Not sure if this is the best forum to put this, so please feel free to redirect me as necessary... My wife and I will be visiting Brussels next week. I am looking for some advice and tips on bringing some beautiful lambic back to the states with us. Right now, we are planning on not checking luggage on our way there, and my thought was to check two bags of bottles (one each) on the way back. Some questions I have: - I have heard that you can check twelve 750s per bag because of weight - is that correct? - What is the best option for shipping containers? I see amazon sells fancy looking bags for housing 12-spot styro shippers, but is it necessary, or could I check a stryo shipper/cardboard box by itself? - Is there a good place in Brussels to get stryo-shippers (or a better alternative for checked luggage)? Welcome all help!
It'll depend on the airline's weight allowance, but people commonly fly Icelandair because you get 2 free bags and they're pretty liberal about bag weight limits. Their website claims 50lbs, but they didn't say anything when we had 5-6lbs. more in our normal luggage. Either way, with a full 12-bottle shipper bag you should still be barely under 50lbs. That's using these, with nothing else in 'em: http://www.thewinecheck.com. I think it comes to something like 49 lbs, so it's close. You can definitely use a box if you like. It's not going to weigh much if any less, but obviously it'll save you the cost of the bags. In spite of what their site is charging for them, they can be had for a lot less. I think I paid $55 for a pair of them on a random travel bag site. Oh yeah, worth mentioning - some places will pack stuff or sell you shippers if you need. Cantillon did both three years ago. Pretty sure they offered at Drie Fonteinen, too.
WIne Checks clock on at 42 pounds. Just brought 2 back from Brussels a few weeks ago. Cantillon sells them for a touch more than they are available for in the states.
My fiancé and I flew round trip out of Dublin and took a ryan air to Brussels. It saved us a lot of money going this route, even if it was a pain. But we took bubble wrap and tape with us, not sure where but I read wrap was hard to find. IIRC we brought home 12 750ml bottles, plus a few smaller ones. Split between two suitcases. Aer Lingus gave you a free checked bag under 50LBs and we were at the limit. It did suck having to pay for them from Brussels back to Dublin, and then break the handle on the suitcase because they were so heavy. But it was worth it!
