Taking a windscreen on holiday

[tog]

Has anyone here got any experience of taking a new windscreen on a commercial flight as checked baggage? I would like to take a classic Defender screen to my brother in Argentina where LR parts are substantially more expensive than here.

I imagine no airline or airport would guarantee they wouldn't break it, but has anyone done this at their own risk?

[SydneyBridge]

Look at Mat Armstrong you tube videos when he has a porsche in the usa, he takes loads of parts over that he could not get in the usa

[Super Sonic]

Customs officer "what's this then"
tog "windscreen, you know, in case it gets a bit breezy on the beach"

[sunbeam alpine]

Just a (possibly stupid) thought, but would a defender windscreen be a lot bigger than a snowboard?

Loads of people fly on holiday with snowboards. The challenge could well be finding a holder which offers sufficient protection.

[InitialDave]

Not done it, but if you're willing to take the risk, it seems doable. Advantageous it's flat glass. Even in very good packing it should be within the oversize bag limits on BA, for example.

I'd have a go!

[tog]

It is not as big as a surfboard, but I suspect much heavier, especially once well packed. I still need to clarify the current import legality in Argentina - last time I went there was small sign at customs prohibiting the import of all car parts. I didn't mention the turbo and intercooler in my suitcase, but luckily they didn't X-ray it at the border from Chile I was crossing. At Buenos Aires airport they X-ray bags as you leave baggage reclaim.

[Glassman]

Surely brother can find someone to cut flat lam?

[StevieBee]

Make sure you pay the appropriate import tax. Custom Officers will be able to see right through it if you don't!

At least you'll know you'll have a decent window for landing.

It'll be a pane carrying it from the car park though.

Etc....

[blueST]

When you get to the other end, what happens with customs. I'd think there's a good chance they'd want some duty paid. It'd be fairly obvious you are importing it.

[ferret50]

How would someone like Rimmer Bros pack/ship it?

[geeman237]

I did this around 2007. I brought 2 Daimler SP250 windscreens from the UK to US.
I actually made a crate from hardboard and 1” square wood with a hardware store handle one end and a couple of swivel castor wheels on the other. I phoned the airline ahead and they said no problem. Fortunately I was flying business class with work and there was no extra charge. I had to collect it from oversize baggage at Dulles airport. I got asked what it was by customs and they asked to see inside but I’d screwed the top down. Customs officer didn’t have a screw driver and just waved me on. The box had a small hole punched in it but the glass arrived finally intact. They never asked about customs duty.

[shirt]

I’ve taken a gearbox, cylinder heads, a hardtop, full width splitter and a bumper on various flights. Check the max size policy otherwise you’re fine. Emirates used to allow as many bags as you liked as long as you were under the weight limit, which was great for parts shopping.

[tog]

Thanks all for the advice.

Glassman - yes he probably could find someone to cut one as it is just flat glass, but I was hoping to take out a heated one. He's up in the Patagonian Andes and we decided this is simpler and cheaper than a new integrated heater/AC box for winter demisting.

German - thanks, that is encouraging.

blueST - I need to check this. There used to be a prohibition of car part imports to Argentina so they would in theory be seized - no option to just pay the duty. Quite often cars driving out into Chile will have their tyres marked so that when they come home customs can check they haven't been replaced with much cheaper new tyres bought in Chile. Not sure what happens if they have though!