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 969
Knew someone who did this London-New York return. They paid a fraction of the ticket price (like 10%). Ended up on Concorde outbound. This was in the early 1980s. Long gone since...
DragonSoul is offline  
Old Jun 8, 2018, 5:44 am
  #12  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: USA
Posts: 226
Originally Posted by DragonSoul
Knew someone who did this London-New York return. They paid a fraction of the ticket price (like 10%). Ended up on Concorde outbound. This was in the early 1980s. Long gone since...
While living in NY in the 80’s I would do the Concorde courrier trip on a regular basis on BA. Cost was $700 rt and received United miles. Also, as mentioned they did prefer vetted individuals as once in awhile I was called and offered free trips.
JDiver likes this.
doctor is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2018, 5:05 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: GIG - YYC - SVO
Programs: Lost it all and don't care
Posts: 945
"Name of company which you pay for taking parcels/bags"............FEDEX..........

Fixed it for you. What you're talking about is ancient history.
KDS777 is offline  
Old Jun 13, 2018, 1:59 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,605
Originally Posted by KDS777
"Name of company which you pay for taking parcels/bags"............FEDEX..........

Fixed it for you. What you're talking about is ancient history.
Yeah, I didn't think this was still going on as well. Years ago I had a GF that routinely flew SFO-SIN-SFO. NOT a pleasant route and no F or Biz class ticket. She didn't mind it as she had friends in Singapore and KL and would visit IF she was allowed. Occasionally the courier company she worked for required a 24 hr turn around.
nomad420 is offline  
Old Jul 1, 2018, 10:08 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Beijing
Posts: 349
Not sure why so many are saying this is no longer going on? Why would you think so? I am working as flight courier for three companies in the last 5 years. Work is irregularly, as its very much on demand - about 2-5 times a year, irregularly. So its not like a job or something. More like an opportunity to head to some destination at short (more like very short) notice, get some air miles and get paid a little for your trouble.

All three companies I am registered with work internationally, but require me to pickup mostly from mainland China, or on occasions some other destination. Normally it goes like this:

1. I get an sms, specially when in the middle of the night for a request (Like: "Hi, you free for delivery 2mrw afternoon, PEK-AMS, open return. Call me asap please"
2. If I can and want to take it I call back immediately to work out the details (any choice of airline, how many items, delivered to agent or client, who does custom clearance)
3. I usually travel very light, so I have a bag packed for that purpose actually, so I just try and work out what I can do at the destination, who I could visit, and when I need to be back
4. The logistics company books the flights on my behalf, so I dont have to do that, except in a few exceptions, when it was easier to do for me (domestic China)
5. I head to the airport, meet the agent, take the items with the agent to customs (and I usually ask to see the contents) get the clearance papers and checkin
6. If its only documents, then i just take it as cabin luggage, if industrial parts/computer parts then its often checked-in.
7. I board and fly to destination, and either clear customs myself, or meet an agent at the baggage claim, who takes care of it.
8. If there is no agent, I once had to delivery it across town in Wuhan, nearly missed my outgoing flight, as I didnt want to stick around there on that occasion.

Thats a typical scenario. Now I hear some of you ask, why would a company spent all that money for a flight when there is in fact Fedex, DHL, SF Express, etc... The answer is both simple and suprising. None of these companies offer such a service, as its often highly customised. Imagine you run a fair sized production facility. While producing 20000 units of whatever a day, your controller system malfunctions, and you need a specialised chip or part that is (most often now) manufactured China, Japan, Taiwan (replace with any other country if you like). You now have the choice of waiting 3 days (more if its the start of a weekend/holiday) to have that replacement part. Thats a lot of days of lost production (and perhaps incurring penalties on top for missed deliveries). Hence a courier that costs them perhaps 2000-3000 USD in total is cheap.

Likewise, you may have a important person that needs a new passport, visa, permit, etc or a business deal which needs documents. Anything that is time sensitive, or of great value (or both). Lastly, the most important part if you looking to do this: be a reliable, fast communicator, have an unlimited passport, no travel restrictions, be reachable day and night, and perhaps most importantly, be based in a country that has little English speakers, and strict visa requirements. China is such a place, and I speak some mandarin, Russia would also be a good base, but China is unique in such, that it is also the origin of many products these days.

And, yes, I get paid, but its not much, and some pay by trip, some by days, or items. And before you ask, no - I will not give you the name of the companies, but if you looking for way to get to fly for free, its not much use, as I mentioned before, trips are irregular, and there is no choice where you go. You just choose, yes, or no!

Any more questions, I can try and answer, but I wont get into personal or company details.
timesnaps is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.