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    On-board courier: The fastest way to ship your high-value cargo

    For urgent shipments, our air courier service offers the fastest and most secure air freight solution. A dedicated courier accompanies your goods, while Rhenus manages all logistics and customs for you to ensure smooth and efficient delivery.

    On-board courier service
    Benefits
    Urgent air shipments
    Value-added services
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    FAQ
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    How we operate our on-board courier services

    Our on-board-courier service (OBC) in India offers the fastest and most secure option for time-critical shipments such as prototypes, product samples, urgent spare parts, contracts or confidential documents. A dedicated courier personally accompanies your shipment from pick-up to delivery, ensuring maximum safety.

    Our expert team plans every step in advance, including customs formalities in India and abroad. With strong local knowledge and global partners, Rhenus ensures smooth handling and efficient transport movement every step of the way.

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    Our air courier service at a glance

    Time is of the essence with our air courier service. Compared to traditional handling procedures, we offer you the fastest possible transit and customs clearance process with our on-board-courier option.

    Thanks to personal delivery with hand-carry services, you benefit from special care and security for your valuable, urgent goods.

    We know that when it comes to on-board-courier shipments, things need to move quickly at all times. Thanks to clear processes and transparent agreements, we are a reliable partner at your side even in the event of scheduling changes or emergencies.

    With our air courier service, a dedicated courier takes care of your goods personally. This means that you always have a fixed contact person available and you can check the status of your shipment at any time.

    Urgent air shipments with Rhenus

    • Full transparency thanks to first-class customer service and active communication channels at all times – with live updates, live location sharing via AirTag and personal contact with the on-board courier*
    • In-house resources and trusted partners in the most important markets – for a complete global service, even in the event of irregularities
    • Extensive knowledge of our expert teams on international customs laws – for safe and proper customs clearance of your goods

    Increased efficiency for air courier service

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    E-solutions

    In order to make our processes as efficient and transparent as possible, we link you to our systems. This allows us to send you data such as shipping orders or status codes in an error-free manner, according to previously defined message standards. Access to a personalised dashboard with key metrics, reports and maps gives you an additional overview of the shipment status, transit times or other details of your on-board-courier shipment.

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    Document solutions

    Thanks to our document solutions for air freight shipments, we can offer you complete security through the precise preparation and management of all the required documents. Not only do we handle the secure delivery of confidential documents by air courier with proof of delivery, we also prepare customised reports for you based on defined KPIs and time periods. Upon request, we can also generate and mail paper invoices in addition to proof of delivery.

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    Express solutions

    Hand-carry services for express pickup and delivery ensure that your urgent shipments reach their destination reliably. You can choose from various options that offer faster pickups and deliveries compared to standard services, and benefit from years of collaboration with leading partners. With our 24-hour delivery service, we guarantee the punctual arrival of your goods worldwide.

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    Customs clearance

    By choosing our customs clearance and documentation services as part of the air courier option for air freight, you will no longer have to worry about the formalities involved in importing and exporting goods. We not only support you with customs clearance in compliance with country-specific customs regulations, we also take care of preparing the documents that are specifically required for air freight import customs clearance at the destination.

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    Insurance

    With our tailor-made insurance solutions, you can rest assured that your cargo is well protected throughout the entire global transportation process. Thanks to the extensive coverage, your goods are safeguarded against potential risks in transit – so that you don’t have to worry about damage, loss or other unforeseen events.**

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    Do you want to send valuable or urgent freight and need absolute reassurance?

    We deliver your goods by on-board courier as quickly and reliably as possible!

    Frequently asked questions

    An on-board courier (OBC) is a courier who personally accompanies important or time-sensitive deliveries to ensure that they reach their destination as quickly and directly as possible. They usually carry the consignment directly with them or in their hand luggage. Goods that are frequently transported in this way include documents, samples, prototypes or even valuable jewellry or designer pieces.

    If you have a shipment that is particularly urgent or valuable, an air courier service offers a reliable, secure solution. Please note that weight and dimensional limits can vary depending on the route, airline, aircraft type and whether the shipment is transported as checked or carry-on luggage. Typically, packages are limited to around 30 kg per piece, with maximum dimensions ranging from approximately 120 to 160 centimeters in length, 80 to 120 centimeters in width and 80 to 100 centimeters in height. These dimensions are approximate values and may vary based on specific airline or courier restrictions. Additionally, it must be possible to process shipments using standard luggage handling equipment throughout the entire journey, including loading and unloading. Depending on the timeframe and type of freight, you can choose from various express options and book additional value-added services.

    Goods weighing more than 32 kilograms per parcel and measuring more than 290 centimeters in length + height + width cannot be delivered by hand carrier. In addition, hazardous goods, temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products and perishable goods are mainly excluded.

    In order to process your request as quickly as possible, we first need information about the number of parcels, their respective dimensions and weights as well as the type of goods. We also ask for the delivery time, post code, city or airport of both the pickup and final destination.

    Depending on the agreements made for your hand-carry services, you will receive regular notifications by email or chat, or you can access a dashboard that has been set up specifically for this purpose. In addition, a customer service team is available 24 hours a day to respond to your enquiries and you can contact the couriers directly.

    The Rhenus on-board courier provides immediate support for urgent and important freight. With our worldwide round-the-clock service, we can also meet deadlines that fall on weekends, public holidays or outside normal working hours.

    *The AirTag service is optional and subject to equipment availability at the time as it is outsourced.

    **However, please note that insurance coverage and clauses may vary depending on the origin/destination country, airline and commodity. For high-value products, additional freight insurance may be necessary, but not all insurers or countries cover such an international courier cargo service. Legal and compliance teams are available to provide further guidance in specific cases.