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International Travel (with vinyl)

S Sylva

S Sylva

Member
Does anyone have experience transporting large collections of vinyl internationally? More specifically, by airplane?

What is the best/safest way to go about this? How should they be packed? What are the legal risks, etc?
 

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The problem is, I have a couple hundred in Florida but I live in South America...

Shipping costs are about $300 per 15 records - which is not a great deal. Trying to find other options like manually transporting them.
 
Depending on airline or class you can have complimentary checked bags or pay an additional $35-50 per 50 pound checked bag. That's about 90 albums give or take. Some airlines have limits of total weight per flight. A 50 pound box is heavy and awkward to handle. Guaranteed it will get tossed around. If you want to bomb proof the checked shipping box, it will be fewer albums and more padding per double-walled box. Most likely customs will want a peek into the box(s). They don't always repack very well.

If shipping freight internationally by air the records can be packed on to skids. Weights can vary between carriers, but can be up to or exceed a ton. You'll need to pack, balance, fork-liftable and shrink-wrapped heavy loads so it doesn't fall apart in transit. Customs and paperwork can be prearranged. You'll need to make arrangements to pick it up and deliver to the final destination.
 
I regulary take intercontinental flights carrying about 100 LPs on 2 suitcases. Never had any problems with that.
 
I am willing to pay the insane costs of a shipping container as well but the internet is full of sites and it's overwhelming to find out where to start.

There are maybe 300 records just sitting.
 
guiller said:
I regulary take intercontinental flights carrying about 100 LPs on 2 suitcases. Never had any problems with that.
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Which countries have you flown to? That sounds too good to be true and I'm very intrigued!
I'm in Ecuador at the moment. I know they want everything declared and will probably expect me to pay commercial fees (even though these are not for sale) but do you think they will try to confiscate them or maybe damage them? These are collectables, many of them first pressings and I am super paranoid.
 
S Sylva said:
Which countries have you flown to? That sounds too good to be true and I'm very intrigued!
I'm in Ecuador at the moment. I know they want everything declared and will probably expect me to pay commercial fees (even though these are not for sale) but do you think they will try to confiscate them or maybe damage them? These are collectables, many of them first pressings and I am super paranoid.
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Mostly between Italy and Argentina, but other destinations have been the same.
 
guiller said:
I regulary take intercontinental flights carrying about 100 LPs on 2 suitcases. Never had any problems with that.
Click to expand...

What type of case do you use? I'm thinking maybe an instrument case (one of the solid, black ones with the silver corners) but would like to hear about how you pack.
 
guiller said:
Mostly between Italy and Argentina, but other destinations have been the same.
Click to expand...

Do you declare the items and fill out a form explaining the value? Do you pay taxes on them? Do you pay for any insurance?
I know for a FACT the airline workers like to play futball with the luggage and they don't even feel shame. You can just see them in broad daylight, out the window, tossing them bitches back and forth and dropping things onto the concrete. Annoys me.
 
S Sylva said:
What type of case do you use? I'm thinking maybe an instrument case (one of the solid, black ones with the silver corners) but would like to hear about how you pack.
Click to expand...

Standard hard and light 4 wheel suitcases, with a 23 Kg limit.
 
S Sylva said:
Do you declare the items and fill out a form explaining the value? Do you pay taxes on them? Do you pay for any insurance?
I know for a FACT the airline workers like to play futball with the luggage and they don't even feel shame. You can just see them in broad daylight, out the window, tossing them bitches back and forth and dropping things onto the concrete. Annoys me.
Click to expand...

No, but I carry mostly used classical music LPs within the 1-3 euros range. Custom officers take a look and verify that there is nothing exceptional.
 
guiller said:
No, but I carry mostly used classical music LPs within the 1-3 euros range. Custom officers take a look and verify that there is nothing exceptional.
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I mean, in Ecuador, they don't even understand why anyone would own vinyl, let alone travel with it so I'm really worried it will create some kind of issue and that they'll want to investigate.
 
guiller said:
No, but I carry mostly used classical music LPs within the 1-3 euros range. Custom officers take a look and verify that there is nothing exceptional.
Click to expand...

Even worse, I can imagine them pulling them all out of the sleeves and tossing them around on the surface of a plastic table in the backroom trying to figure out what they are and why I have 50 of them and no clothing...

Uggh, this is giving me anxiety.
 
All the time, but as carry on. So far no issues. If you carry a lot of them then maybe you need to declare at custom, beside that there is not legal problems.
AG.
 
TSA people love to open everything scramble your beloning and close suitcase as is.
Better carry your record on a carry on.

AG.
 
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