regulations for frozen fish as checked luggage??

Phoned AA and asked the question and didn't like my answer. They said that perishable frozed food must be packed in dry ice with a special vented freezer box. Also an extra $40 fee.

I have checked boxes of frozen fish many times with NWA from Alaska to Grand Rapids (regulation freezer boxes) as luggage and never had a fee or had to use dry ice.

This time I want to check about 20 lbs of frozen shrip from Corpus Christi to Grand Rapids. The shrimp would be in freezer bags, wrapped in newspaper, taped shut, put in styraphome freezer box , and then put into a special waxed, heavy duty carboard freezer box.

Last year with just 8 lbs, I just wrapped the packets of frozen shrimp in newpaper, taped it up good and then around my clothes, and everything came out great.

If I use a freezer box, do I have to use dry ice????

And then do you eat that shrimp, after wrapping it in clothing? Just curious.

we used to--years ago--travel with a checked bag of frozen meat--till the time we ddn't get the bag for a week....

when going to the fishing camp in colorado, i often buy meat, freeze it, put it in soft coolers inside of a duffle bag, check it, and hope it isn't left on rhe apron in den....

i check the meat before putting it in the freezer upon arrival....

i would do something similar w/fish....

More importantly, do you wear the clothing after wrapping it around shrimp?

Probably not - they look so cu-u-ute dressed up that way!

(The proper answer is going to be interesting.)

fly through an airport like DFW with our nearly 80 degree afternoons and hope for the best. Sure a lot of people fly frozen food products unofficially, but that doesn't protect you against the 'what ifs'. It's only January. The way this 'winter' is going, it's going to be over 90 degrees on those DFW ramps very soon.

Last time my husband flew back from Alaska with frozen salmon, it had to be on dry ice and we had to pay a fee. I thought it was just an excess luggage fee at the time. They probably have had some bad (smelly) incidents.
My business partner did the packing fish with cold packs in your luggage thing once--the only time his bag was ever lost. He got it a week later. Everything had to go in the trash. So I don't recommend that.

racheal....perhaps dry ice wouldn't last for a week?

another thing i do, is to put quail or doves in zip locks and the zip locks in trash bags....i have often done this and carried one soft cooler on board....

Might I remind the OP that NWA is in bankruptcy, AA is not! Maybe this is the charge that kept AA out of it.

And as always, not intending to be rude but if NWA treats you better, why didn't you book your flight with them?

Yes Or even wear the clothing after the shrimp wrap.

The shrimp were frozen flat with some water in a zip-lock freezer bag. Then wrapped in newspaper, then taped shut, put into another zip-lock bag. Then wrapped around clothes.

Yes, we were very lucky everything come through frozen. But **** happens which is why I am trying to find out if I have to use dry ice with the special vented freezer box, and $40 fee.

I want to use a regular regulation freeezer box, --newspaper wrapped, zip-locked frozen shrimp, put in a styrofoam box then put into a waxed heavy duty carboard box. Will AA let me do this????

It doesn't seem like all that many years ago when flying with frozen food in coolers [especially to atypical caribbean destinations] was the norm. You used to see a ton of them being checked as baggage. Never had a problem. Never had a fee.

Might it be cheaper to pack up the stuff and ship it via FedEx? Or do that freebie Citibank shipping deal if it's still available?

""I want to use a regular regulation freeezer box, --newspaper wrapped, zip-locked frozen shrimp, put in a styrofoam box then put into a waxed heavy duty carboard box. Will AA let me do this????""

Just called AA at Corpus Christi Airport and they said the regular freezer box should be fine. I have to sign a waver. The $40 fee is if I want to ship it with dry ice.

Thanks everyone. Flying with frozen fish can always be a risky thing. I would just rather have it in a box instead of my clothes.

When we go from SJD up to the states with fish it's just frozen in a hard sided cooler. No extra ice or dry ice. They don't accept styrofoam containers here and announce it upon arrival in SJD. We've never had to pay an extra fee.