Does the idea of being a courier conjure up images of trench coats, secret agents and hats pulled low over faces? You're not alone. Many travelers may shy away from the idea of courier travel because they have the perception that being a courier is somewhat unsavory.
How wrong they are. Being a courier can be a good way to get where you want to go for a fraction of the cost of regular airline travel.
More than 40,000 seats for couriers will be available on international flights this year, by the estimate of the International Association of Air Travel Couriers in Lake Worth, Fla.
That figure is the highest ever, the group says. Another courier travel group, the Denver-based Air Courier Association, reports no dramatic changes in availability in recent years, but agrees with the seat estimate, which amounts to roughly 800 seats each week on flights worldwide.
Courier travelers often pay as little as half of published fares, and the tourism off-season -- right around now -- is when the best deals usually come up. The cheapest fares are usually those booked with the shortest notice.
Here's how it works.
Because putting time-sensitive business cargo on a passenger jet as checked baggage is less expensive than it would cost as freight, courier companies opt for the cheaper route.
The problem is that airlines require that packages carried by their jets be accompanied by a paying passenger. That's where the courier comes in. Courier freight companies offer the plane seats at reduced costs to people willing to give up the privilege of checking baggage.
As a courier, your luggage probably will be a carry-on bag, because the freight you're accompanying will take up the space allotted by the airline for checked baggage.
Mysterious as the practice may seem, there's little chance of being made into somebody's heroin mule. Customs officials routinely deal with courier services, and U.S. Customs Service spokesman Bill Anthony says: "I don't think there's been a case of this in ages. We've looked back, and we can't find one." (However, Customs officials urge travelers to make sure they're dealing with a reputable company because travelers do bear responsibility for the baggage attached to their names.)
How cheap are the fares? Worldwide Courier Association (800-780-4359; www.wallstech. com) lists these examples on its Web page: Tokyo, as low as $100 round-trip; Hong Kong, as low as $250 round-trip; Rio De Janeiro, $150; and Sydney, $400. The association says that savings are usually between 50 percent and 85 percent of the price of an economy ticket.
Other destinations include London, Bangkok, Madrid, Milan, Paris and South America.
Just as with any deal this good, there is some fine print.
First, courier flights from North America leave mostly from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Miami, Chicago, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto. So if you're in Baltimore and you want to take a courier flight out of New York, you'll need to get there at your own expense.
Also, you're limited to traveling to a handful of centers of commerce around the world. And your time in these destinations may be limited as well, because your return ticket may stipulate a date that allows you only a week at your destination.
Courier travelers usually must hold a U.S. passport, be at least 21 years old and be willing to present a clean-cut appearance. Some courier flights yield frequent-flier credits; some don't.
You need to be prepared to travel light. And some courier services may need you to travel with little notice, so you'll have to have a flexible schedule.
Many companies disdain credit cards, requiring payment by check or money order. To sign on to a courier flight, travelers need to contact one of the dozens of shipping companies involved in the business.
Several courier associations charge an annual fee for membership and newsletters detailing the trips and fares offered by courier freight companies.
At least two companies are in the business of keeping budget travelers updated on courier flights and other cheap-travel options. One is the International Association of Air Travel Couriers, telephone 561-582-8320, Internet: www.courier.org, which sells memberships (including a bimonthly newsletter and last-minute flight lists) for $45 yearly per household. Another is the Air Courier Association in Denver, telephone 303-279-3600, Internet: www.aircourier.org, which offers comparable services for $64 the first year, $39 for following years.
Christopher Reynolds of the Los Angeles Times contributed to this report.
Pub Date: 03/07/99