Don
YesAny well drafted terms and conditions for the purchase of an "item" this large will specify when risk transfers. That is, does the buyer take on all risk when it leaves the factory, or not until he receives it? Depending on how the item is to be shipped, this may affect the purchase price quite heavily. However, most items aren't capable of transporting themselves, unlike footballers.
Presumably footballers are just expected to get themselves to their first day at work though, just as I would be if I relocated from London to New York, so I imagine those terms aren't in agreements to buy footballers. I don't think you can draw parallels between sale of goods and footballers
Ultimate liability will sit with who ever organised the flight/plane operator, especially if they were operating illegally.