International Courier

[pipdawg]

Is there such a paid job as an international courier where the courier hand delivers a consignment and all travel expenses are covered?

[woofgang]

There used to be but I think it has stopped now

[boxtops]

As far as I know, yes there is. People catch planes to deliver priority documents. There was a chap on the customs programme the other night who was hand-delivering a document to Buckingham Palace. Commercial couriers/express delivery drivers also deliver small items for a fee.

[Peter Pedant]

well yeah.

drug smuggler

[boxtops]

Google INTERNATIONAL COURIER JOBS - loads come up.

[SeaJayPea]

I'm not suggesting that you do this, because it's a volunteer post, but this man has the kind of lifestyle I think you'd like.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27049200

[pipdawg]

SeaJay - yes, I read exactly the same article and that's what got me thinking. I feel I would be a really good international courier because I'm flexible and reliable. The jobs I've Googled seem to just provide discounted air fares, which isn't what I'm after. I'll keep looking. Thanks for the advice, guys. Peter Pendant, I pity you.

[SeaJayPea]

A though occurs to me. The Foreign Office certainly used couriers in the past to accompany the so-called "Diplomatic Bag" between London and our embassies abroad. Now I suspect that they were mostly sinecures for ex-military men, but might be worth investigating.

[pipdawg]

adding the word 'Diplomatic UK' to my search certainly has uncovered a lot more options - thanks SeaJay

[237SJ]

Most diplomatic mail travels unaccompanied but if it is accompanied, I would imagine that FO and other officials carry it.

[pipdawg]

Yes, 237. I've discovered in the last few minutes that they're called 'Queen's Messengers' and becoming one is a career in itself, requiring a degree. I'll still keep searching though.

[atalanta]

Queen's Messengers always used to be recruited from the ranks of retired military officers. Maybe they still are. They get a seat in first class, and so does the diplomatic bag. They are met at the airport by embassy cars, and delivered to the embassy in style. They commonly stay in the ambassador's Residence while in the country - mainly for security reasons. So they can't get nobbled. Their badge is a greyhound.

[shoota]

There is a small amount of work couriering firearms around for repair or for the owners to use hunting in foreign parts.

[237SJ]

"They get a seat in First Class" - no they don`t.

[atalanta]

When did QMs stop getting first class seats ? When I used to work in close association with an Embassy which shall be nameless, all their QMs arrived first class. Downgrading the secure mail doesn't seem a good idea, does it ? Actually there were different grades of "Bag", since all diplomats used it for personal correspondence. Only the top secret stuff was actually personally accompanied.