Inside our operation
Our premises, our warehouse, our staff and our vehicles — photographed on the job. Not stock images.
Ship your luggage, personal effects and unaccompanied baggage from the UK to Tonga. We collect from your door anywhere in the UK and ship to Nuku'alofa by air freight in 8-13 working days, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers. Sea freight also available. Price confirmed before we collect anything.
✈ Air freight: 8-13 working days UK door → Nuku'alofa arrival airport • ⚓ Sea freight: On request • 30kg standard, surcharge if heavier • Sender and receiver are usually expected to be the same person • £75 deposit secures your date • Freephone 0800 096 38 39
Sending luggage to Tonga doesn’t have to mean airport queues or excess-baggage fees. Our door-to-door service, where available, will ship luggage, send luggage, suitcases, boxes and personal effects to Tonga straight from your UK doorstep, with baggage shipping handled end to end. Whether you’re shipping luggage for a move or sending a suitcase or boxes of belongings, we manage the whole process — collection, customs and delivery — so your things arrive safely without the hassle.
We offer luggage shipping from the UK to Tonga by air freight and sea freight. All prices are confirmed before we collect. For personal effects, the sender and receiver are usually expected to be the same person.
Your bags travel as air cargo from Heathrow to the arrival airport in Tonga. You collect from the cargo warehouse on arrival.
Sea freight is more economical for larger or heavier shipments. Transit time is longer. You collect from the arrival seaport after customs clearance.
Personal effects — clothing, books, household items, luggage — ship under customs relief schemes where available. For personal effects, the sender and receiver are usually expected to be the same person.
We confirm your shipping price before collecting anything. We’ll show you exactly what’s included. No excess-baggage fees at the gate. £75 non-refundable deposit secures your collection date.
For personal effects classification, you ship your belongings to yourself. The sender in the UK and the receiver in Tonga are usually expected to be the same person. A different receiver causes customs to reclassify the shipment.
Lithium batteries, power banks and devices containing lithium batteries are not accepted in a standard shipment — air or sea. They can be packed and exported as declared dangerous goods — ask us before you pack. Undeclared dangerous goods are a criminal offence and the duty sits with the sender.
Aerosols, pressurised containers, perfumes and flammable liquids are not accepted on any service. This includes deodorants, hairsprays and cologne.
All collections require 48–72 hours notice. £75 non-refundable deposit secures your collection date.100% applies once collected, or 95% if cancelled with our driver at your door on the day of or after collection.
You must respond promptly to any customs hold, query or inspection notice at the destination. Failure to respond, or submission of incorrect documentation, results in storage charges accumulating at your cost.
If unsure about any item, value or document required — call us at Excess Luggage Co. on 0800 096 38 39 before you pack.
Within M25: Mon–Fri 09:30–16:00 • Outside M25: Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00
Weekend collections within Greater London only — subject to availability & surcharge
Within M25: Mon–Fri 09:30–16:00 • Outside M25: Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00
No weekend collections
Mon–Fri only
Higher collection fee applies
30kg per item standard, surcharge if heavier
Over 30kg per item: surcharge applies
Airline excess-baggage charges add up fast once you go past a bag or two, and they often bill by the kilo on top. Once you have more than a couple of bags, sending them with us usually works out cheaper and a good deal less stressful.
| Factor | Excess Baggage Fees | Ship with Us |
|---|---|---|
| Cost for 2+ bags | Often £150–500+ per extra bag | Usually works out cheaper |
| Size limits | Strict airline limits; oversized bags rejected | We can ship boxes, crates, odd shapes |
| Pickup | You carry to airport; pay at check-in | We collect from your door, UK-wide |
| Delivery | Airport baggage claim only | Door delivery or airport, your choice |
| Timing | Arrives with your flight | Can arrive before or after you |
| Fragile items | Airline handling; damage common | Professional packing; insurable |
Excess Luggage Co. has been shipping personal effects from the UK since 1998 — over 28 years of experience. Operating from MetEx House, 2 miles from Heathrow cargo terminals, we are one of the UK's longest-established specialist luggage freight services. Expat forums and community discussions regularly cite our 25-year track record and confirmed pricing.
On a door-to-airport service we fly your shipment to the destination airport. From that point the consignee takes over, and may be responsible for:
Collect promptly after arrival — storage fees accrue daily and are set by the handling agent, not by us. Sea freight may also incur de-stuffing, terminal handling, customs processing and storage.
Why we tell you now: we would rather over-explain than have you meet a charge you were not expecting. We believe in being upfront and transparent from the beginning. See our customs guide for the full picture.
Our premises, our warehouse, our staff and our vehicles — photographed on the job. Not stock images.
— practical guidesWhat to pack, what customs expects, what you can’t send, and how cover works.
If you’re flying to Tonga yourself and only have one or two extra bags, paying the airline for excess baggage may be the simplest option. But for larger amounts — multiple bags, boxes, or a full relocation — sending your belongings as unaccompanied luggage is usually more flexible and often more economical. Here’s an honest comparison:
| Extra airline baggage | Shipping with Excess Luggage | |
|---|---|---|
| Collected from your door | You carry it to the airport yourself | Yes — we collect from your UK address |
| How much you can send | Limited by airline allowance | No practical limit — bags, boxes, furniture |
| Price predictability | Per-bag fees, can add up fast | Written quotation before we collect |
| Do you have to be flying? | Yes | No — send it independently |
| Customs paperwork | You handle it alone | We guide you through it |
| Oversized / awkward items | Often refused or penalised | Handled routinely |
| Best for | 1–2 extra bags on your own flight | Larger moves, boxes, unaccompanied items |
We’ll always give you an honest steer — if the airline is genuinely cheaper for what you’re sending, we’ll tell you.
We ship luggage and personal effects from the UK to cities across Tonga. Choose your destination for local guidance on transit times, customs and collection: