Transporting Liquor on Airline Flights?

[mllewis48]

Ususally every cruise we purchase liquor in St Thomas and slept it home on our return flight. With the latest restrictions in flying has anyone heard of checking liquor as baggage and it surviving the flight?

[jhannah]

Guess it all depends on how it's packed.

[WindyCity]

I recently flew home from Europe with liquor packed in my soft-sided luggage. I wrapped each bottle in an item of clothing and then placed each wrapped bottle in a plastic bag. I then placed soft items under, over and around each plastic bag. Not a single bottle broke until we cracked some open to celebrate my return....LOL

[barriesdad]

Ususally every cruise we purchase liquor in St Thomas and slept it home on our return flight. With the latest restrictions in flying has anyone heard of checking liquor as baggage and it surviving the flight?

 

We transported two bottles of JW Black label back from Alaska to the UK. Packed in a strong box provided in the shop then placed in the middle of the soft sided case surrounded by clothes there was no problem at all. This was despite the fact it took an extra 36 hours for the luggage to get home as it was sent via Frankfurt!! Also transported by courier from Manchester airport to Leeds.

[1drifter]

We purchased liquor on board the ship and they packaged it for us in bubble wrap and a heavy box. We checked it through just like that--only the box. I was amazed that it made it. After all the luggage had arrived we went to report it was not there, and here came someone carrying it off the plane--the top of the box had ripped off, but it had not broken, and more amazing--no one had taken it! I think putting the box inside a suitcase might be a good idea if you have room.

[ricjac22]

Just a word of caution, when I came back from a cruise with my mother we had an avid "discussion" as whether she should pack her liquor inside her luggage or carry it on.

 

She insisted in putting it in her luggage, she has hard sided luggage and thought that it would protect the bottle.

 

Unfortunately, the hard sided luggage was no match and she arrived at home with sopping wet clothes (she did not put it in plastic either).

 

Proving the theory that although "mother always knows best", sometimes a child just might be right ;). And for our upcoming cruise, I will be driving her special wine to the port with me so that she doesn't have to worry about taking it on the plane with her.

 

Just wanted to let you know, liquor breaking in luggage does happen, even in hard sided luggage.

 

Smooth sailing,

Jac

[c-to-sea]

ANd I bet the other passengers who also arrived home with sopping

wet clothes were also thrilled.

[2bout2c]

The negative to that is if it spills, and spills happen. Not only could your items be wet and smelly, but how about that soft sided bag packed next to yours in the hold of the airplane, bus, ship wherever. After many years of working for an airline It can happen.

[Grumpy1]

Our three bottles of limoncello, packed in two suitcases, made it back from Istanbul with no problem. The shop had wrapped each one in corrugated cardboard and then with wrapping paper. We wrapped each bottle in clothing and put them in the middle of the other clothing.

 

We flew from RSW to STL last Monday and my suitcase had a few globs of shampoo on it but nothing got through to the inside. A bag that came out before mine was about 25% covered with shampoo and several others had small globs on them.

[FLACRUISER99]

Ususally every cruise we purchase liquor in St Thomas and slept it home on our return flight. With the latest restrictions in flying has anyone heard of checking liquor as baggage and it surviving the flight?

I am just back from St Thomas and all of the liquor stores had Airline approved boxes to send liquor as checked baggage.

[lougee1043]

Our three bottles of limoncello,

 

love the stuff -- down to the dregs on my last bottle and i cant find any place that sells the stuff locally

[serendipity1499]

Not only should Liquids be double bagged & sealed in the plastic bags, but you should always line your entire suircase with plastic before putting in your clothes..Then wrap more plastic around clothes before closing the bag..I too worked in the airline industry for over 30 years & have seen some pretty messy bags come into the baggage claim area..When it rains bags can be soaked through if not protected..

 

Don't know if it's true or not but have heard about bags which have fallen into the drink on loading & unloading at ports..:eek:Better to be safe than sorry..

[noblepa]

You guys who have checked liquor as luggage on flights, must pack a lot lighter than my wife and I. We always have at least four checked suitcases, plus each of us has a carryon.

 

With the airlines getting much more strict about number of pieces and excess weight, we could never check a box of booze. American Airlines, for example, charges $80 for an extra piece of luggage. That pretty much negates any savings.

 

Paul Noble

[Grumpy1]

You guys who have checked liquor as luggage on flights, must pack a lot lighter than my wife and I. We always have at least four checked suitcases, plus each of us has a carryon.

 

With the airlines getting much more strict about number of pieces and excess weight, we could never check a box of booze. American Airlines, for example, charges $80 for an extra piece of luggage. That pretty much negates any savings.

 

Paul Noble

We had two 28" and two 20" suitcases as checked baggage and two computer bags as carryon. This was for two cruises plus a day pre and post cruise for 30 days total. Each of the big bags were between 45 and 50 lb. The smaller ones were about 35 lb each. Had the cruise included a need for cold weather clothes it might have been difficult to get everything in, but for the Med in August/Sept, nothing heavier than a light jacket was needed. We still had about 30 lb capacity left. The pack mule, aka Grumpy, had NO capacity left!

[Grumpy1]

love the stuff -- down to the dregs on my last bottle and i cant find any place that sells the stuff locally

Make your own. Lemon peel, water, sugar and vodka according to the recipes I've found online.

[jagsfan]

talking about wrapping liquids in plastic, I packed 6 cans of Coke once,

wrapped in plastic around but not over the top or bottom. Arrived in Spain

with soaked clothes, and empty cans. couldn't figure it out till I saw the tiny

pin holes in the cans, caused by changes in air pressure I guess. Ruined a lot

of silk. DON'T take canned anything unless it's extra carefully sealed.

[lb0103]

I already plan on packing my most precious purchases in my checked and am packing accordingly.

 

Along those lines, the cruise lines, HAL included, always brought the booze to the room on the last night at the last minute.

 

Packing is now a more difficult process and I was wondering if those that have been cruising recently, if they brought the booze earlier than right before you go to bed.

[newmexicoNita]

I am just back from St Thomas and all of the liquor stores had Airline approved boxes to send liquor as checked baggage.

I figured it wouldn't take them long to offer these types of boxes. They depend on us too much for our business. NMnita

[stanford's girl]

Make your own. Lemon peel, water, sugar and vodka according to the recipes I've found online.

Just make sure you only use the yellow part of the peel and not any of the white. My BIL made this mistake and it tasted so terrible that they had to throw it out!!

[Little Feet]

We just returned from a cruise by plane and had to purchase a hard side piece of luggage to put 4 bottles in. We had them in a box first (each separately) and then wrapped with soft things. Also placed little travel pillows on the ends of the luggage. All arrived safely, but some of the boxes did have dents in them. This is a royal pain.....and we did have to buy another piece of luggage as we were almost up to weight limit already. 50 pounds for a large suitcase is not much. I have been told that if one were to buy the liquor at the airport in the duty free store, they will pack it and the airplane will accept that package. They take it from you instead of letting you carry it on, but it does arrive at your destination.

[woody14h]

Ususally every cruise we purchase liquor in St Thomas and slept it home on our return flight. With the latest restrictions in flying has anyone heard of checking liquor as baggage and it surviving the flight?

 

We have always brought liquor back from the Islands or Europe without any damage. We take bubble wrap with us and also put each bottle in a ziplock bag. We pack it in the center of our soft luggage. No problem. Of course I took one bottle out once to show someone and I dropped it. Nobody's perfect.

[xpcdoojk]

Ahhh Limoncello....delicious, especially ice cold. Goia de lucia is my favorite imported brand. As far as transporting alcohol in checked luggage. The best piece of packing material on the planet is a waterproof float bag. They are great for trips on the water, too the beach, scuba diving, and perfect for your checked alcohol or wine. These bags are made of rubberized nylon and will completely contain any bottle breakage from your and your fellow travelers clothes. Just make sure the bottles are wrapped in something soft, bubble wrap is best, but old t-shirts and sports socks work in a pinch.

 

jc