Air shipment in move back to U.S.

Well, I am expecting to move back to the States later this year. I've got to start thinking about the logistical headaches involved. It's been helpful to see some suggestions here regarding moving companies. What I'm wondering about is anyone's experiencing using air shipment to move some of their household items. When we moved over here, we lived at first in a fully furnished flat, so could wait for our possessions to make their way by ocean-going vessel. However, I anticipate buying a house before we move back, and on this side of the pond we are, of course, now living in an unfurnished place with our own stuff, so can't really send everything on much ahead of us. What's the practicalities with air shipping dishes, kitchen stuff, bedding, that sort of stuff? Outrageously expensive? What does anyone recommend from experience? Can the moving company deal with that aspect of things?

We are in the midst of a move from UK to US at this time.  We have had 5 different shipping companies come out for a quote as well as 3 other online quotes.  We asked for a small air shipment quote to do just as you are doing and most of them have been very expensive, at least I feel.  Most are running in the £550 range for 12 cu ft (0.34 cbm) of stuff - which boils down to 4-6 boxes or suitcases.  So we have elected to just bring our Rubbermaid containers full back with us as we had brought them over.  We filled them with household things, linens, spices, and few other misc and brought them on the airplane as excess luggage.  We paid @ $110 each but I think that price has dropped a bit since the weight allowance has also dropped.  To seal the rubbermaids, we placed the lids on the container and drilled holes and then put zipties through the holes to "lock" them.  We placed an inventory on the outside of each and extra zipties taped on the inside lid in case customs needed to open them and then could reseal them.   Call the airline you will be using to make sure this is ok - we used Continental and they have no problem.  They advise that items may not end up on the same plane as you, but will show up within a day or so if for some reason there is not enough room for them.  But ours came with us and none of the containers had been opened.  Good luck on your move...

can i ask a really silly question- why would you purchase a house in the UK and then most back to the US within 12 months?

We had to air ship bedding and basic kitchen/bathroom stuff when we came here.  I don't know how much it cost, as it was included in the 'package' from the shipper, but it took a few weeks to get to us.

So, yes, your shipper can deal with it... but if they can't guarantee that the stuff will be on your plane (or an earlier one), I'd go the excess baggage route.

can i ask a really silly question- why would you purchase a house in the UK and then most back to the US within 12 months?

Perhaps my sentence wasn't clear. I expect to move back to the US later this year and will be buying a house there prior to the move. Hence, I will have an empty house there and my stuff in transit coming over from the UK. Comprende usted?

ok so we've been doing the excess baggage/boat shipment thing

WE used robinsons to ship 100cfu from UK to boston, it came to 950 quid with insurance.  We had them come and pack the place up for us on March 16th, it's set to be delivered to our home in Bosotn the 14th of April.

we then paid for excess baggage on the airlines.  Virgin charge 60 quid for up to 32 kilos and BA charge 120 for up to 23.  I think AA is on par with virgin.