Simple solution is to use a courier service. If you go here http://www.transglobal.org.uk/default.asp you get a selection of rates at discounted prices. I have used UPS a few times through this service and they have never refused to send a lamp. I understand from Malc that if they think there is a problem they will retain the item and you can then talk to them about it and once you tell them the item has been flushed of fuel and cleaned they will accept that and send it. Costs a bit more but they deliver so it never leaves their hands and does not get held up in a customs depot waiting for the receiver to arrive and bribe an official to release it. The last item I sent went to Argentina and got there in four days. By normal mail it has been known for stuff to take months and then the recipient had to go to the postal custom to collect. So more expensive but a lot faster and more secure. ::Neil::
Hi I agree with Neil here transgloble express is a fantastic service never had a problem and is much cheaper the RM they are a hell of a lot faster and can be tracked all the way and they pick up from you where ever you want ,, You would think I worked there Cheers. Kenny
I have just registered with them. Not used them yet, but got to be light-years better than RM. Steve.
Hi Well this is a cozy thread this. Did any of you guys get your money back? Mine package costed 143 dollars and didnt even leave the Danmark. Is it impossible to send a pressurelamp to USA - it cant be so - it is possible to send a rocket to the moon Claus C
Oh yes, Claus. Three times: one from Canada, one from USA and one from Thailand. From Canada and USA because of the insurance and from Thailand was the seller itself who rfunded the money.
Im sorry to hear you have been through this 3 times Juan. I feel like a overloaded elephant in mud just this one time. But I didnt mean moneyback from seller but from the mail. You see I paid 143 dollars to send a package by the post, telling them what was in, and the packaged never left the country - so I think they could have told me before taking the money. 4 days after they brought the package back to my doorstep without a word - just a note "rejected by air and boat - oillamp". These money would I like to see again from the post. 8) Claus C
The procedure for claiming money back from The Royal Mail is very complicated and it would have involved phoning them during office hours, (which is very expensive) so I did not bother and so I saved myself from further frustration! Jeff.
It's easier to send with a carrier, no trouble at all, i'd say i've only had 2% of lamps stopped with Royal Mail and in the end they ended up on a boat, so they still got there....
Ahhhh, ok, Claus. I understand now better. Well, three times in which I could have my money back but other two shipments lost from USA and one I sent to UK; these three times I lost everything. A friend of mine who bought a lantern in Uruguay never received it and I was asked to help because of the language: the Uruguay post just sent the lantern back to the seller's house, like you, and the seller didn't want to ship it again by any mean because the official post said that to ship fuel tanks through airplanes were forbidden... The story ended fine even the lantern arrived a lot of time later, perhaps a year...Good story...
I think you, Juan and Paul, maybe were lucky. I believe though the post gets more and more effecient and get more well-provided with searchingtools like automatic sniffingrobots, scanners, x-ray and a lot other crap so they have better tools to spot our dangerous stuff and other bombs. So a more steady solution is needed because I am to send and recieve a lot of lamps in the future. I tried MacBurners, Neil's company, Transglobal, but they dont wanna earn money in Danmark and I cant connect myself as a costumer there. When I search FedEx on the www then I almost only see people complaining about them - so maybe I should try them, they dont seem to give a damn How does a Mannesmann from China get to the USA to be sold cheaper in all than my shimpment of payed lamps for swapping - its a riddle to me Claus C
Hi Claus, I recently had a very good experience having a lamp shipped from the UK to the US. The UK seller used FedEx. I don't recall the level of service but it cost me about 25 GBP for a bit less than 2 kg. It arrived in a few days with tracking all the way. About a year ago, I had a Tilley AL21 shipped from Germany to the US via DHL. It took a couple of weeks but it was tracked all the way and arrived with no issues. I think it helps that the carrier has a presence in both countries. Hope this helps, Dan
I have used Fedex for sending lamps abroad ever since switching to Courier and never had any problems until a couple of months ago when they suddenly "do not collect from my post code". I'm not sure if they meant in general or are declining to drive down my badly pot-holed farm track! Those of you who have visited me will know what I mean. Thankfully other Couriers don't seem to mind.
I mostly use UPS through Transglobal. I started doing this because Royal Mail and the Force often reject suspect packages. UPS are good because if there is a problem you can talk with someone and once they are assured there is no hazzard the package goes. Anothe big advantage is they deliver to the door. Sounds simpe I know but in some countries a package is held in customs until the duty and a suitable bribe is paid but then they don't deliver so the package has to be collected which can mean a considerable round trip. UPS may not be as cheap but the package arrives in about four days and it gets there and they manage customs so you can't avoid the duty but it is quickly dealt with. In the past I have mailed stuff to Argentina which has taken months and then had to be collected. So the courier is much faster and probably more secure. In my opinion well worth the extra cost. ::Neil::
Hi and thanks for insight. We do have UPS in Danmark and I think its true what Paul writes that its important the company exist in both the involved countries. Neil - when do you talk to the UPS, over phone or when they collect (or you deliver)? I also believe this is important. Claus C
UPS wil flag a problem in the tracking and if you see that you can then telephone to discuss any problems. Normally is is because there might be a slight smell or perhaps some worry about a fuel tank. Being able to talk with an actual person and assure them the tank is empty and clean is enough for them to then dispatch the lamp. I normally have the lamp collected and tell the guy what it is and how I have cleaned it. They also suggest you can leave the box open so it can be inspected by the collector and then sealed shut before he takes it. ::Neil::
I just found this topic today, and did not read all the posts in detail. We have the same issue with DHL / Deutsche Post. After some parcels were returned (a loss of EUR 90 postage each) I finally managed to get hold of a real person who was able to answer my questions. Your shipping company will hand the parcels over to some airline to do the transport. The security person at the X-Ray machine (certainly well paid, motivated, well educated and all) decides if he will allow the parcel on a plane. His decission is final. If the guy has trouble with his girlfriend or just has a bad day he will include this into his decision on the parcels he checks. There is nothing you can do about it even if he was wrong. So the parcel will be sent back. The item "pressure tank" itself may be a cause for rejection. (Even with filler cap removed). This "looks dangerous", they must "not take any risk". If an item ever was in contact with any fuel it is regarded as dangerous item concerning air transport regulations and thus rejected. If they find a delivery note or invoice with "old lamp" on it (to keep the value low for customs) they simply say and old lamp is a used lamp, a used lamp was in contact with fuel. So no thanks, return to sender. Since we place a big label on the parcel: * Brand new item (stove/lamp) * never was in contact with any fuel * Not restricted and full senders information with the hint: If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. They never returned a parcel which had this label on it. (so far) Of course you should not bend truth too much. You do a legal statement with such a declaration. One last thing: customs has nothing to do with it, it's just the airline security people. Erik
I think you should watch 'Dispatches' on Channel 4 next Monday at 8 pm....it seems like before it even reaches a plane it's in serious peril...
" The same nasty bunch, who used to wear rubber gloves and take you to the secret room on the airport? " Well Erik I think you are a right. I just recieved a lagerish package filled with lamps from USA by air with a label containing your words and it came through - but it was opened by the customs and cheked and nicly put together again with a lot of tape - no problem. If the customs was doing that to chech if the label was true or they did it to see if the money was right that I dont know. But the customs was there. My old man always said "never trust a man which intentions is to stick a finger in your butt". I guess the lamps just have to be so clean they smell of vanilla if they pass through the needles eye in the first place as unused pressurelamps. Claus C
I have lust returned from Luxor in Egypt with my Petromax 795 dismantled in my suitcase. The security blokes at the airport x-rayed my case and wanted to look and the "things inside". They asked what is was and were quite surprised when I told them that it was a lamp made in Germany in the 1930's They did not ask me if it still had kerosene in it and were very interesed how it worked, They said "pack it back in your case and go tp Check-in. No problem at all, and on my following flight the next day to Luxembourg, it went without question. There is something that is not explained properly to the security guys! Jim.
I guess that they wrote in the digital file that accompanied you: "Has old German lamp in case, no worry !"
I agree with David. In this day and age one should understand. I have had many lanterns sent to me and there never has been any issue but its the luck of the draw as David said.
I've made good experiences so far. I think the restrictions are pretty much the same everywhere. It's just about how one countrie's postal service handels it. Here in Switzerland it says that you can't make vague descriptions on the contents when filling out the shipping documents. For example "camping stuff" when you ship a lantern or stove. I always write "gas lantern - tank empty and rinsed" Didn't have a problem so far.
