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

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

interesting....It didn't originate in SHENZHEN CN?

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.

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

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

I called Fedex international about mine, left same time as everyone else. Same route so far. Fed-Ex told me to call apple because my 32gb did not clear customs. What?? I'll call when they open today.

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.

Seriously? Do you grow impatient with microwaves too? Seems we sometimes forget how fortunate we are today. How long do you think you would have to wait if your phone was shipping via the Nina, Pinta or Santa Maria?

Hhamlett,

I suggest you give yourself a reality check. It doesn't cost a thing and yet can be so helpful to one self.

Cheers mate!

24 hours!!! it's definitely been stolen, by one of the triads, I'm so sorry.