can you carryon or check live maine lobsters?
 

Flying into ATL and got a request to bring a couple with me. Was planning on packing light and not checking luggage. Will they let me carry them on the plane? Will I have to check a bag with them?

If you buy them post-security, yes, you can carry lobsters on board. There used to be a place at BOS to buy live lobsters for carry-on.

I doubt the airlines would care to accept live lobsters as checked baggage because they might die, and dead lobsters in a hot cargo hold for a certain length of time could be, ah, fragrant.

Where are you flying from?

LGA used to have a place after security in the main terminal. I haven't been in the main terminal for a few years.

You can also bring them yourself but can't keep them in water. Water is a known terrorist fluid! You can keep them on dry ice or even store them dry if it's not too long. There may be dry ice limitations.

Taking an early am BOS-ATL flight and pretty sure they will be fine for the short duration of flight. They live a LONG time out of water.

Considering a local supermarket has them going for 3.99- 4.99/lb I really doubt I can get a better deal anywhere.

On the ground with proper care, I supposed.

You better find a way to transport and keep them alive (or iced) before being cooked. I doubt anyone would enjoy a stinky lobster, $3.99/lb or not. ;)

Dry ice is cheap enough. They last for several days out of water in a fridge. Flight is short enough and price cheap enough to take a risk in my book.

I can also cut em up and freeze and bring just claws and tails to save space. Have shipped like that before.

Actually they are packed in brine which is corrosive to aircraft controls.

Brine spillage from fish and seafood is corrosive. Lobsters, mussels, oysters etc. must be packaged in leak proof containers and then be packed in plastic bags inside *waxed* cartons. Perishable items require that a limited release form be signed at check-in.

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin.../security.html

do they still pack lobsters in dry ice? the reason i ask is iirc, you are allowed to pack with dry ice.

i can't remember where i grabbed this from and my bad as i usually have a link to go with my copy 'n pastes but.....

also, there is this thread and this post which links to this from the faa


n.b. dry ice is frozen C02 which is a gas and not a liquid, gel or aerosol ;)

I flew out of Bangor on Friday and saw 3 people bring lobster boxes though.

Place them in a wax lined cardboard box on top of damp paper towels. Keep the towels damp as needed.

They will be fine for a few hours.

Lobsters are packed dry here in NH. I have NEVER seen them packed any other way. They just toss them into a foil lined bag at the fish counter and off you go. I empty out a produce drawer and toss em in until we eat em.

Thanks MKEBound and others. I will be getting a wax lined box to bring them in.

I hope I'm not too late on this one, and I'm not sure where you're staying, but from my experience (I was on Mount Desert Island) any local lobster pound will ship them same-day or overnight service for you. I suggest buying the lobsters at a pound because, while they may be more expensive, they are always much fresher. They also get to the destination with much less hassle on your end.

I still want to see someone freeze a bottle of water solid and try to take that through security. "It's not a liquid, it's solid, see!"

Incidentally they sell lobsters post-security at YHZ as well. Not sure how that helps anyone.

Just make sure the airline doesn't consider them as pets and charge you a pet fee :).

Nice one there, but they'd probably consider that as one of those jokes about a "terroristic device" that "isn't funny".

Some pack them in frozen vegetables.