Voda_boy

Hello,
Probably not strictly for the BA forum - but it's the only forum I really use and I do normally fly with BA (hope this is ok).
I'm hoping to take some special kinds of Japanese sake back from Japan. These particular types are supposed to be kept refrigerated before being opened (at least that is what the knowledge staff in Isetan kept on insisting!)

I'm assuming that the hold temperature is quite cool - but actually I have no idea. I'm only going on the fact that often bags arrive on the baggage carousel quite cool - but perhaps that is only during the winter months. Does anyone know what the temperature would be like on a long flight from Tokyo to London?

Arigato

Peter_S

Peter_S

Koru Flyer

LTN Phobia

I carried 10+ packs of Tim Tams from Australia at friends' request. I briefly considered carrying them as hand luggage but decided I found it a bit much.

So I packed them with 4 large sealed ice blocks around them, and then wrapped them all together in bubble wraps, and placed them in a chiller bag, and then in a suitcase (in an air conditioned place).

They survived Australian heat (height of summer) and Singapore heat OK, and did not have any sign of melting.

By the time I reached the destination approximately 24 hours later, the chiller blocks had melted completely, but they were still quite cold. They did the job while they were needed. No concerns at the destination - norther hemisphere winter.

Worcester

Reminds me of the time MJN nearly froze a cat

From the flight deck voice recorder

MARTIN: How long can a cat survive in an unheated hold at thirty-four thousand feet?
DOUGLAS: Oh, I used to know this one. It’s always coming up in pub quizzes.
MARTIN: Yes, all right.
DOUGLAS: Now then, is it three hours and twenty-eight seconds, or is that a weasel in a submarine?
MARTIN: You don’t know?
DOUGLAS: I regret not, but I wouldn’t hold out too much hope for the answer being ‘eight hours.’
MARTIN: Oh God. I’m going to have to kill the client’s cat!
DOUGLAS: It’s looking that way.
MARTIN: I can’t kill the client’s cat!
DOUGLAS: That’s also true.
MARTIN: But what else can I do?
DOUGLAS: I suppose you could always ...
MARTIN: I can’t. I can’t divert. She’ll hunt me down. She’ll actually hunt me down with knives.
DOUGLAS: Whereas if we carry on and freeze the client’s cat to death ...?
MARTIN: Also knives. Big knives. If we ... if we did carry on and the cat didn’t make it, d’you think they’d be able to tell how it died?
DOUGLAS: Again, I fear you flatter my knowledge of cat pathology.
MARTIN: I don’t see how they could. I mean, it’s not as if it’s gonna freeze into a block of ice, is it?
DOUGLAS: Not unless it’s a cartoon cat, no.
MARTIN: I mean, it’s not as if the Cat CSI’s gonna descend on us.
DOUGLAS: I wouldn’t have thought so. They’re so busy these days.
MARTIN: I mean, I know it’s a bit rotten – for the cat – but ten thousand pounds to divert is quite a lot, isn’t it?
DOUGLAS: A fair bit. And Carolyn ...
MARTIN: ... and the knives, yes. So, what d’you think? Is that reasonable? That’s reasonable, isn’t it? Isn’t it?
DOUGLAS: It’s a command decision, Sir. All yours.

Globaliser

I wouldn't be surprised if Tim Tams are practically indestructible anyway. Might you not find them stocked by ambient temperature shops way out in country areas?

LTN Phobia

I get melted chocolate on my fingers if I am too slow eating it, so it does melt at approx. 37 degrees centigrade, possibly lower.

Given the Australian baggage handlers' apparent/alleged favourite activities of of leaving suitcases out in the blazing sun, and my suitcases being dark, it's possible that the internal temperature of the suitcase might reach something fairly inhospitable even to Tim Tams

(In fact, they did melt on my previous, identical itinerary, hence the preparation.)

jimlad48

Back when I was serving in Afghanistan, I was sent a comfort package including a pack of Haribo star mix. It was a ridiculously hot summer and the package had clearly been left in the open for some time as it had melted and fused into one big 'mega haribo block'. Best haribo ever...

ptr120

I think you'll find that the Sake needs to be served cold but it won't matter if it isn't transported cold.

windowontheAside

I used to date an American who regularly brought frozen meat over from the US. He'd pack an entire suitcase with steaks individually wrapped in foil and they arrived still frozen. Ones on the outside were starting to thaw somewhat but I figured that the hold must be pretty cool to survive that long.

1010101

It depends on the aircraft, which bit of the cargo hold your bag ends up in, and what temperature the crew set it to. Usually it's a few degrees cooler than the cabin but its not refrigerator temperatures. Insulate it.

Pascoe

On a flight deck visit last week I was there while the FO was discussing the manifest with the skipper and I seem to recall they were allowing for prawns in the hold. So I guess also there's some specific variance sector by sector based on cargo loads???

flatlander

The hold temperature control also depends on the aircraft. The A380 and 787 have far more precise hold temperature control than the 777 and particularly the 747. Hence there is a preference for the 787 on routes with lucrative temperature sensitive cargo - seafood, pharmaceuticals, etc.

rapidex

The most valuable cargo revenue wise is tropical fish.