Cooler on Flight (Southwest)?

[Gabrielsbigtrip]

I had found a thread before that talked about this but no matter what I put in the search it doesn't return any results!

Can anyone give me any tips on the best way to pack a small cooler to bring on the flight? I need to pack about 10 of those little Breakstone Cottage Cheese Doubles......long story....staple of an Autistic little boy

Anyway, we have a 2 hour flight and wanted to know what to use to keep them cool. Can I use ice in a ziploc? Can I use the blue cooler pacs or do they need to be a certain size?

Any insight would be great.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dznyacct]

As far as I know, there is no ice or ice packs allowed through security. What has worked for me in the past when packing our lunch is to freeze a lot of grapes in ziploc bags. They stay frozen for quite a while and worked great at keeping our sandwiches cold. Also, maybe you could get/buy ice from a soda stand once you pass through security.

 

[tjmw2727]

I don't think your going to be to bring them onboard - they fall under the restriction on liquids/gels and probably won't qualify as medical.

Basicly anything that doesn't hold its own shape must be in clearly marked packages of 3.4 oz or less and fit into one quart size ziplock, 1 ziplock per passenger.

Likewise with the ice packs -

The rules are not airline specific but TSA - you can find the details here:

http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm

Hopfully he has some other staples that are either available to purchase after security or arn't liquid or gel. Good luck

TJ

 

[Sammy]

try this link to see if you can find any helpful information:

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/perishable_items.html

 

[uva185]

I'm more curious to know if the TSA considers Cottage Cheese Doubles to be a "liquid/gel".

 

[a1tinkfans]

I have found MCO to be much more strict................
anything that is or looks like gel/liquid is a definite no no.

Meanwhile I saw someone with a cooler, one of those styrofoam ones just last week. Have no idea what was in it....BUT, she got thru...so there must be options to keep it cold.....

 

[JoliBug]

I'm more curious to know if the TSA considers Cottage Cheese Doubles to be a "liquid/gel".

Yes they do. Anything that does not hold it's shape outside of it's containter is considered a liquid or gel, per TSA.

 

[JoliBug]

I have found MCO to be much more strict................
anything that is or looks like gel/liquid is a definite no no.

Meanwhile I saw someone with a cooler, one of those styrofoam ones just last week. Have no idea what was in it....BUT, she got thru...so there must be options to keep it cold.....

You can take things through that are required to remain cold. Bottled milk for a baby, or medicines are a major thing, but also if there is something that needs to stay cold you can take a plastic bag, dump out the ice before going through the checkpoint, and then get it filled with ice after you go through the checkpoint.

 

[pamjb]

You will not be able to carry these on. The weight of them is 5.5 oz, so they exceed the 3.4 oz limit for liquids/gels. While the cottage cheese may not fall under the liquid/gel, the fruit portion will.
Your alternatives are to pack them in a cooler and check them as luggage OR order them thru gardengrocer.com or wegoshop.com and have them delivered to your resort OR use a towncar service from the airport to stop at a grocery store OR grab a cab from your resort and run to the closest grocery to pick them up after you arrive.

 

[tjmw2727]

I often bring a soft sided cooler with a "lunch" for all of us. Frozen grapes or carrots work well as an ice pack! You can bring sandwiches and such and then purchase drinks after security. You can't bring ice, drinks, ice packs or gels - no jello, pudding etc.

As I said above anything that doesn't hold its own shape isn't allowed (other than in the 3-1-1 bag). It isn't regulated by the airlines and it isn't subjective. The link I posted above in post 3 gives all the facts from the TSA website.

The only hope the OP would have is to try declare it a medical necessity and unfortunately I don't think there is much of a chance. The better option is to purchase the cottage cheese upon arrival and bring non liquid/gel comfort foods instead.

TJ

 

[swabikedude]

I had found a thread before that talked about this but no matter what I put in the search it doesn't return any results!

Can anyone give me any tips on the best way to pack a small cooler to bring on the flight? I need to pack about 10 of those little Breakstone Cottage Cheese Doubles......long story....staple of an Autistic little boy

Anyway, we have a 2 hour flight and wanted to know what to use to keep them cool. Can I use ice in a ziploc? Can I use the blue cooler pacs or do they need to be a certain size?

Any insight would be great.

Thanks in advance.

I am so glad you asked this question - some of the folks here have given you some great resources to use to find the answer.

I would recommend the following sites as well:

http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm

That is from the TSA directly and it covers the 3-1-1 limits, but there are other links on that page for traveling with children & anyone with medical/disabilities....I know Autism is a special condition with children and I would think having documentation or note from your doctor will help speed you through the checkpoint.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/travel_alert.html

This is a direct link to Southwest.com site for details and tips for your carry-on baggage. I will also add that Southwest does accept up to 5 pounds of dry ice in carry-on bags. There are restrictions and special conditions in packaging, but the TSA will allow dry ice through checkpoint as it is not liquid. You would have to read more about that here....

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/perishable_items.html

That link covers traveling with perishable items....the dry ice refers to checked as well as your carry-on luggage....

Hope that helps....good luck!

 

[Lewisc]

The OP could probably qualify for a medical exception. They'll probably be allowed to bring a couple of cottage cheese doubles for the flight. I wouldn't count on being allowed to bring enough for the entire week. You really don't have any recourse if the TSA agent tells you to dump them. Get to the airport very early if you want to try it. You may be waiting for a supervisor.

Makes the most sense to buy them in Orlando.

I know the PP is trying to be helpful but forget about dry ice. It's not cheap. You'll have "fun" with TSA and you don't really want to freeze the cottage cheese. Dry ice is really designed for food you want to keep frozen.

 

[Gabrielsbigtrip]

Thanks so much to everyone!

Well, it looks like the "terrorists have won" when you can't pack a cooler of cottage cheese


I don't want to have to pull the Medical reason. It's so very hard to receive those looks from people that just don't understand. It's the same reason I won't push for a frig and POP for medical reasons. It's really nutritional reasons, I guess.

I know it would be a easier to have a Garden Grocer delivery but we just don't need that much since the Dining Plan offers so much food. And we won't have a frig. Plus, I am not sure how much of an appetite we will have with it being so hot.

I think I will pack a suitcase of some water bottles/cheerios and other staples for him that are none perishable. Maybe just maybe he will at least try mac and cheese somewhere and eat it(he ate it once at the Coral Reef). Otherwise it will be Cheerios and Jelly sandwiches for him.

I also may clean a used Cottage Double and bring it with me. If I can find plain cottage cheese maybe I can fool him...I don't know he is pretty smart when it comes to that.

I do like the frozen grape idea and I think I will try to pack a small cooler with those and maybe some other snacks......he will eat grapes so that is a plus

Thanks again for the information....we leave in 3 days

 

[CPT Tripss]

My first thought is that it's a real shame that flying in America has come down to such questions and that the answer is "no, you can't fly with that.

Second thought is to pack a small softsider cooler with "blue ice" and your food and put it in a larger suitcase. It should make the trip just fine . . . just a relatively short time will be spent on the tarmack . . . and SWA allows 2 bags per person FREE!!!!

 

[Gabrielsbigtrip]

My first thought is that it's a real shame that flying in America has come down to such questions and that the answer is "no, you can't fly with that.

Second thought is to pack a small softsider cooler with "blue ice" and your food and put it in a larger suitcase. It should make the trip just fine . . . just a relatively short time will be spent on the tarmack . . . and SWA allows 2 bags per person FREE!!!!

Duh! I should have thought of that! I will try that...thanks

 

[Lewisc]

Duh! I should have thought of that! I will try that...thanks

Put the "blue ice" gel packs in zip lock bags. You don't want them leak. You're not going to have a fridge at POP. Bring some gallon zip lock bags that you can fill with ice when you get to POP.

Are you using DME? You need enough "blue ice" to keep the items cool from the time you leave your house to the time you get to your room and replace the blue ice with real ice. A couple of gel packs should do it.

 

[tjmw2727]

I know you said you don't think you need enough for a grocery delivery but I have to say I have had excellent experience with wegoshop.

Rather than lugging extra suitcases with water, cereal snacks and maybe even perishables, for a small fee you can have everything waiting for you when you arrive - or delivered shortly after if you prefer.

If you don't want to ask for the fridge wegoshop will also pick up a styrafoam cooler - we used it for a week and it kept everything nice & cold.

Either way have a safe & fun trip.

TJ

 

[WillCAD]

Thanks so much to everyone!

Well, it looks like the "terrorists have won" when you can't pack a cooler of cottage cheese


I don't want to have to pull the Medical reason. It's so very hard to receive those looks from people that just don't understand. It's the same reason I won't push for a frig and POP for medical reasons. It's really nutritional reasons, I guess.

I know it would be a easier to have a Garden Grocer delivery but we just don't need that much since the Dining Plan offers so much food. And we won't have a frig. Plus, I am not sure how much of an appetite we will have with it being so hot.

I think I will pack a suitcase of some water bottles/cheerios and other staples for him that are none perishable. Maybe just maybe he will at least try mac and cheese somewhere and eat it(he ate it once at the Coral Reef). Otherwise it will be Cheerios and Jelly sandwiches for him.

I also may clean a used Cottage Double and bring it with me. If I can find plain cottage cheese maybe I can fool him...I don't know he is pretty smart when it comes to that.

I do like the frozen grape idea and I think I will try to pack a small cooler with those and maybe some other snacks......he will eat grapes so that is a plus

Thanks again for the information....we leave in 3 days

I think you're oberthinking this. If you need enough stuff to fill a suitcase, then you need enough to justify a delivery from Garden Grocer. Even though you are flying SWA and won't have to pay luggage fees, why bother packing and lugging a suitcase full of water and Cheerios around the airport if you van get them delivered to your resort? Just keep in mind, bottled water is HEAVY, and if you're going during a hot time of year, you'll want plenty of it, so just get a case delivered along with your other snacks.

 

[Gabrielsbigtrip]

I think you're oberthinking this. If you need enough stuff to fill a suitcase, then you need enough to justify a delivery from Garden Grocer. Even though you are flying SWA and won't have to pay luggage fees, why bother packing and lugging a suitcase full of water and Cheerios around the airport if you van get them delivered to your resort? Just keep in mind, bottled water is HEAVY, and if you're going during a hot time of year, you'll want plenty of it, so just get a case delivered along with your other snacks.

Nah, we are only taking two small suitcases so I will just put a few things in a third small suitcase(I won't jam it full - I will need room for souvies too.) I will probably only pack 6 or 8 waters and a small cooler with the Cottage Cheese in it. I am not too picky to drink FL tap water - so I can just ask for ice water when we are there. Plus, I am thinking the Frozen Coke will be my staple of the week

I don't want to do a grocery order because you have to spend $40 then the delivery fee. That seems a bit much when I actually have the items home and just need to get them there with me. Plus we won't have a frig.

If we were staying longer and I had the frig I would definitely do Garden Grocer. The past trips my sister, who lives in FL, was able to visit us on our first day and load us up with everything.

I will have to come back and let you all know how it went

I'm in MD too

 

[ccgirl]

I would recommend putting the cottage cheese inside of a gallon ziploc bag just in case they are "damaged" in any way. You don't want them all over the inside of your suitcase.