FedEx updates? my iphone has been stuck in LANTAU ISLAND, HK for a while

Now that you mention it - I'm not 100% sure my Fed Ex shipments said Japan on the tracking info. Those two shipments went from Shenzshen, CN to Anchorage. I just remember reading about the fact that when they take that route to Anchorage they often stop in Japan to refuel and then take off again. There was a Fed Ex plane crash that happend in Japan shortly after my ipod order and I remember reading that that flight was from China to ANC and stopped for refueling, but crashed and killed the pilots 😟

I live in the Central US now (was in California) and now they tend to go to Memphis, TN

Lantau Island is the devil of Asia. Your iPhone will be there for a good 15-24 hours. I know that all my Apple stuff is always stuck there for at least 15 hours. It drives me crazy. That little island is a thorn in my side, every time that I order something from Apple, haha. :-D

This is what I have (on the shipping status of my 2 iPhones).....

Jul 7, 2010 10:52 PM At local FedEx facility LANTAU ISLAND HK
Jul 7, 2010 5:43 PM In transit LANTAU ISLAND HK
Jul 7, 2010 1:30 PM Left FedEx origin facility SHENZHEN CN
Jul 7, 2010 11:35 AM Picked up SHENZHEN CN

and as of this morning, they're still sitting there. Wouldn't it be more advantageous to have the iPhones made HERE in the USA, employing US citizens who NEED jobs???? (Yes, I know the cost would rise but we're talking US jobs)

Yes my phone has been there for since early July 7th. Due for delivery July 12th. Does Fedex do home delivers on Sunday? I paid for the express shipping(2-3 days) and if it was ship July 7th and I am getting it July 12th isn't that 4 days or is Sunday not counted?

when it says "*In Transit*" next to Lantau Island that typically means that it has departed from there and the 15-24 hour wait is because the flight and time for it to clear customs/be offloaded/be scanned/be updated in their system (which shows up online) takes around 15-24 hours.

flight from there to AK = approx. 10 hours, to memphis, just shy of 15 hours

It's not sitting there...it's in flight over the vast Pacific ocean. It takes a while - it's a big ocean.

I think it would be nice if Apple could have their devices made here in the US, but either Americans would have to be willing to work for "chicken feed" or iphones would have to cost $1,200 each. 😉

(Yes I know Apple Mark up is ridiculous - but who can argue with their business model)

Folks, this is just speculation, but it is plausible that the iPhone shipments are saturating the FedEx flights from Lantau to Anchorage. Large cargo planes have a payload of about 200,000 lbs. The shipping weight of the iPhone is 1.3 lbs. That means that a million iPhones would be about six planeloads! From the sounds of it, a LOT of iPhones have been shipped recently. Didn't they say they sold a million in the first day?

Update: "At local FedEx facility SENNAN-SHI JP". This is at least 48 hours after the phone got to Lantau. I haven't seen Apple shipments from China stop in Japan before. This routing (and the delay in Hong Kong) seem consistent with my speculation above.

I've had many of my Apple purchases make a stop through Japan. A MacBook Pro back in 2008 and an iPod touch in 2009. Although my most recent purchase of an iPad did not show up going through Japan. One day it was in Lantau and the next day in Memphis, TN

That's interesting. Did your MacBook and iPod ship at a time when there was reason to think that the HK to ANC (or MEM) FedEx flights would be swamped? Looking at the HK airport web site, I didn't see any FedEx flights to Japan, just ANC, MEM, and Paris.

Although I hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate, I know next to nothing about international cargo operations. But I would bet that that if the plane stops for refueling only, that the parcels would not be scanned and the stop would not be reflected in the tracking.

I still live in CA, but my shipments usually go from ANC to IND or MEM before coming to LAX. I lucked out with my iPad, because it was shipped while TN was getting slammed, and so it flew to OAK instead, and I got it a day early!

Mine was in Anchorage for over 30 hours. My wife's is now in Japan (the first I've noticed one making a stop there along the way to California).

Not to worry: All Apple shipments I've had from China in the past month (one iPh4, two Bumpers) have arrived one day early, even though the seemed stuck at one location or another for over a day.

Phil

Shipments from Shenzhen leave on flights every evening non-stop to Anchorage (about 10 hrs). They get sorted in ANC and leave a few hours later to Memphis, Ft Worth, Indy, NYC, etc.

We also have flights to the states everyday from Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China which are close to Shenzhen. Pretty sure most of the iPhones fly out of Shenzhen. Sometimes (rarely) a package can get hung up a little for customs. Fortunately FedEx takes care of all the customs processing.

Enjoy your new iPhone and the fast shipping.