Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there no next-day courier service available?
From certain Spanish provinces such as much of Almeria, there is no courier offering a next-day international service because of the distance from their Spanish hub. This varies according to postal code but services are constantly being updated and you can check transit times at FedEx and UPS .
What insurance cover is offered?
The answer to this is very complex and specific questions must be addressed individually using the Contact Us button at the top of the page. The basic guarantee for urgent letters is only to refund the sending costs if the parcel does not arrive within the guaranteed time. Citibox is able to arrange insurance for almost any item not listed below at a separate premium between 0.5% and 1.5% of value. All courier insurance only pays out the replacement value of the goods and not the insured amount. If the item is anything other than a "high street" model, if it is valued more highly as a work of art, because it belonged to a famous individual, because it has antique value this extra value will not be covered. If you are a dealer, then the cost price rather than the sale price will be covered. You will need to prove value. It is not covered when out of the carrier´s hands, for instance during a customs inspection, nor for "Acts of God" or war etc.
Conditions are similar to this:-
Any country that is a warzone or with an unstable government is likely to be uninsurable.
Insurance only covers the lesser of value, declared value and declared customs value.
Unless a separate premium is paid, insurance is limited to about €15/kg.
Most valuable items including works of art; jewellery; money; lottery tickets; films; antiques; glass; leather; watches; prototypes etc. have a maximum payout of US$ 1,000 or are forbidden.
What is Volumetric Weight?
Space in aeroplanes and trucks has a value in the same way that the weight that they carry has a value. For this reason, an empty cardboard box which weighs very little but takes up a lot of space is assigned a weight on which the transport is charged. This often affects goods surrounded by a lot of packaging to prevent damage which therefore come in boxes much larger than otherwise necessary, computers or china for instance.
Different transport companies assign different notional weights to the volumes that they transport. A cubic metre of space occupied may be charged at 200kg; 250kg or even 333kg. Normally airfreight charges less for space occupied than roadfreight. If you know how much the company is charging, you can work out what your parcel "weighs" from the space that it occupies. Of course, if it weighs more than the Volumetric Weight (also known as dimensional weight) you will be charged for the actual weight.
To calculate the Volumetric Weight in kg, multiply the length (cm) x height (cm) x depth (cm) and divide ÷ by 5,000 (for 200 kg/m³).
For other volumetric weights, you divide by 4,000 (250 kg/m³) and 3,000 (333 kg/m³).
Citibox charges you the low volumetric weigh of 200 kg/m³, whether sending by road or air. In order to work out the cost of sending an empty box measuring 80 x 60 x 40 cm, we multiply these three figures together = 19,200 and divide by 5,000 to get 38.40 kg.
If you are calculating your own Volumetric Weight it is important that you enter the MAXIMUM dimensions in each direction.
What packaging should I use?
Whatever international courier we use, your parcel will be largely handled by machines, not human beings, 
as it is transported from the van that collects to the van that will deliver to its destination. The photo on the right shows a typical parcel sorting conveyor operation. A package from Málaga to Belfast will change aeroplanes in Madrid, Paris and Stansted before going to the local FedEx depot and being out for delivery, a total of five different aeroplanes.
If you can imagine putting your luggage into the check-in desk at an airport and seeing it go down the conveyor belt before it is slid down a chute to the conveyor below that takes it to the gate from where they load it, and then think this will happen many times before it reaches its destination you will realise that no amount of "fragile" tape on that box is going to protect an ill-packed parcel.
If you pack your parcel with this in mind, it will arrive safely. FedEx and UPS pay out really quickly for any damage caused by their system but not for incorrectly packed parcels. If you are in any doubt and for delicate objects, please contact a specialist packaging company such as www.brafim.com.
You can see our own video on packaging delicate objects here Citibox Packaging Video which could be the best 12 minutes you have ever spent if you are sending glass or china.
We seriously recommend that you read the Parcelforce / Royal Mail guidelines to packaging here: Royal Mail Packaging Guidelines
How do I send a package?
Click the link to get an Instant Quote. Then either continue and place your order on-line or go to one of our Local Offices, where the trained Citibox staff will be able to advise you on the most economical method of sending your package.
What transit time can I expect?
All quoted transit times are between major business centres. An Express package from Madrid to London will arrive next day. A package from Almeria to London may take two days. A package from Almeria to the Outer Hebrides will take more time. Economy packages do not have a guaranteed time frame.
What is the maximum size of a parcel?
For FedEx the package cannot be more than 274cm in any one direction and not more than 330cm when you add length + circumference (twice height + twice width) but there is no real limit on the number of packages. For UPS the maximum length and size are the same but they will carry a package up to 419cm overall for payment of an excess size premium. The maximum weight is 68kg for FedEx and 70kg for UPS although you can send 20 or more packages of 68kg as part of one shipment.
If you put the size of your parcel into the Courier Delivery Quote system on our website it will tell you if it is too large for ordinary service and needs some form of special handling.
If you have anything larger, FedEx Freight will take any size object but the minimum weight is 70kg. Please contact us to obtain an individual quote on any item.
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