Beverages in carry-on or checked bags?

[marymrg]

I was thinking of packing a six pack of water and soda in one of my bags to tide us over until I can make a grocery stop. We're arriving around noon and heading to Universal, so don't want to waste time until that evening or the next day for a grocery stop. Has anyone packed these items? What about flying with it?

 

[ceecee]

I have packed juice boxes and 3 bottles of water. We always carry a bottle in our carry on as well. I think they should be okay. Maybe pack them in ziplocs.

 

[prncess674]

I have packed water in my checked luggage before. Unless you are coming from a VERY cold client where your bags may sit on a frozen runway for hours then the water will be just fine. I would skip the soda. Hot soda in the parks tastes awful and just plain dehydrating. Stick with water. Even if by some horrible chance it did leak it would only be water that wouldnt ruin the items in your luggage.

Always carry atleast a 1/2 litre of water per person when travelling by plane with you in the cabin. if you are delayed the FA may not serve you anything during that delay.

 

[n2mm]

I always FREEZE a couple of bottles of water and put them in a thermal lunch bag in my carry on. By the time we get to MCO, they are barely thawed and last the entire day.

 

[swilshire]

We carried sodas in our carry-on bags to London last year. We're all caffeine addicts and had heard that Coca Colas were very expensive there. Other than the weight, no problem at all.

Shortly after 9/11 you couldn't get through security with any drink that was not sealed. That seems to be fading a bit, but I'd make sure that you didn't have any open bottles just to be safe.

Sheila

 

[marymrg]

Thanks. I was planning on leaving the beverages in our room or with our bags (if we aren't able to get into the room when we arrive). I never thought of freezing a few waters. It will be very hot when we get there so that is a great idea. Maybe I'll just do the water then..........and wait until I do my mini grocery run for the soda.

 

[newchic99]

In May, there were signs (and we were asked ,also) about no food being permitted in checked luggage. You might want to call your airline to make sure .

 

[maggiew]

I called ATA and they said I could check food in the luggage. But when I asked specifically about peanut butter (heard you shouldn't pack that), she said, "I imagine that would be alright." Great customer service. I just hope I don't get stopped at the airport for having peanut butter after this lady told me I could.

Maggie

 

[crisi]

Cans and bottles have been known to "break" in checked luggage. Baggage handlers aren't always the kindest to the bags they handle. I believe they expect to be able to drop a bag from 30 ft without it sustaining "damage" to it or the contents (I have a friend who used to be a baggage handler). Even putting it in a ziploc won't help if the force of the impact takes out the ziploc as well or the edge of the broken can slices open the bag.

Given this, I'd carry on beverages. Nothing worse than arriving to find all your clothes soaked with Coke because a can exploded - unless its discovering someone else's bottle of red wine broke while on top of your suitcase and ruined your clothes. Had it happen with a bottle of perfume once when I was younger - it was a horrible way to start a trip (and I never pack perfume on vacation anymore).

I'd risk water, wet wouldn't be bad. Sticky or stained would be.

 

[maggiew]

I was thinking of packing juice boxes. I have them in a plastic grocery bag tied up. Then I put that in another grocery bag tied up. I also have nutrigrain bars and granola bars. I have a 10 pack of those small boxes of cereal. (I will buy milk in the food court. Don't want to deal with a cooler.) I may throw in some microwave popcorn to pop in the food court. Probably put in a few disposable bowls and spoons. ALso some Peanut butter and jelly. I would wrap the jelly in grocery bags too. Does this sound ok?

I was going to put this all in its own suitcase - a little rolling case. So it wouldn't be able to ruin my clothes.

Maggie

 

[swilshire]

Maggie,

As long as the bag is hardsided, you should be fine. I always use hardsided luggage, even though it's heavier, for the extra protection. The only thing I'll put in softsided is clothing only, and even then you risk getting something spilled on it as mentioned above. I was at a meeting once with a lady who had absolutely everything in her softsided bag ruined by some unknown substance. She had to go buy clothing to wear (and she was one of the speakers).

You wouldn't believe the damage my luggage has received through the years. For some reason, Orlando has been the worst culprit. It's like they take my "indestructible" Samsonite bag into a big vise and twist it somehow.

Delta repaired one bag so many times that I finally retired it. They never got it quite right the last time and I was always afraid it would pop open. Not so bad when you could lock your luggage, but after they prohibited that, I stopped using it. I've haven't tried the new security approved locks yet.

Speaking of coolers, we bought a terrific soft-sided one last year from Kohls. It folds fairly flat, so we have put it in a suitcase. We have also used it as a carry-on loaded with food and drinks (it has a retractable handle just like a regular carry-on wheelie bag). We use it during the trip, then fill it with dirty clothes or other soft stuff and check it on the way home. It doesn't keep t hings cold more than a day or so, but would be fine when flying and in a hotel as long as you iced it down once or twice a day.

Sheila