food in checked luggage

Posted by: cat

food in checked luggage - 02/24/08 02:12 PM

I'm off again this summer to backpack another section of the Colo. Trail, flying out of Alaska.

This year tho, I want to bring all my own backpacking food in my checked on luggage. Since I do ziplock cooking, will there be any problem with ziplocks of mystery powders in my checked luggage? Are they going to bring in the drug sniffin' dogs?
Posted by: phat

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/24/08 02:17 PM


I take backpacking food on flights all the time, and never have had a problem. They ain't looking for food.
Posted by: OregonMouse

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/24/08 02:21 PM

If it's a direct flight from Alaska, should be no problem. It's the international flights where they check for foodstuffs with those cute little green-coated beagles.
Posted by: sarbar

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/24/08 07:04 PM

I'd say...no liquids and no fresh food <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: Earthling

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/24/08 07:39 PM

Quote:

I take backpacking food on flights all the time, and never have had a problem. They ain't looking for food.


You can say THAT again Phat! it was one of those..."and there I was stories..." here it is, I was in a hurry packing to go last year, and put some protein powder into a few quart ziplocks, not bothering to fully seal them due to too many things going on at the same time <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Next thing you know I'm at the airport picking up my bag and I notice it kind of funky looking <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> So I stop off to the side of a passagerway and open the dang thing <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> white powder all over everything <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> and sticky at that <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> So there I am literally airing out my crap in the hall shaking and going nuts trying to get it cleaned up <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> a few of the quzi tsa folks walk right on by <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> without battin an eye <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> and just about when I'm done zippin up another walks by to ask if everything is ok <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> OF COURSE Occcificerr <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> that was close to the fat lady giving me my yearly, cough, <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, go ahead, take your noodles along <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> If it was Miami I would be in the county while they tested my luggage with Don Johnson hisself <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: tahomus

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/25/08 09:01 AM

that's funny, earthling! i can feel that sticky powder now!

i flew from reno to vegas last fall. i have not flown in about 5 years. in reno, they x-ray'ed the checked luggage right next to the line-up maze. i got to see what happens to some bags.

i was flying to a conference with my boss. he was just diagnosed diabetic, and had packed a ton of diabetic food- diet sodas, shakes, snack bars, etc. he had packed a huge duffel with food and his clothes. (i, on the other hand, packed light & could have gone carry-on even with twice the clothes! gotta love the ultralight training!)

his bag was opened, and the food inspected- they seemed to pay attention to the canned drinks. the cans were individually "swabbed" and the swab tested. this went on for about 10 minutes. eventually they zipped the bag up and let it go.

if i was the one flying, i would:

avoid packing liquids. do not bring re-packaged liquids.

consider bringing food in its commercial packaging (avoid earthling's powder problem) and have a written plan with ziplocks for repacking at your destination

always have a written menu/inventory/recipes of my food packed separate from the food. that way, if the food gets lost or confiscated, i can more easily re-create or replace it, without having to remember all the meals, snacks, etc.

pack the food separate from my gear, lest while inspecting some piece of gear gets separated from my bag, or the bag re-open en-route.

other option: mail it ahead and avoid the air travel paranoia!
Posted by: kevonionia

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/25/08 09:49 AM

Great advice, tahomus, especially about having an inventory list to check against so you know what is missing.

And shipping the stuff ahead is becoming more and more of the preferred method as fuel prices rise and checked-bag weight-limits drop.

If there was EVER a reason to get into ultralight hiking, it's when there's a commercial plane somehow in the equation on how you're getting to the trailhead.

Five years ago: Passengers allowed 3 bags at 70 pounds each. 210 pounds total.

May of 2008: Two bags at 50 pounds each, 100 pounds total, with United planning in May to charge you $25 bucks for the SECOND bag unless you're one of their elite travelers. No other major airlines have announced they are tagging along with this, although Spirit airlines already is charging for ANY bags you check. Wouldn't be surprised if in a few years they'll be labeling us with "FAT" tags (and we're not even flying to FRESNO) and charging us for our own personal excess & overweight belly baggage.

Tahomus, I'm a diabetic like your boss, and I'm guessing it was because he was just diagnosed a diabetic and cause, well, he was your boss and all, but you should have said something like, "ARE YOU NUTS? You're lugging all that in your baggage? You think they don't have DIET SODAS in VEGAS? Diet shakes and crackers? In Vegas, they probably have got DIET DOM PERIGNON!" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: phat

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/25/08 10:06 AM

Quote:
Wouldn't be surprised if in a few years they'll be labeling us with "FAT" tags (and we're not even flying to FRESNO)


Hah! I recall at least a couple of times when I was a kid, Flying to my grandma's ranch in Ivanhoe CA,
the nearest airport is of course, Fresno. Flying as Unaccompanied Monsters the airlines of course put
stickers and crap on you that you have to wear. Of course one of them is a big sticker of the destination airport, So yes, several times I flew from Edmonton, to SFO, to Fresno with a big sticker

"FAT"

plastered on my chest the whole time <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

prophetic? I dunno <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: kevonionia

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/25/08 10:14 AM

phat:

. . . and your username screams, "I can't spell!" (but then, neither could my mother).

Kevon
Posted by: tahomus

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/25/08 10:50 AM

Quote:
Tahomus, I'm a diabetic like your boss, and I'm guessing it was because he was just diagnosed a diabetic and cause, well, he was your boss and all, but you should have said something like, "ARE YOU NUTS? You're lugging all that in your baggage? You think they don't have DIET SODAS in VEGAS? Diet shakes and crackers? In Vegas, they probably have got DIET DOM PERIGNON!"


oh, but i did! (tho i didn't yell!) i try not to nag him- just make quiet suggestions. yes, the boss thing is a balance. he is not married, i am married(22years) i am female. i have been working with him 17 years... sometimes it feels like the old married couple. can you see me getting shrill + calling him nuts? well, yes, maybe in the fantasy world. but in that world i wouldn't have to have a boss and maintain this kind of long term relationship!

but, his diagnosis was only 2 weeks old and he was still freaking out a bit. can't come down too hard on him. he did get very excited when he saw one of those taxi-top billboards advertising "0 carbs: rum & diet coke"- what- i can still drink rum??? and that he did- making up for all the things he couldn't have...there's not many experiences in life i'd rather not repeat than to be wandering around vegas at all hours, trying to discretely redirect him from bars... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: Earthling

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/25/08 12:04 PM

Tahomus that's funny! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> 'redirecting him from bars'....just as long as he did'nt reboard the plane heading home married to an Elvis impersonator <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Phat, I'm sure there's a lwyer somewhere that could tie those 'impressionable years' wearing FAT tags to your now self-deprecating Forum moniker <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Of course you'd want to be paid in Canadian dollars for the pain and sufferring; 'cause paying you in declining US dollars would only add to your pain <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Kev's right folks, the airlines want your luggage to go on a diet. So now you have to wear ALL items of clothing you bring along instead of packing them. That'll do wonders for the checkpoints <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, none too bringht on my part packing that protein powder in ziplocks inside my 1 bag <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Who'd a known it would burst inflight <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: kevonionia

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/25/08 02:36 PM

E:

"Protein powder?" So that's what you saying you were bringing back from Panama. Good thing you hadn't swallowed those bags before they exploded.
Posted by: Earthling

Re: food in checked luggage - 02/25/08 05:51 PM

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />...no but the photo of me shirtless was taken by me while I was sailing along through 50 odd bales just floating around off the coast of Hultaco <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> That bird on my mizzen's boom had been riding one and decided to move up from steerage <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: Restless

Re: food in checked luggage - 03/16/08 11:52 PM

I think labeling the stuff will come in handy for both the guys checking your luggage and when you're out on the trail and can't tell which gunk is what.

In a few months I'm going to attempt bringing my food in the carry on and I'll let ya know how it goes. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />