Tired of airlines' baggage fees? Box it up, ship it out

September 6, 2013 – 11:34

UPS sells cardboard 'suitcases' to use in lieu of luggage

will send them directly to your destination

July 07, 2010|By Hugo Martin, Tribune Newspapers

Only days after federal officials announced that the nation's airlines had collected 33 percent more revenue this year from checked-luggage fees, UPS offered its alternative to the hassle and expense of lugging a suitcase through an airport.

The world's largest package-delivery service announced last week that it was selling boxes designed to resemble suitcases. Passengers can ship the "luggage boxes" to their final destination to avoid the airlines' check-in lines and luggage fees.

The new UPS boxes include carrying handles and come in two sizes.

The UPS announcement came a few days after the Department of Transportation reported that the nation's 10 largest airlines collected nearly $770 million in checked-baggage fees in the first three months of the year, a 33 percent increase over the same period last year.

Despite the increase, the total amount collected by the same airlines from all ancillary fees dropped by 1 percent during the same period, to $1.86 billion.

The numbers suggest that travelers are paying to check bags but are forgoing other fees, particularly charges to fly standby, transport pets, change flights and buy frequent-flier award miles.

The new luggage boxes are also hitting the market as demand for airline seats begins to rebound from a two-year slump.

The International Air Transport Association announced that international airline traffic jumped nearly 12 percent in May from a year earlier, to about 1 percent above pre-recession levels.

UPS officials say they created the new boxes simply to make life easier for frustrated travelers.

"It's meant to be a convenience, " said UPS spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg.

She conceded that airlines can usually deliver luggage faster than UPS but said luggage shipped by UPS can cost $30 to $80 less per package, depending on the route and the weight of the box.

Rosenberg noted another advantage to the UPS luggage box: A tracking number lets passengers know its exact location.

That's something airlines don't offer.

Source: articles.chicagotribune.com

50 LP Record Mailing Boxes (Record Mailers) made by FingerPop Office Product (FingerPop) Perforated for easy fold 12 1/2 x 12 1/2 and folds to 1/2 or 1 Light box but Strong (200 LB test corrugated) US made not a cheaply made flimsy import Factory-fresh from smoke free warehouse

I do this

2012-07-19 09:03:11 by LynnetteShelley

Furthest distance was to california from pennsylvania, and the piece came back fine.
I pack them myself and ship UPS (not regular post office) and it's not as costly that way. I found when I did have UPS package it they used boxes that were much bigger than the artwork and then it cost more. That being said, they've never been damaged either.
So right now I just save up all the boxes I get from my art supply stores (which are usually the same size as the artworks I send out since I get my materials from there) and just bubblewrap and put cardboard over the pieces. If you buy frames at michaels or similar, sometimes they come with cardboard backing and corner protectors

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