Sydney AAE freight regulations

[pythonmum]

Just to rub salt into the wound the shipping prices are also going up.

I got a quote last week and will be shipping late next week - are rates going up from 1 May? If so, I'll need to get a new quote. Drat. I've built the plywood box to fit my plastic box inside and my goosenecked bag inside that. You could stack an awful lot on top of that baby, believe me. The buyer is slow making the final payment, so it will be his fault that he has to pay more for freight!

Just looked up the LAR regulations. You have to pay US$175 to get them! Probably a whole paragraph on reptiles, too. What a joke!

 

[KaotikJezta]

I had a similar experience with them opening my freight. I got 2 womas sent from SA and SXR sent both to me. They were in standard SXR packing ie"polystyrene box, inside cardboard box. They made me open the whole thing and took photos of everything and said not only SXR would be contacted but the person in Adelaide that allowed them through. I thought the packaging was excellent and I even tried to break the package once home and unpack and I could not break it even sitting on it. It was well ventilated and the snakes were bagged. When I told SXR what had happened they said they changed to the polystyrene packaging after using wood before due to some of there animals dying as a result of lack of insulation in the wood packing (can't remember the specifics). It was all rather annoying as we had to catch buses and it was already getting pretty late. We missed our bus and ended up not home until 11.30pm.

 

[pythonmum]

SXR and Snake Ranch - two of Australia's largest snake breeders and shippers - have both used that packing method for some time. It is a great way of packing the animals and leaves them well-protected and insulated. However, it is very much against the stated regulations. I haven't had a Snake Ranch package in years, so perhaps they changed their packing some time ago. Looks like both will have to alter or make different arrangements given that they are particularly frequent shippers with AAE.

 

[KaotikJezta]

SXR and Snake Ranch - two of Australia's largest snake breeders and shippers - have both used that packing method for some time. It is a great way of packing the animals and leaves them well-protected and insulated. However, it is very much against the stated regulations. I haven't had a Snake Ranch package in years, so perhaps they changed their packing some time ago. Looks like both will have to alter or make different arrangements given that they are particularly frequent shippers with AAE.

Yep, they said they had been using that method for 21 years without issue.

 

[snakehandler]

Te reason they are enforcing regulations that have been in place for years is the fact that each box is tethered in some way, usually with a degree of force, they have had numerous reptiles escape and it is always from containers that do not meet packaging standards for reptiles and should this continue then QANTAS will stop the airfreight of reptiles, leaving us with NO way to get the animals air freighted around Australia, it's simple, do the right thing or loose the ability to freight reptiles all together......it's now ip to the reptile community to stop the bitching about it, read the regulations and do the right thing, protect your rights by doing the right thing!!!!

 

[KaotikJezta]

I see what your saying but there is no way the snakes could have escaped the way they were packed by SXR.

 

[snakehandler]

Regardless, there are rules in place and if people can't follow them then they put at risk our ability to fly reptiles in Australia, do the right thing for everyone regardless of what you have done or received in the past

 

[spongebob]

Te reason they are enforcing regulations that have been in place for years is the fact that each box is tethered in some way, usually with a degree of force, they have had numerous reptiles escape and it is always from containers that do not meet packaging standards for reptiles and should this continue then QANTAS will stop the airfreight of reptiles, leaving us with NO way to get the animals air freighted around Australia, it's simple, do the right thing or loose the ability to freight reptiles all together......it's now ip to the reptile community to stop the bitching about it, read the regulations and do the right thing, protect your rights by doing the right thing!!!!

Happy to follow regulations but how can I access this information? The IATA LAR documentation costs a lot to get...

 

[CodeRed]

Happy to follow regulations but how can I access this information? The IATA LAR documentation costs a lot to get...

Too right. I asked for a copy of the 3 pages that were relevant and was refused.

There is also the matter of interpreting the requirement for hatchling snakes. It states that rigid plastic containers are ok so long as they can support the weight of "other" parcels placed on top. When I inquired about how much weight this would be I was told to refer to the regulations. It seems that the interpretation of "rigid" is up the the individual staff member that serves you. As we all know, some of the people at the Sydney AAE office are very helpful, and some (one in particular) are downright aholes.

I also tested the container I used this morning by standing on it. The container easily supported my weight despite a bit of a post xmas buldge, but this does not seem to satisfy all AAE staff. Consistency would be nice.

 

[snakehandler]

Its simple:
Australian Air Express - FAQs

Small Lizards travel as small snakes, larger monitors by large snakes......just read the section and this will tell you. It not that hard and the price will not alter apart from current price rises due to other reasons. It does not go only on weight, but the cubed weight, allow enough area to put the appropriate labels, yours and theirs and its done!

 

[pythonmum]

You definitely need to call for new quotes for May! I got a quote last week on shipping a BHP to Melbourne - $73.50. After reading in this thread that prices were going up, I rang again today and got re-quoted - $94.50. Wow. Wish those permits had come through quicker...

 

[wokka]

You definitely need to call for new quotes for May! I got a quote last week on shipping a BHP to Melbourne - $73.50. After reading in this thread that prices were going up, I rang again today and got re-quoted - $94.50. Wow. Wish those permits had come through quicker...

I suppose we should be thankful that the price rises have come at this stage in the hobby. Do we really need to ship BHPs intrastate when there are plenty around? Freight cost is going to continue to rise so its important to build and maintain local communities.One of the main problems in a large country like Australia is the centralisation of good and services which often carries with it the cost of increased freight travel and transport. Think local!

 

[wranga]

im glad i refuse to freight. after reading this thread theres no way ill change my mind

 

[Red-Ink]

Do we have an alternative to AAE in regards to shipping reptiles?

 

[wokka]

Do we have an alternative to AAE in regards to shipping reptiles?

There are hundreds of Couriers in Australia. Its up to breeders to develop relationships with their local couriers as a "one size fits all" approach often does not work.

 

[snakehandler]

The buyer is willing to pay for freight so why is it an issue, the cost if reptiles has dropped dramatically over the past few years with low freight costs, just look at what you pay for a BHP now, the increase is not that much!

Also while there are couriers if it's going air freight there is no alternative!

 

[Thyla]

I shipped some geckos the other day at Sydney AAE and forgot to bring with me the "Pet shipper declaration" form. Thought the guy at the counter would remind me. 10 mins later walked out the door without a mention of it

 

[wokka]

Time and time again i read how AAE users flaunt the system with incorrect documentation and packaging.Often those same users then complain about the costs or extra layers of administration required by AAE to maintain the service.
You cant have it both ways; Either you take responsibility for your own actions or pay the price of having someone else do it for you.
There are many other road alternatives, often door to door, but it takes that little bit of extra effort to educate and suppervise your cargo. The alternative is to go with a transport "surpermarket" who catter for the widest market and so need to have, as fool proof as possible systems in place.

 

[pythonmum]

I shipped some geckos the other day at Sydney AAE and forgot to bring with me the "Pet shipper declaration" form. Thought the guy at the counter would remind me. 10 mins later walked out the door without a mention of it

I have never heard of a "pet shipper declaration form" and have shipped several times. Where do I get this form? I always fill in a shipping form and carry + enclose copies of the export permit, but never knew there was another form. It has never been mentioned.

Just checked the AAE website and found the pet shipper form under the document download. It is for people shipping dogs and cats, but not relevant to reptiles, even though we consider them pets. That's why they would not have asked for the form.

 

[snakehandler]

While it does not apply it is still required and when you call in to boom the reptiles on the flight they will email it out to you, technically no form no flight!