The bad news is that Fed Ex are no longer on my Christmas list :)
It seems that they wanted to stress test the shipping container ,and in the process creased both wings . I gotta say that I was heart broken when I saw the damage, but what the heck .....
The guy from Fed Ex will be here in the A.M. to help sort things out (hopefully ).
First, I feel for you and Fred, that is really a bummer.
Second, been there, done that, it's going to harsh your mellow...
The FedEx team will examine the packing and tell you it was inadequate, because in order for it to be adequate it has to be inspected by them before hand. In fact the only way FedEx will reimburse you now if all your packing is pre-approved by one of their departments. BTW, they will not guarantee that if it is damaged during shipping to their department to inspect that the box is packed adequately, (when they are the carrier and that is their protocol). They have a loophole for everything.
UPS is even worse.
Both these companies needs some serious competition because they both have grown so large, fat and rich that they just don't care anymore. They don't care who they hire, they don't care about their customers. The insurance money you spend with them is waste.
The abuses I have had on model boxes this year is beyond even trying to be careful, these guys look like they try to break stuff. I had foot prints and kick marks all over the fragile stickers of one recent box. They like to try to bend the long ones too, and then throw them for long distances so they can land on one corner and maybe spill some contents out.
FedEx and UPS simply suck anymore. It's a risk you take anytime you ship with them. I don't use these guys at my business either, same problems, only on a grander scale.
I'm using DHL and USPS now days.
Downers Grove, IL
Member of the Chicago SOAR club, AMA 592537 LSF 7560 Level III
ICQ 6997780 R/C Soaring Page at www.jimbacus.net
