OBC FAQs

An on-board courier (OBC) is an individual specially designated to accompany and safeguard valuable shipments during air travel.

OBCs offer unparalleled speed to delivery and use their special flight status to ensure your shipment arrives on time. The dedicated care, real-time tracking, and personalized communication is what sets this service apart.

Just like all of Worldnet’s other services, we will thoroughly review your shipment details and the supporting documentation before the transportation process begins. Our OBC service provides a true tailored approach that outshines standard shipping.

Our OBC service prioritizes security through our personalized approach and continuous custody of the shipment. An OBC personally accompanies the shipment from origin to destination, minimizing the risk of loss, theft or mishandling.

Additionally, OBC luggage takes priority over cargo on passenger aircrafts, which allows for greater oversight of the shipment’s whereabouts, reducing the potential for security breaches during transit. This dedicated attention and vigilance ensure a level of security that conventional shipping methods do not provide.

Absolutely, our OBC service is designed to accommodate shipments of varying sizes. Whether it’s a small, time-sensitive envelope or a larger shipment requiring special handling, OBCs are equipped to manage diverse cargo dimensions. However there are some limitations. So please speak to our experts to see if an OBC is a possibility. The flexibility and personalized nature of our OBC service means it can cater to the specific requirements of your shipment, ensuring that it receives the same level of dedicated care and quick delivery.

The main difference between our OBC and Premium services is that if your shipment is carried onboard or checked as the OBC’s baggage, it has the airline’s highest priority over other cargo. If the flight is overloaded, standard cargo is the first class of cargo to be delayed to a subsequent flight, but this issue will not affect OBC baggage.

Express cargo, which is transported with our Premium service, is the next class of cargo that would be delayed in this instance – this is very rare, but it does happen. Passenger baggage is the very last class of cargo to be delayed. But remember, if a shipment is small enough that the OBC can carry it onto the plane, then there is zero chance the airline can remove it altogether.

We are the fashion and luxury OBC experts. Why does this matter? Because:

1. There are nuances in Customs and other regulatory agencies (like Fish and Wildlife in the US) and international treaties (like CITES) and their effects are disproportionately felt in the fashion and luxury industries. Worldnet’s competitors, who are OBC generalists, do not have the special familiarity needed to navigate the fashion and luxury-specific regulatory world. From our hands-on staff to our specially-trained OBCs themselves, we’ve seen it all and know how to work in this environment quickly and with full compliance.

2. Our OBCs live and are staged where fashion and luxury is produced or consumed. From the time we receive your call, we can have OBCs ready in hours, if not sooner based on the geography of our unique industry.

Why not simply put someone from your own staff on the flight as your own internal OBC? You can! But do consider the following:

1. Do they have downtime for this task amidst their regular job?

2. Are they familiar with what may occur if they cannot board the plane along with the shipment? The same regulatory issues that confound our competitors will be the same issues that create problems for your staff, which means problems for your consignment. The obvious problems here are delays due to missteps in paperwork and inadequate governmental familiarity with shipping practice.

The less obvious problem is that the consignment may be cleared with no friction, but your staff member may experience Customs and other regulatory issues later due to improper documentation or declaration.

Lastly, when you use Worldnet’s OBC service, you don’t just get a person traveling with your item – you also get vetted, trained professionals who will assist with the final steps of the transportation process at the destination location. When you use our services, there is truly no aspect of the shipping process that is overlooked or unplanned.

In the event of a delay or an unforeseen issue during your shipment’s transit, our OBCs will demonstrate their extensive knowledge and expertise. Whether it’s a Customs inspection, flight delay, or any other unexpected circumstance, OBCs are adept at maneuvering through these challenges with minimal disruption to the delivery timeline. The rest of our team will also be on standby to assist the OBC as needed, so we can handle the issue as quickly as possible.

Usually, yes. The receiving company’s tax ID number (also called an EIN, EORI, VAT or other number, depending on the destination country) is generally necessary for Customs clearance.