For 28 years, Excess Luggage Co. has supported NGOs, charities and community organisations shipping emergency relief goods from the UK. Nepal earthquake (with Khalsa Aid). Bangladesh floods. Syria. Haiti. Caribbean hurricanes. 2 miles from Heathrow — positioned to move goods when it matters most.
Since 1998, Excess Luggage Co. has worked alongside NGOs, registered charities, faith organisations and diaspora community groups to ship emergency relief goods from the UK to disaster zones worldwide. Operating 2 miles from Heathrow cargo terminals, we are positioned to move goods quickly when communities need it most.
Relief shipments require everything we do for personal effects — customs documentation, rapid despatch, accurate manifests — but with the added urgency and complexity of disaster response timelines. Our 28 years of international freight experience means we understand how to move goods through challenging customs environments, work with limited airport infrastructure, and navigate the documentation requirements that can delay critical supplies reaching the people who need them.
Each operation presented different challenges — different customs environments, different cargo types, different timelines. Here is an account of the major relief operations we have supported from the UK.
The April 2015 Nepal earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. We worked with Khalsa Aid and other relief organisations shipping emergency supplies from the UK to Kathmandu — medical equipment, blankets, shelter materials and clothing — routed via Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) as part of the international humanitarian response.
Bangladesh experiences severe flooding affecting millions of people. We have supported multiple Bangladesh flood relief operations, shipping emergency goods from UK-based charities and diaspora community organisations to Dhaka and Chittagong. The UK Bangladeshi community is one of our most established routes for both personal effects and charitable relief shipments.
The Syrian conflict created one of the largest humanitarian crises in modern history. We supported UK-based charities and community organisations shipping relief goods — medical supplies, clothing and essential items — routed via neighbouring countries as direct Syria access was restricted. Our experience with complex routing and customs documentation was essential for these shipments.
The January 2010 Haiti earthquake was one of the deadliest in the Western Hemisphere. We supported relief organisations shipping emergency goods from the UK to Port-au-Prince. Haiti presented significant logistical challenges — limited cargo infrastructure, complex customs procedures and high demand on limited airport capacity. Our Heathrow proximity enabled rapid despatch of relief cargo.
The Caribbean has been struck by multiple major hurricanes including Irma (2017), Maria (2017) and Dorian (2019), affecting islands including Dominica, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and the Bahamas. We supported UK-based Caribbean diaspora community organisations and registered charities shipping relief goods to affected islands. The UK Caribbean community's use of our barrel shipping service made us a natural partner for relief operations.
Twenty-five years of relief shipments, processed through our MetEx House facility 2 miles from Heathrow. The images below show Khalsa Aid relief cargo and other humanitarian goods prepared and despatched from our Hounslow warehouse operations — goods that reached communities in some of the world's most challenging environments.
Excess Luggage Co. has worked directly with the United Nations — relocating personal effects and luggage for UN overseas staff travelling on UN passports, and assisting the UN in moving operational cargo. UN passport holders have specific documentation requirements and customs status that we are experienced in handling correctly.
Why UN and diplomatic freight requires specialist handling: United Nations passport holders and international organisation staff have specific customs exemptions and documentation requirements that differ from standard personal effects. Incorrect documentation — even minor errors — can result in customs holds that delay time-critical relocations. Our experience with UN staff relocation means we prepare documentation correctly from the outset.
Relocating UN or international organisation staff? Moving operational cargo for a UN agency from the UK? Call 0800 096 38 39 — we handle UN passport holder documentation and international organisation cargo requirements with the precision they demand.
For large-scale disaster relief operations requiring rapid movement of significant cargo volumes, Excess Luggage Co. can arrange dedicated humanitarian air charter services from UK airports. A dedicated charter flight removes the constraints of scheduled airline cargo capacity — essential when disaster response requires moving tonnes of relief goods within days.
If you are an NGO, registered charity, faith organisation or community group planning a relief shipment from the UK, here is what we provide:
Most emergency relief goods can be shipped by air freight. The key restrictions are IATA aviation regulations — the same rules that apply to all air freight shipments.
If you are unsure about a specific item, call us on 0800 096 38 39 before preparing your shipment. Relief operations sometimes involve unusual goods — we advise based on 28 years of experience with complex cargo.
If your organisation is planning a disaster relief or humanitarian aid shipment from the UK, call us directly. We do not have a standard online rate for relief shipments — every operation is different. We assess your specific goods, destination and timeline and give you honest advice and a quote.
Call 0800 096 38 39 — Freephone, Monday to Friday.
WhatsApp: +44 7380 854644
MetEx House, 496a Great West Road, Hounslow TW5 0TE — 2 miles from Heathrow cargo terminals.