OMG!! If it is coming to cargo here - the grief has only just begun!!!!!
We shipped something at the airport with the Excess Baggage company and WHAT A FREAKIN' NIGHTMARE! We had to go to an office to pick up a piece of paper and they only accepted cash. Then we had to go to the QA Cargo and wait around and get fleeced out of more money to finally see our box.
Yes, just get used to it now, this is how things are at first when you don't know what you're doing. You will get to the stage the thou look back and laugh...and cry, and then laugh again :) (and then jump up and down for joy when you know you are leaving) ;)
I have used QA cargo in Heathrow and contacted them direct. I found them to be fine. You need to find the right person who deals with your type of cargo and then go from there. As the previous post said - moving is stressful of course and you will have other days like this in Doha!! Deep breaths are often needed!
First of all, this is good prep for life in Doha generally - dont come if you can't laugh off situations like this as this is normal life over here! £79 and a bit of hassle isn't too bad in the grand scheme of things.
Something will always go wrong in the moving process, it's good for the character so they tell me :D
Secondly, have you looked into an alternative service like Excess Baggage Company (who were brilliant with our stuff) for sending boxes? Maybe you could claim the cost off your employers? I would always ask for an allowance for any kind of company benefit, rather than having to use a fixed service - this applies to everything from baggage to accommodation.
Hi,
So we hired a van to ship our stuff to Doha, my husband has a job with QR airways, flies out tomorrow.
I called QR airways cargo at Manchester airport to find out where he drops the boxes off, if there is anyone to help and what he needs to bring etc, to be told we go through sdv, they emailed all the details so I called them. They are based in London (we are in Manchester a 4 hour drive away), they don't accept drop offs at Manchester airport as cargo doesn't fly out of there! All news to my flabergasted husband who is now thinking ****! Why weren't we told/given clear instructions as to what to do. So he has gotten up at the crack of dawn to collect and pay for a van we don't need on our last day together for a few weeks! He is not happy Jan!
It's going to cost £79 for someone to come collect the boxes and take them to London to freight to Doha plus the customs fee, is the pick up fee reimbursable?
Has anyone had the same situation and is this common practise for how the airline is run on a day to day basis?