<< Back to Pack Yack

Acting as an Air Courier

Tony Jones was a little sceptical about being an on-board air courier just in case what he was given to carry was something illegal. But he'd now do it all again.

I was a little sceptical about being an on-board air courier just in case what I was given to carry was something illegal, but reassurance from friends and the fact that the airfare was dirt cheap I decided to leave my scepticism at home and try it.

The company I rang were very helpful over the phone and sent me a listing of the destinations available along with prices and the flying dates available.

Los Angeles was available and, on the date I wanted to travel, so I booked and paid for my ticket like anybody else would through a travel agent.

The day of my departure I was a little nervous. I followed the instructions to the t and checked in a little early at the designated counter. Here they weighed my suitcase to make sure I hadn't gone over the 20kg allowance. They also checked my confirmation documents and passport and after a few moments the representative asked me to take a seat.

Uh, oh, I thought as I sat down, which was really stupid now thinking about it because I discovered sitting with me were 3 other couriers. We started chatting, you know asking each other where we were going etc. We were all going to different destinations because they only allow 1 courier per flight.

About 20 minutes later the representative came rushing through the check-in area with my assigned envelope.
It had only just been dropped at the airport which is why I had to wait. One of the others didn't have a package to carry at all, but that is how it goes sometimes.

I was given my plane ticket, my boarding pass and instructions for arrival and departure at the other end. I carried the A4 envelope full of printed-matter on board the plane and put it under the seat in front of me where it remained for the entire 10 hour journey. No-one asked to see it or felt it a threat.

I was treated like every other passenger on the plane, received all my meals and watched the movies. I wish I had realised it was this easy many flights ago.

On arrival at LA I gave the envelope to the representative who was standing outside the airplane door. She took the envelope and that was it.

I proceeded through Immigration and Customs just like everybody else. I then spent 3 fabulous weeks in the good ol' US of A.

On my return journey, the procedure was the same, bar one thing. I had to carry the documents through Customs at Heathrow, then once in the arrival lounge l dialled a number (which made me feel like 007 reporting in) which told the representatives I had arrived. It was only a 10 minute wait for a representative to collect the package from me at which time I was free to go home.

Author: Tony Jones

[ Back to Top ]


<< Back to Pack Yack