MetEx House, 496a Great West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW5 0TE  ·  Shipping since 1998
0800 096 38 39
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📚 International Luggage Knowledge Centre • Est. 1998

International Luggage
Knowledge Centre

Everything you need to know about shipping luggage internationally from the UK. Built from 28 years of experience of hands-on experience. Written by people who actually do this — not AI summaries of other websites.

New guides

Latest additions to the knowledge centre

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Corporate & Business Shipping

Employee relocations, trade samples, equipment despatch for UK businesses

💊
Can I Ship Medication?

Prescription medicines, OTC items and destination rules

🍲
Can I Ship Food?

Packaged food, spices, tea and biosecurity rules

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Can I Ship Electronics?

Laptops, TVs and the lithium battery rules

📚
First-Time Shipping Guide

The complete beginner guide, step by step

📚
Shipping Glossary A-Z

Every freight term explained in plain English

🎓
Student End-of-Term Guide

Ship, store or sell: the complete student playbook

📏
Volumetric Weight Explained

Why size matters as much as weight in air freight

📈 Airline Baggage — Alternatives & Comparisons

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Is it cheaper than airline fees?
Honest comparison — when shipping wins and when it doesn't.
Airline baggage alternative
Why customers ship instead of checking bags.
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British Airways
BA baggage fees vs our service.
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Ryanair
Ryanair fees vs our quote.
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easyJet
easyJet baggage fees comparison.
Emirates
Emirates baggage fees vs shipping.

📋 Customs & Documentation

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What if customs holds my shipment?
Why holds happen and how to resolve them.
Prohibited items guide
Complete list — lithium batteries, aerosols and more.
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Customs guides by country
Destination-specific customs requirements.
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India Transfer of Residence
NRI TR duty exemption explained.
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Pakistan OPN scheme
Overseas Pakistani Notification guide.
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Australia DAFF biosecurity
What DAFF requires for Australia shipments.

🏈 Specialist Items

Shipping golf clubs
Airlines charge significant fees. We give a quote.
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Shipping bicycles
Boxed bikes, e-bike battery rules, packing guide.
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Musical instruments
Guitars, keyboards, orchestral instruments.
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Sports equipment
Surfboards, skis, cricket, diving, tennis.
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Shipping TVs
Packaging guide, customs, size and weight.
🛒
Barrel shipping guide
Caribbean and West African diaspora routes.

🚗 Moving Abroad & Relocation

🌎
Moving abroad guide
The complete overview for international moves.
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Moving abroad for work
Expat contracts, furnished apartments, what to ship.
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Moving abroad checklist
Pre-departure checklist for international moves.
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Moving to Nigeria
NCS customs, NAHCO/SAHCOL, barrel shipping.
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Moving to India
TR duty exemption, four gateway airports.
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Moving to Dubai
UAE FCA customs, no alcohol rule.

🎓 Student Luggage Shipping

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Student shipping hub
University moves, term dates, what to ship.
📅
Booking lead times
How early to book — September rush, Christmas peaks.
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International student guide
For students coming to or leaving the UK.
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Do I need to be home?
Hotels, student halls, offices — how collection works.
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Shipping vs removals
When to use each — the honest comparison.
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Insurance explained
IATA liability, declaring value, making a claim.

📋 Packing & Practical Guides

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How to pack for shipping
Practical packing guide — weight, fragile items, labelling.
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Packing boxes
What boxes to use and how to pack them.
📝
Size and weight guide
Dimensions, 30kg per item, what counts.
Air vs sea freight
Speed vs cost — which is right for your shipment.
International luggage shipping
The complete overview for all international routes.
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Price guide
How luggage shipping is priced and what to expect.
About this knowledge centre

Written from 28 years of real experience

Excess Luggage Co. has been shipping personal effects from the UK since 1998 — to 185 countries. This knowledge centre is written by our team based on what we actually see in practice: what causes customs holds, which items airlines refuse, what packaging fails in transit, and what questions customers ask most often.

It is not a scrape of other websites or an AI summary of generic shipping information. It is the accumulated knowledge of 28 years of doing this from MetEx House, 2 miles from Heathrow cargo terminals.

If you cannot find the answer here, call us on 0800 096 38 39. We answer.

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International Luggage Knowledge Centre • Excess Luggage Co.
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