Hard side cooler checked SW?

[SilverMickey]

Has any one used a hard sided cooler in their checked luggage on Southwest?

We will be flying to Tampa in a few weeks and "driving out" of Florida a week later with a one way car rental.

We usually just buy a new cooler after we have picked up our car rental but I really like the cooler we have and just don't need to purchase another one to add to the pile at home. We would pack pillows swimsuits/towels beach bag in it. It is within the luggage size and we have a strap to keep it closed.

I tried calling southwest but with the delays they are having over plane inspections the call wait time was very very long...

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

 

[paults]

will it stay closed without the strap? If not you could have a problem if TSA decide to open it and not put the strap back on.

 

[SilverMickey]

Well everything inside will be in a beach bag... Should I just send it empty?

 

[Lilo&Stitch]

You will be fine, we take a cooler with us every trip and pack things in it like I would any carry on !

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

It is fine to check a cooler, but don't be surprised if it gets a bit beaten up.

you could have a problem if TSA decide to open it and not put the strap back on.

If opened, TSA will put the strap back on.

 

[NotUrsula]

I do it ALL the time; TSA has never failed to relatch the strap.

Just FYI, if you actually do pack food in it the airlines themselves will place restrictions on that, and normally when they accept it as checked baggage (especially in hot weather) they will insist on visually inspecting it to be sure that it does not contain perishables or improperly packed glass vessels containing liquids. (An example of the sort of thing they are trying to intercept would be a cooler containing several bottles of wine with no padding between them and no liquid barrier under the lid. Some airlines refuse to accept alcohol in checked bags, which would make this a total no-fly. Another common scenario is fresh fish that is not properly packed.)