Realistic Answers About Current Shipping of Motorcycles

My friends and fellow riders it has been indeed strange times for the past two years.

600,000 deaths, multiple illness repercussions and it seems to have no ending.

As far as airfreight, border restrictions and travel; here is what I have been made aware, of as well as what I believe could be fact or fiction.

Canada will open its borders with the US and Europe on July 21. Not sure that is a fact or wishful thinking based on the new Delta variant. Immunization seems to be the key to escape and a bit of freedom in travel. Please understand my beliefs of immunizations is that it is a personal decision.

Having said that let me tell you my perception of what is really going on.

During the past two years all airlines have reduced their flights to Europe or any port that restricts passengers. Hence, they are not flying wide body planes.

It is now changing a bit, as some of the airlines started to fly wide body planes and the demand for cargo space is off the wall. Motorcycles are not their priority as they are Dangerous goods and the rate per kilo has been doubled.

For instance, Air Canada does not even want to talk about motorcycle freight right now.

Air Transat will not be flying until Oct., Nov. or so they say.

WestJet is offering flights from Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary to Gatwick. Next month they will be flying to Amsterdam. Having said that they have doubled the price of the cost of flying a cycle as well as not having the cargo space for the next couple of weeks. Very disappointing indeed.

We are spending our time searching for airlines that do have capacity and reasonable rates, but have not succeeded as of yet.

I am working with an airline that flies from Toronto to Rome, once a week, I will get their final answer by next week.

As passenger flights start up again, it will increase cargo capacity. This should drive the rates

down to where they should be. I wish there were something our organization could do to be more helpful, but I think you want realistic answers and not conjecture.

In the meantime, look at our website motorcycleexpress.com and we will post any changes that will affect air shipments.

Ride safe and stay healthy.

~ Mike Mandell