A suitcase travelling by courier doesn't go down the airport belt with you standing next to it: it travels as cargo, and cargo rules are different from checked-baggage rules. Most of the suitcases we handle are full of clothes, shoes and personal items, and those fly without a hitch. The trouble always comes from the same four suspects.
What travels without a problem
Clothes, shoes, books, toys, blankets, solid toiletries, and in general used personal effects: in most destinations these normally enter free of duty precisely because they are used and personal. If you're unsure whether your case calls for a suitcase, a box or an envelope, we have a guide to choosing the format.
The four that stop suitcases
Loose lithium batteries. The general rule for air cargo is strict: a battery installed in its device (a laptop, a shaver) can usually travel; loose batteries and power banks are the number one reason for a hold. If you can, carry them with you on the plane — that's where the regulations prefer them. Aerosols and anything pressurised. Spray deodorant, hairspray, shaving foam. In air cargo these are regulated goods. The stick or cream version travels without drama. Liquids in general. They aren't banned as such, but a bottle that pops open at 10,000 metres ruins the whole suitcase — and if it's alcohol or perfume in quantity, it's regulated goods on top of that. Less is more: only the essentials, sealed properly and in closed bags. Food. Every country has its own list, and it's usually stricter than you'd imagine: meat and dairy products are banned in a great many destinations, and anything fresh in practically all of them. Industrially packaged and sealed items stand a better chance, but it depends on the destination — tell us when you ask for a price and we'll check before the suitcase leaves.The practical rule
If something would make you hesitate at airport security, it will make cargo customs hesitate too. And there's an important difference: at the airport they take it off you and you carry on; in cargo, a problematic item can hold up the entire suitcase for days. That's why when you ask for a price we ask what's inside: it isn't paperwork, it's the suitcase arriving.
What about checking it on the plane instead? It almost always works out worse on price — here are the numbers — but for batteries and not much else, flying it with you is still the best place for it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship a laptop inside the suitcase?
A laptop carries its battery installed in the device, which is the scenario air-cargo rules accept most readily. What must not travel loose are spare batteries and power banks. Even so, if the laptop is your work tool, the practical advice is to fly it with you: an expensive device in cargo is a risk that doesn't pay off.
Can I put food in a suitcase I'm shipping abroad?
It depends on the destination country, and the list is usually stricter than people expect. Meat and dairy products are banned in a great many destinations and anything fresh in practically all of them. Industrially packaged and sealed items stand a better chance, but it has to be checked destination by destination. Tell us what you want to put in when you ask for a price and we'll look into it before the suitcase leaves.
What happens if customs finds something that shouldn't be there?
At the airport, when you're travelling yourself, they take the item off you and you carry on. Cargo is different: a problematic item can hold up the entire suitcase for several days while it's resolved, and the delay affects everything inside, not just the item in question. That's why we ask about the contents before we collect.
Do used personal effects pay duty?
In most destinations, used clothes and personal items in quantities consistent with personal use normally enter free of duty, precisely because they are used and personal. What changes the picture is new electronics in the box, high-value items, and quantities that look commercial.
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