Comments on: Packing food for airline travel

Question: Packing food for airline travel

rorycberger — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 15:51:22 -0800

Can I check a cooler full of food when flying state to state?

For Thanksgiving I was hoping to bring some food (mix of cooked and raw) from California to Pennsylvania. Though it doesn't say anything about food on the TSA permitted/prohibited list(pdf), I'm worried that I'm going to show up at the airport and it will be a problem. Also, assuming it is allowed, are there any special precautions I should take (both to ensure food safety and minimize security hassles)? Will they get pissy if I duct tape it shut? Are there any foods that you aren't supposed to take to another state? Any other tips?

By: jacquilynne

jacquilynne — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:06:04 -0800

Call your airline and ask them. They're going to be the first people who get to make a call on this, when you try to check the baggage.

By: necessitas

necessitas — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:06:39 -0800

I don't know about regulations specific to food. However, I'd advise you to pack it in something that does not rely on duct tape for sealing. I recently traveled from PA to OR and found a "this bag has been opened" notice inside the suitcase that I checked. If you are relying on the tape to keep it shut, it might not stick as well after they have opened it.

By: caddis

caddis — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:15:28 -0800

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be an issue to transport across state lines. I would check with the PA dept of agriculture on that if it concerns you, although its generally a bigger issue entering CA rather than leaving CA. Duct tape might not be a good idea as they might cut it open and then your cooler won't be secured. I would use some form of straps that can be opened and the closed again. A block of dry ice should help as well. Regular ice is too messy.

This is a good question; I have never heard of anyone trying this, or being denied. Fresh food, such as live lobsters, is certainly shipped by air all the time. I would certainly check with the airline. I wouldn't worry about TSA so much; they are after people who are a danger to the flight, not someone who might bring plant diseases across state lines, or make a mess out of the luggage compartment with rotting food in leaking coolers.

By: Uncle Glendinning

Uncle Glendinning — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:18:30 -0800

Yes, check with the airline. But, my father does fly with groceries occassionally. Which I'm assuming consist of both raw and canned goods in paper bags. He just carries them on (American Airlines).

By: aubilenon

aubilenon — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:25:43 -0800

Instead of tape, use-strap things which they can open and close if they want to search your turkey. Something like REI has here (they also have less heavy-duty ones in their stores).

By: winston

winston — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:30:12 -0800

Pressurized containers are not allowed (soft drinks, aerosols like whipped topping).

There's no guarantee that things won't freeze at some point along the way.

By: clh

clh — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:37:46 -0800

There's an episode of the documentary show Airline where someone tries to check a cooler of frozen chickens on Southwest. They were turned away.
Definitely check with the airline, and be 100% honest about what you are doing - Murphy's Law and all that.

By: prettyboyfloyd

prettyboyfloyd — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:53:18 -0800

If its frozen be sure to use dry ice. They won't check it in if you use regular ice. I successfully (and recently) flew from Seattle to Oakland on Southwest with a duct-taped cooler full of frozen ocean fish and dry ice in my checked baggage.

By: rorycberger

rorycberger — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:56:28 -0800

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll call the airline (United I think) and look into using straps or something. I'd still be interested to hear about other people's experiences/suggestions, and I'll post back what the airline tells me after I call. Where can I buy dry ice?

By: clh

clh — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 17:01:11 -0800

At the ice store, silly.
Seriously. An ice store.

And now that I think about it, my dad has brought frozen fish on dry ice as well as pounds and pounds of cheese from WI to CA with no issues.

By: toxic

toxic — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 17:01:40 -0800

Where can I buy dry ice?

Your profile says "San Jose". Go to San Jose Ice Company. They, and many others like them are listed in the yellow pages under "ice".

Some grocery stores sell it too, but getting it from an ice company will be cheaper.

By: artifarce

artifarce — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 17:02:53 -0800

Dry ice is common in grocery stores. Just check the front where regular ice is.

By: brandz

brandz — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 19:08:17 -0800

i'm pretty sure dry ice is regulated on airlines. often times i ship biological speciemens on dry ice for work. there is separate paperwork and accompanying labels to be filled out for both. check IATA and DOT guidlines for shipping dangerous goods. i think dry ice may be explosive under pressure so it needs to be packaged correctly.

By: Opposite George

Opposite George — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 20:22:23 -0800

If you do use dry ice make sure your cooler isn't too airtight.

By: 6550

6550 — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 22:28:53 -0800

If the quantity is large and frozen it will stay frozen. I've taken 50 lb boxes of fish from Alaska to Denver and they stayed frozen the whole time. Of course they airport in Anchorage is pretty used to people flying out with fish so YMMV.

By: bedhead

bedhead — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 00:49:11 -0800

My friend brought a big ol' cooler of various frozen meats home from Texas on Continental last Xmas. It was a softsided, wheeled cooler, and just plain full of good old Texas huntin' fodder. The airline apparently didn't have a problem with it, because my pal came rolling out of the terminal at LAX with her cart o' meat. Oh, and it stayed frozen. I don't know if she used dry ice, though. She started with rock-hard frozen food and ended up with the same.

By: nekton

nekton — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 09:11:11 -0800

The people responsible for such things are the state departments of agriculture and the USDA...you might want to check with them, just in case. (This is especially important if there's any chance you might be unintentially transporting insects.)

By: bonehead

bonehead — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 10:28:00 -0800

Having shipped all sorts of stuff by air, I don't think you'll have too much trouble as long as:
- you tell the carrier (most---all?---baggage is x-rayed now so they'll probably find out if you don't tell),
- stay away from the carrier's proscribed items list,
- pack securely,
- and don't try to ship internationally (it's almost impossible to ship meat across boarders).

The person with final discretion over whether to take it or not is the pilot. Even if the baggage handlers ok the package, the pilot can leave it on the runway. The airline will probably try to ship it next flight though.

If the airlines hassle you, try air freight. Non-passanger aircraft have less restrictions on what they'll carry. Fed Ex is the transporter of choice in NA.