Most personal items can be shipped without issue. But a small number of items cause problems at customs or with the freight carrier — and some cannot be shipped at all. Here is the definitive guide from 28 years of experience.
A 5-minute call before packing prevents a customs hold at the destination that can last days and incur local storage charges. Call us on 0800 096 38 39 with your destination and a list of anything you are unsure about — we will tell you immediately.
The items that cause the most problems in practice: lithium batteries left inside devices (most common mistake by far), alcohol in Gulf state shipments (particularly wine), and undeclared food items in Australian and New Zealand shipments. These three account for the vast majority of customs holds we have seen over 28 years.
“Can I leave the battery in my laptop?” No. Remove it, carry it with you on the flight. The laptop body can travel in the shipment. Same applies to phones, tablets and power banks. This is not negotiable — it is IATA aviation safety regulation that applies to every freight carrier worldwide.
Tell us your UK postcode, destination, bag count and collection date. Clear quote. No guesswork. Established 1998.