Airline question

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by PSUDREW, Mar 24, 2012.

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  1. PSUDREW

    PSUDREW Initiate (0) Jun 14, 2002 Pennsylvania

    I know the old forums has some posts about this, but is anyone familiar with what you can/can't do if you want to bring beer back and you are traveling by plane? Thanks in advance
     
  2. Agold

    Agold Maven (1,251) Mar 13, 2010 Pennsylvania

    Pack with a lot of padding, check your bag, depending on the airline if you tell them you are carrying bottles they may make you use their packaging which they will be happy to charge you for.
     
  3. yamar68

    yamar68 Initiate (0) Apr 1, 2011 Minnesota

    -No beer in your carry-on
    -Any amount of beer that will fit in a regular checked bag is fine to bring, free of any kind of tax
    -I'd recommend being as cautious as possible when packing the beers
    -Keep in mind that they do open and inspect some bags so you'll want to pack everything in a search-friendly fashion

    I just got back from Chicago with some beer. I brought back 7 bottles and basically just bundled each one in its own piece of clothing. Everything arrived intact.

    Where are you headed?
     
    BrewBoone likes this.
  4. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I wrap them in bubble wrap and then wrap that ‘package’ in clothing (e.g., socks, shirts, etc.) and carefully locate them within my check in luggage.

    I check my bag and hope that the airline doesn’t have gorillas for baggage handlers (an old Samsonite commercial).:wink:

    Cheers!
     
  5. PSUDREW

    PSUDREW Initiate (0) Jun 14, 2002 Pennsylvania

    No where. I have friends in Portland and they were debating bringing me something back, but they are afraid of transporting
     
  6. JebediahScooter

    JebediahScooter Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2010 Vermont

    I bring beer back almost every time I fly somewhere. Usually, it's just 3-4 bombers of local/regional stuff wrapped in two t-shirts each, separated from one another by clothes stuffed between them. I put a layer of clothes down, the bombers with socks and stuff between them, and a layer of clothes on top of them. I take a bigger suitcase and more clothes than I need. Funny thing...I almost have the little tag inside my bag saying that it's been inspected, but the beers never seem as if they've been disturbed. I don't know if it's courteous security folks who carefully re-wrap them or if it's security folks who don't give a damn and don't even bother looking at what's wrapped up in the t-shirts. I mean, great for my beer. Not so great for security?
     
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  7. cyclonece09

    cyclonece09 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,160) Aug 5, 2008 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Remember to put each bottle in plastic ziplock bags if possible, because then if the unfortunate happens, it doesn't spill all over the bag and make it leak on other passenger's luggage or on your own.
     
    madmanjf and yesferro like this.
  8. WMEugene

    WMEugene Initiate (0) Feb 3, 2011 Virginia

    I always wrap in plastic ziplock bags, leave them in any commercial paper/plastic bags, and wrap them in clothes. As long as you'd feel comfortable dropping your suitcase 4-5 feet, you'll be fine. Last time I did this, I brought back 4 bombers from EBF in a small suitcase from Boston to Baltimore and they looked like they hadn't moved an inch.
     
  9. WMEugene

    WMEugene Initiate (0) Feb 3, 2011 Virginia

    It should go without saying that the bags have to be checked and I would never tell anyone what you're packing, don't give the airlines the opportunity to try to squeeze more money out of you.
     
  10. abu_riley

    abu_riley Initiate (0) Mar 8, 2012 Pennsylvania

    You can also check a regular cardboard box if you cant fit the beer in your suitcase. If you do that, just be aware that if one of the bottles in the box breaks (ie leaks), they'll throw the entire box out. Distribute your beers accordingly!
     
  11. honkduh

    honkduh Initiate (0) Jun 2, 2011 Oregon

    They can buy beer here

    http://www.madeinoregon.com/Oregon-Microbrews-Beer/

    Which is in the airport after you go through security so they can bring it as carry on. There's also a couple breweries after security where you can get bottles and growlers.
     
    BBThunderbolt and HarrySTruman like this.
  12. PSUDREW

    PSUDREW Initiate (0) Jun 14, 2002 Pennsylvania

    Thanks everyone!
     
  13. TheBishopco

    TheBishopco Initiate (0) Feb 4, 2011 Tennessee

    That's why you should individually wrap each bottle so it won't leak if it does break.
     
  14. BuckeyeOne

    BuckeyeOne Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2008 Washington

    I have probably packed beer in my checked luggage more than a dozen times. After being really paranoid and going to great lengths to secure the bottles, I now just simply wrap the bottles in clothes and make sure no bottles are touching directly. I have never had any bottles break nor has anyone ever taken any of the bottles. I do not wrap them in bubble wrap nor put them in ziplock baggies. If you have these things and the bubble wrap doesn't take up too much space, feel free to do so. But if you don't have them, I wouldn't worry about it.
     
  15. TheGr8BeerState

    TheGr8BeerState Initiate (0) Jul 20, 2011 Michigan

    I have a flight coming up, and I was curious if anyone has experience packing beer in checked luggage. I want to bring a few beers from home to enjoy on my trip and then hopefully bring some local brews home with me when I return. I was thinking if I packed them similarly to how I pack for a trade it might work.

    Anyway, just curious if anyone has done this before. Any tips or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
     
  16. KAF

    KAF Initiate (0) Jun 22, 2007 Iowa

    That is how I have done it in the past, just treat it like a trade and you luggage as the box. I will bubble wrap my bottles and put them in ziplock bags then stuff them in with my clothes. So far security has not checked my luggage and nothing has broken. My wife had her luggage checked for salad dressing though, go figure.
     
  17. JRod1969

    JRod1969 Maven (1,266) Nov 23, 2010 New York
    Trader

    I have done this with success. Bubble wrap, plastic bag (unless you want to risk wet luggage), and wrap in clothes. It's better if the luggage has hard or semi-hard sides.
     
  18. jtmartino

    jtmartino Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2010 California

    I've had success, as well as a broken bottle in the past. The broken bottle was a bomber of Weyerbacher Tiny that I brought back from Asheville. A sad day indeed.

    The important thing is don't overpack your luggage. I overpacked my bag and it caused the plastic frame of my suitcase to break, which led to the breaking of the bottle. Use large bubble wrap if possible, and wrap the bottles in individual plastic bags or a garbage bag. If something breaks, you don't want it leaking out of your suitcase and getting everywhere.

    That's about it. Make sure the bottles don't touch the edges of the suitcase, and don't let the bottles touch each other.
     
  19. woosterbill

    woosterbill Pooh-Bah (2,733) Apr 6, 2009 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    I've brought beer in my checked bags on several occasions, and have never had a problem. Just last week I got back from a trip to Europe, and my checked bag contained nothing but a box, bubblewrap, and beer.

    For the record, 8x750ml + 5x375ml put me 2kilos/4lbs over the weight limit; luckily the check-in lady let me slide - I thought I was going to have to chug a 3F Golden Blend or two before going through security at Heathrow!
     
    jchoffman likes this.
  20. FosterJM

    FosterJM Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2009 California

    I just got back from Tampa and brought 3 750s and 5 12 oz home with me. I brought electrical tape and some blue painters tape and 8 strips of bubble wrap. Wrapped them in a layer, covered with clothes. More bottles. More clothes. All was fine and dandy. Done it a couple times now.

    Cheers!
     
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