Airlines that will take motorcycles - list project
 

Please contribute in making a list of all airlines / air cargo companies, that will take motorcycles. As service level, and local presence from freight forwarders, may vary from country to country, airlines may in many instances be a good start to search for options, and some may deal with consumers directly with no need for freight forwarding companies that don't know what they are doing. In Norway for instance, shipping motorcycles is a miniscule market, and finding someone who can provide me with a solution, or even give me a straight answer, or any answer at all - has for me proven extremely difficult time and time again.

There is a searchable source of actual shipments on the HUBB, but it is quite limited. So, if we all pool our efforts, than maybe we can update the source thoroughly.

Please specify the following to the greatest extent possible:

• Name of Airline / Air Cargo Company
• How you acquired the info (i.e. personal experience)
• Recency of the information acquired
• If using freight forwarding company is required or if it is possible to deal directly with the airline
• Freight forwarding companies that could be used
• If crating is required or if a pallet will suffice
• How much fuel can remain in the bike (i.e., dry, a couple of liters, etc)
• If the bike needs to have wheels and wind screen removed in order to fit in the cargo compartment of airplanes that transport people (some airlines only transport cargo with people carriers on particular routes.
• If storage can be provided, and for how long
• If they can provide shipping door to door
• Which routes and/or airports that you can ship in and out of using this airline
• Cost examples
• Other useful information and advice

Here is an example:

• Name of Airline / Air Cargo Company - Air France
• How you acquired the info (i.e. personal experience) - Personal Experience
• Recency of the information acquired - 2005
• If using freight forwarding company is required or if it is possible to deal directly with the airline - don't know, I used DHL
• Freight forwarding companies that could be used - I used DHL between Oslo - Capetown and then later Nairobi - Oslo. On later trips, DHL have failed to help me out in any way. In Norway they say they do not deal with consumers directly, that they do not transport motorcycles, and fail to provide me with alternatives. I tried contacting DHL in Cape Town regarding shipment in and out of all countries between Morocco and Guinea Bissau - they never ever answer my replies.
• If crating is required or if a pallet will suffice - crate was required both ways by DHL (fumigated out of Nairobi). Don't know if the airline requires it
• How much fuel can remain in the bike (i.e., dry, a couple of liters, etc) - they required that it was bone dry (DHL that is, don't know about the airline)
• If the bike needs to have wheels and wind screen removed in order to fit in the cargo compartment of airplanes that transport people (some airlines only transport cargo with people carriers on particular routes. - No, the crate was huge - made in africa
• If storage can be provided, and for how long - yes, this was no problem. Don't know for how long, but I stored it in Cape Town for two weeks and in Oslo for a few days
• If they can provide shipping door to door - DHL picked up my crates at my home in Oslo, but don't know what services they offer in Africa.
• Which routes and/or airports that you can ship in and out of using this airline - don't know
• Cost examples - Nairobi-Oslo was in 2005 1.600 Euros for two bikes and luggage - the crates were made in Africa and were extremely heavy and quite large
• Other useful information and advice - Dealing with DHL in Nairoby was a nightmare. I checked in a week ahed of time to book a shipment as agreed with DHL Nairobi prior to the trip, and every day until my arrival at Nairobi - without resolve. I then spent three full days in their Nairobi office and ended up having to leave before my bike, having to spend considerable time at home dealing with DHL in both Norway and Nairobi, and in the end being presented a bill which was far greater than the original quote. The next time I would prefer to deal directly with the airline if possible. I still prefer the DHL method over shipping out of African countries by ship though.