A Part in Parcel Shipping As a Courier

You can save 60% to 90% of the cost of economy air fares if you are flexible with your schedule and can travel light. Mark Field’s 1994 edition of “The Courier Air Travel Handbook” will show you how.

Field, who for 12 years has been seeing the world for next to nothing by taking advantage of courier opportunities, has been able to get on flights from Los Angeles to Hong Kong for $199, from New York to London for $99 and during the researching of this edition, he stumbled across an opportunity to go from Miami to Chile for free.

How? Only a few courier companies are large enough to own their planes. The rest move small parcels around the world by buying seats on commercial flights and sending the small packages along as checked luggage. In order for the items (usually time-sensitive documents such as contracts and checks) to be accepted as checked luggage, a person representing the company responsible for them must be seated on the aircraft.

Rather than paying for a staff member to travel, the courier companies recoup some of their ticket expenses by offering these seats to the public at substantially reduced rates.

To be a courier, you must be over 18 and hold a valid passport. You’ll also need to be able to meet any entry requirements of the country you’re traveling to. You may have to leave a deposit to ensure that you will return on the date that has been agreed on.

Depending on the policy of the company, you may have to wear business attire on the flight and you may not be allowed to drink alcohol.

Couriers don’t have to worry about handling the packages being shipped. Chances are you won’t even see them. An agent meets you at the airport about two hours before the flight, checks that you have the right documentation and provides you with a manifest that lists your cargo. Your commitment is to give the manifest to customs when you arrive and then meet the courier company representative.

He reassures his readers that “travel as an air courier is safe. You will not be transporting anything illegal; this is a very respectable industry.” He warns though, “If you come across a new courier company--one that is not listed in this book--use common sense to determine if it is a legitimate company.”

Because couriers travel on regular tickets, you are able to take a child under 2 for free, or, depending on the arrangements with your courier company, be able to collect frequent flier miles.

Disadvantages include limited luggage allowance (you may only be able to take a carry-on bag) and limited opportunities. You’ll have a better chance of finding what you want if you plan to travel in the slow seasons. If you want to travel with a friend you may have to stagger your flights with one following a day later, or work with a courier broker.

“The Courier Air Travel Handbook” covers general questions about courier travel, contacts for budget accommodations, and a detailed list of courier companies, the cities they service and the rates they usually charge for tickets.

The largest courier hub is New York, which has 12 companies that service 29 destinations. In London, there are four companies that use couriers to 31 destinations. In Los Angeles, there are seven companies sending couriers to 18 cities. Other cities with courier companies include: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Mexico City, Sydney, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

The handbook (Field Travel Guides, $9.95) is available through retail bookstores, or the handbook and Courier Travel Update Newsletter (a four-page quarterly for $25) can be ordered from Thunderbird Press at (800) 359-1616.