Update on taking sewing machine on a plane
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,061
If you paid UPS to pack and ship, it better arrive in fantastic condition as it is their responsibility when they do the work. Generally they pack with great care but if you have any damage, please report it to them at once so they can take care of it.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Burke, Va
Posts: 344
Airplane
I'm not trying to one up anyone but many years ago I had to pack up my moms ancient singer machine in its equally ancient cabinet on short notice. I was shipping from CA to VA. It barely fit the maximum dimensions for UPS. In retrospect the whole episode was rather comical. I built a box from several and my cousin helped me schlep it to ups. By some miracle it arrived in one piece. The cabinet didn't have a scratch. The 60 year old slantomatic was shaken up but a tune up made purr like a kitten. Thanks UPS
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Keller, TX
Posts: 1,937
Don't want to worry you. Just make sure that when it arrives, someone unpacks it immediately. UPS will not take a claim weeks after arrival. Also make sure they KEEP THE UPS BOX. If you find something wrong, they will do nothing if you don't have the box. I have had three machines shipped via UPS (not my doing) and one was boxes and packed by them...that was the worst damage and torn up box than the other two,....They all had severe cover damage...broken, loose pieces all inside the boxes, large holes in the boxes etc. Two of them were shipped in the original Janome boxes with the hard Styrofoam support. That did not keep them from dropping something on the top, or dropping the machine from the plan to the tarmac...you could see the box damage lined up with the machine damage. First they said, Lady, no sewing machine is worth that kind of money! I asked him how he would like for me to drop his laptop from the plane to the concrete? I had to explain that our machines are like computers....then I had a supervisor at the claims office tell me...."your boxes go end over end on numerous conveyor belts and handling, it DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IF YOU PUT THIS END UP, OR FRAGILE ON YOUR BOX, IT STILL GOES END OVER END, ABOUT THE ONLY TIME WE PAY ANY ATTENTION IS WHEN IT IS MARKED GLASS" I could not believe he told me this....I no longer use UPS, only FED Ex....no problem with them and they have shipped one sewing machine and two sergers. Best wishes to you and have the recipient open the box upon arrival and save the box. Be sure to take thread and machine needles with you. Quilt and sewing shops are long drives from the Las Vegas downtown area.
I hope you have a wonderful time and stay cool. It is really hot this time of the year.
I hope you have a wonderful time and stay cool. It is really hot this time of the year.
#16
I now fly SouthWest which does not charge for checked luggage or carryons, and it significantly cheaper than the airlines I used to use. They allow you to make flight changes at no cost, and you can choose each leg of the trip separately. Plus I just love the way you get to line up in order according to when you checked in, or if you paid extra to get ahead. Then you just walk on and pick a seat. You can see who is going to be next to you, so you have more options, like maybe not being next to a fussy baby or someone who smells bad. I'm so glad SouthWest now goes to Wichita, which is mostly where I go, even though currently the flight times are somewhat inconvenient - 5:40 am and 5:40 pm which gets you from Wichita to Hartford at 12:40 am. They are building a new terminal in Wichita which might mean more choices. I saw people bring dogs on board in cases about the size of a sewing machine, and if you put it on a dolly you could wheel it around the airport. Hope yours arrived safely.
#18
LOVE SouthWest Airlines!!
I now fly SouthWest which does not charge for checked luggage or carryons, and it significantly cheaper than the airlines I used to use. They allow you to make flight changes at no cost, and you can choose each leg of the trip separately. Plus I just love the way you get to line up in order according to when you checked in, or if you paid extra to get ahead. Then you just walk on and pick a seat. You can see who is going to be next to you, so you have more options, like maybe not being next to a fussy baby or someone who smells bad. I'm so glad SouthWest now goes to Wichita, which is mostly where I go, even though currently the flight times are somewhat inconvenient - 5:40 am and 5:40 pm which gets you from Wichita to Hartford at 12:40 am. They are building a new terminal in Wichita which might mean more choices. I saw people bring dogs on board in cases about the size of a sewing machine, and if you put it on a dolly you could wheel it around the airport. Hope yours arrived safely.
#20
UPS is amazing with packing delicate items. My father-in-law built a Granddaughter clock from scratch, it is beautiful beyond description. When he passed away we were given the clock. We went to the UPS store in Pennsylvania and explained that we wanted to ship the clock to our home in Colorado. The clock stands just shy of eight feet high. It arrived in perfect condition, not one problem and it was obvious that great care had been taken to pack it. With the airlines charging for everything ala carte it can get very expensive so sending your machine on ahead was genius. Deregulation of the airline industry was probably one of the worst mistakes ever made. Help the flying public? Sure, and do you want to sit or stand on your flight? A seat is extra and standing comes with the option of a hanging strap to hold or you just "free float."
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