Moving Baggage? Be ware of Cheaters

I have been arranging moving / shipping of personal baggage, my own and of my kith and kin but never before met CHEATERS like “TRANSPACK”. So please be careful while dealing with a mover or shipper. Take every thing in writing from them bearing signatures of an authorized officer and stamp of the company about shipping period and the total cost and details of what that includes and better stay away from Transpack who are quite capable of misguiding and violating even written undertaking.

My son, an American Citizen living in Atlanta Georgia USA, wanted to move some of his personal baggage which was at our house in Islamabad. Considering Transpack to be a large-sized and old company, I contacted them to arrange moving of the baggage. A representative of Transpack visited our house in August, 2008 and, after inspection and measurement of the baggage, told me that it would be between 5 to 6 cubic meter and charges for packing and moving the stuff from our house in Islamabad to a delivery point in Atlanta (Georgia, USA) would be US $ 225 per cubic meter.

As the stuff was to be sent as accompanied baggage, we asked Transpack to move the baggage when my son visited us in October, 2008. Transpack lifted the baggage from our house in Islamabad on October 13, 2008. At that time we were told that total volume was 7.2 cubic meter. So the earlier Transpack estimate of 5 to 6 cubic meter was out by about 30%

On October 14, 2008, I visited Transpack office and met their Executive Director, Mr Tausif Alvi. He asked me to make payment for 7.5 cubic meter, saying payment had to be for a whole number (which even 7.5 was not). Mr Tausif then asked me to pay US $ 230 per cubic meter, that is, US $ 5 more than the rate given to me earlier. After considerable hackling, Mr Tausif agreed for US $ 225 per cubic meter, however the invoice included additional Rs 1,687 as allied charges which were not told to me earlier but being a small amount, I paid. In total I paid Rs 136,687 to Transpack. Transpack equated one US $ to Rs 80 while the market rate on that day was Rs 79 which fact I came to know later.

On asking whether we will be required to pay any additional charges in USA, I was told by Transpack Executive Director, Mr Tausif Alvi that we may have to pay some minor charges in relation to custom clearance and that is all.

Further, I was told by Transpack Executive Director, Mr Tausif Alvi that the baggage will be shipped within 2 weeks while actually the baggage was shipped after 6 weeks there being no plausible reason for that.

Contrary to what had been promised, my son received a bill from New York for US $ 318, with the warning if not paid, the baggage will not be cleared from New York port and damages will be to the account of the consignee, my son. Details of the bill are:

DESCRIPTION – – – – – – – – – – PRE-PAID – – COLLECT
I. T. CHARGES – – – – – – – – – – – – 0.00 – – – – – – 30.00
HANDLING CHARGE – – – – – – – 0.00 – – – – – – 75.00
AMS CHGS – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -0.00 – – – – – – 25.00
CDF CHGS – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0.00 – – – – – – 30.00
PORT SECURITY CHARGES — 0.00 – – – – – – 25.00
STRIPPING CHGS – – – – – – – – – 0.00 – – – – – – 81.00
EXAM FEE – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0.00 – – – – – – 52.00
– – – – – – – – – – – TOTAL – – – – – – – 0.00 – – – – – 318.00

I took up the matter with Transpack Executive Director, Mr Tausif Alvi who kept beating about the bush calling US $ 318 as local charges. However, Mr Tausif Alvi gave an under-taking that we would not be required to pay any more charges. My son had to clear the said bill per force because not paying would have made him pay also the demurrage.

Contrary to under-taking given by Mr Tausif Alvi, when the baggage reached Atlanta, my son received another bill of US $ 250.80 with the same threat “If payment is not made the baggage will not be cleared and damages will be to the account of the consignee, my son”.

The matter was again taken up with Transpack Executive Director, Mr Tausif Alvi who said that he will investigate and get the amount reimbursed to my son. He also said that, If the shipping company fails to reimburse, he would pay from his pocket. Later, he came up with the same idea that those were local charges as such consignee’s responsibility.

This incident has proved that Transpack are unreliable and big cheats.

Here is one recent example out of previous many personal experiences which proves that Transpack have over-charged and cheated us.

In February, 2008, I arranged moving of personal baggage of my younger son from Islamabad to Dubai through “Pakistan Baggage Corporation”. They do not have packing arrangements so I arranged it at a cost of Rs 600. The baggage comprised 6 packages weighing 200 Kilogram.

The baggage was picked from our house in Islamabad and taken to Islamabad Airport from where it was air-lifted to Abu Dhabi. From Abu Dhabi it was sent to Dubai on a truck next day. Total time taken from our house to Dubai was one week. Unloading / reloading at Islamabad Airport and Abu Dhabi, and custom clearance at Islamabad and Abu Dhabi airports was done by the mover / shipper without asking for any charges in addition to Rs 13,550 which I had paid at the time of handing over the stuff. In addition, my son paid only Dirham 28 in Dubai related to customs handling at Abu Dhabi.