Susanna's Question:
What do you know about traveling as an air courier? A number of Web sites list organizations you can join for a fee. Is that necessary?

Rob's Answer:
As you know, the idea behind air couriers is that air cargo companies often have rush shipments that, for security or other reasons, cannot be sent as unaccompanied baggage on regular airline flights.

Further, an unaccompanied package could take days to clear customs. But if sent as part of a traveler's personal baggage allowance, it zips through.

That's where you come in. Sending you as a courier costs the shipping companies less than paying air cargo rates, especially since you partially reimburse them for your ticket.

How much is that? An air courier typically pays only one-third to one-half the unrestricted coach fare. Summer courier fares are higher than at any other time because the balance of supply and demand shifts against you. But if the shipping company's desperate, it's your ballgame. The company may pick up from 85 to 100 percent of the cost of your flight.

Who Is Eligible? To become a courier you must be at least 21 years old and have a valid passport. Some courier companies charge a small fee ($35 to $50) the first time you fly with them. Many require a refundable deposit ($100 to $200) to help assure that you won't disappear in Bali and fail to accompany the return shipment. You also pay any airport departure tax (typically $15 to $30).

How It Works. Of the more than 30,000 courier flights originating in the United States each year, 90 percent depart from Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco. A few flights leave from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, and Washington, D.C.

You leave from one of these cities and are probably limited to carry-on luggage, though you're sometimes allowed to check one bag. In some cases, you're a courier on the outbound flight only, leaving you with a full baggage allowance for the return flight (useful if you're a heavy shopper).

As a rule, try to book a flight one to three months before you'd like to travel. During summer, four to six weeks is a minimum. After that, trips to popular destinations may be filled.

It's normal to wonder what you're carrying and if that innocent-looking package is going to land you in the Saigon slammer. Courier companies insist that all shipments are legitimate, that the packages include things like canceled checks, contracts, and electronic replacement parts.

Fortunately, it doesn't matter. For your protection and theirs, the courier generally never touches the baggage and is not personally liable for it. When you arrive, you hand an envelope containing the manifest and the claim check to the courier company's representatives. They take the baggage from the claim area and clear it through customs while you go off to play.

How to Become a Courier. You can look up courier companies on the Web of course. You can also find them in the Yellow Pages under air courier service, courier service, delivery service, or freight forwarding.

Alternatively, contact a courier broker. There's no need to pay a fee to a broker, but if the fee seems reasonable, a broker will save you a lot of time researching and communicating. Just be aware that if you arrange a flight through a broker, you may pay a registration fee to the broker, and the airfare may be slightly higher than if you book the flight directly.

When you've located the flight that goes when and where you want, ask the courier company or broker a few questions:
* Will I be a courier in both directions?
* What will my personal baggage allowance be?
* How long will I be allowed to stay abroad?
* Will I need a visa? If so, who gets it and who pays for it?
* Are there any other restrictions?
* What is the cost of the ticket? Are there any extra costs I'll have to pay?
* How and when do I book a ticket?

Another option: Join the International Association of Air Travel Couriers (IAATC) to receive bi-monthly Shoestring Traveler newsletters and the Air Courier Bulletin listing available flights. The IAATC provides a fax service to communicate last-minute opportunities and has a bulletin board that searches for the lowest courier and non-courier airfares.

Several books have been written on the subject, including the Air Couriers Guide Book, The Insider's Guide to Air Courier Bargains, and The Courier Air Travel Handbook. Check the publication date; courier information is quickly outdated.

Because of time, luggage, and point-of-departure limitations, flying courier won't fit the travel plans of all independent travelers. On the other hand, it's an economical way to explore the world a bit at a time, especially if you live in or near one of the major gateway cities.

Good luck,
Rob