I'm going on a trip in the near future. I was thinking of taking some booze with me.

What problems have people had with bottles in their checked bags? I could see issues if you were trying to bring a lot into the cabin, but what about a nice sturdy case that happened to have some bottles in it, way down in the cargo compartment?

Have you been asked to open things you were trying to check? What exactly did they look at if they did? Quantity? Proof? Whether it was sealed? Whether it was good stuff or Czeckerland swill?

Okay, the last would only happen if Bater was moonlighting for the TSA.

Seriously, folks, what are your experiences?

When I flew to Seattle last year, I called Alaska airlines to ask.
Each airline has its own set of rules, but these make sense in general.

Carry-on
1) If the bottle is over 80 proof, it has to be unopened.
2) If it's 80 proof or lower, something like a flask is perfectly acceptable.

Checked baggage
If you pack a baggie with sugar cubes and a slotted spoon, and you're flying out of the crack capital of the country, your bag will be searched. This happened to me on my way back from DC last summer. But I also had an opened 750 of Pinche, and they seemed totally uninterested in that.

All that said, last flight I took with carry-on only, I had a 375 of Swizzle and a flask of whiskey and they didn't even re-scan my bag at security.

6 months after 9/11 we flew to FLA to visit Glassy's parents.
Her brother was down there and loved a local beer from MA
when he lived here.
I bought a 1/2 gallon jug of beer and put it in my carry on.
It got searched at check in. The inspector took it out of my bag, brought it to the supervisor, he was clueless and brought it to the military guys on duty.
After 20 mins of explaining they let me on with it.
I had the receipt for it which helped. Thankfully I didn't have to open it or it would have gone flat.
That's my only recent experience.

Is there a reason you want to carry it on?
Just check it, you'll be fine, why carry it , when you payed them to?

Because when you have limited time with certain people in a certain place, why waste precious time waiting for a checked bag to come down the carousel.

Or worse yet, risk the airlines losing it...as they have been known on occasion to do?

When it comes to absinthe, I don't like to let it out of my sight.
Besides, I might want an eye-opener on the plane.

Better safe than sorry!

If you're ever really concerned, just ship it to your destination via courier.

By the way, for all you smokers flying out to LCLF, no more lighters of any kind allowed in carry-on as of this month. Matches are still okay, but no lighters.

Well!
That's it.
I'm not coming.

I'm bringing flint and kindling in my carry-on.

I'm driving.

I'm driving part of the way.
Dropping off the dog and two friends in Vegas.
Flying out from there.

I've never had a problem. I carry-on my booze because (1) I only check stuff if I'm moving. Yes, moving. (2) If I checked it, it would probably get broken anyway, (3) I hate flying with a passion, so I want to get drunk on board.

I put LB absinthe in an empty gin bottle (because I usually have plenty of them laying around), so it appears to be 80 proof or under. Vertes go in an empty Hendricks bottle or some similarly dark container.

You are allowed something like a maximum of 4-liters of booze - even beer counts. I tried to check a case of beer and they confiscated 6 bottles, right in front of me.

You can bring booze up to 140 proof. If I were bringing Absinthe, I'd probably pour it into an empty bottle of Pernod or Arak - or whatever, then shrink wrap it. If I were trying to bring EC, I'd probably soak off the labels and possibly cement glue on a gin or vodka label.

Some airlines will check to see if the bottles are factory sealed, and they may not allow an opened bottle.

Hence, the shrink wrap.

I have no intention of carrying on anything more than a token. This is strictly about checked baggage. I'm not worried about damage, as they will be packed well in a virtually indestructible case. It doesn't make sense for me to ship it ahead, as the cost would be prohibitive.

Thanks for the suggestions folks. I think you all have hit on some good ones. I'll let you all know what method I decide on as I get a little bit closer to my flight.

Oh, boy.

do you have a little parachute for that too?

Just returned from Detroit (Rust belt is appropriate) from a business trip and brought back a couple of bottles of Imperial Stout. I wrapped them in my dirty clothes in the center of my checked luggage. The only thing they bothered me about was my pocket knife which I forgot to put in check luggage on the return trip. Duh!

On the trip there they inspected my check luggage, but only removed the top couple of shirts.

I watched a female ape unload luggage in Charlotte by pulling it out of the plane and dropping it on the tarmac. Nice baggage handler.

Next time I go (June), I'll pack some absinthe to see how they handle it.

My dad would smuggle illegal booze from Spain (though this is decades ago) by using very clean shampoo bottles. Of course back then bottles were different, and so were customs.

When I visited Antigua a few years back the baggage search before boarding the plane was intense. They opened all my luggage, searched through everything (even pockets), and took their time. They did this for everyone.
The lines were ridiculous!

fucking facisists

Probably socialist with nothing better to do.

When I fly or travel via any other conveyance for that matter, I prefer to bring my own booze. I don't like to check anything as the changes in pressure can be deleterious to the product (lose fizzies) or can compromise corks, causing leakage.

Most "normals" do not know what absinthe is, so I have not had any issue traveling with that either.

Nor my flasks, nor unopened bottled of wine, nor any other spirit or libation....

Who the fuck is BIMBO!!!???

He said "normals" - so he must be one of those fake goth kids.

"normals" spelled backwards is SLAMRON.

*tee hee*

Fake goth kids go great with provolone.

Real goth kids are better complimented by a nice gruyere.

That's the only difference I'm aware of...

Nah, no fake goth kid....or real one for that matter. I have listened to industrial punk, but I'm better now.

Jackoff Master Bates should know me from Feeverte, but if not Absomphe may see fit to vouch for me. Abs had been bugging me some time ago to join and actually post here, so here I am.

I'm just thirsty, like the rest of you...and have "snuck" absinthe onto planes and cruise ships successfully. NTSA or whatever they are calling themselves in the post 9/11 world don't know what absinthe is, and only once was I even questioned when an airport screener held up a bottle of Jade- the only REAL Burnt™ absinthe NO and looked questioningly at me. I shrugged and said, "It's wine; I like this brand" and he put it back in my carry on.

having asswhomp vouch for you might not have the effect you were looking for....

True dat!

Sure it would....it might spark a witty exchange between the depraved denizens of this (mostly) lawless outpost....

This ain't Fee Verte, so who the fuck is RAMBLOW!!! ?

FNG extraordinaire!

I will take that as my warm welcome with open arms...

journey is teh bomb!

Uh, not so much....

My suggestion for flying with booze would be to sit in the right seat, or better yet; the back. Whatever you do, don't slur when your talking to ATC!

O.k - as long as we got a voucher.

Too funny!