General_Flyer

I am new to the alcohol world, not drinking that much if hardly at all..

So I am planning to take a bottle or two of champagnes back home to Indonesia. My problem is, how to package it safely to prevent any mishaps?

Should I worry of some "invisible hand" snatching it away as "flight safety hazard?

fly2nrt

Use this: http://www.wineskin.net/

General_Flyer

I doubt those things are champagne capable.. Since they are more volatile due to the gaseous content inside them...

skj

Call a local wine store and get a 1 or 2 bottle styrofoam shipper. You'll probably need one sized for magnum bottles because Champagne bottles are usually bigger in diameter. Wrap the bottle in bubble wrap if it's too loose in the shipper. Pack the shipper in your checked bag and everything should be fine.

Champagne is shipped by air in these types of containers all the time. Packing it in your luggage makes it even more secure. If you're nervous, put the shipper in a large trash bag and tape it closed, just in case of breakage.

TSA will likely open your bag and check the bottles more closely, but there's nothing wrong with checking wine or Champagne.

I don't know if there are any issues bringing wine/Champagne into Indonesia.

cordelli

Mikes easy way to transport wine in six steps

1. Go to Home Depot
2. Go to the plumbing aisle
3. Buy a length of the 4 inch drainage plastic pipe. They will have two types of 4 inch pipe, you want the one that is black inside, white outside, it's got a thinner wall then the other one
4. It does not matter if it's the perforated one or not
5. If you have a hand saw at home skip this step. If you don't have a saw at home, take your pipe over to the miter boxes in the molding section, and cut it to length. A standard champagne bottle will be somewhere between 11 and 12 inches tall, depending on the bottle they use, if your suitcase is only an inch or so wider, make it as wide as your suitcase
6. Take a utility knife if necessary and cut off any of the sharp edges from the saw

It will cost probably $8 to $10, and you get enough for eight bottles (usually they are 8 foot lengths). It's cheap, light, and you won't get anything stronger. It's how I bring all my wine back from California I don't have shipped,

Bring an empty bottle with you to make sure it fits, it's hard to picture it fitting in the 4 inch pipe, but even the champagne bottles easily fit.

I pack the tubes with clothing on the way out, and on the way back use the clothing to plug the ends to keep the bottles safe.

Three or four trips a year, ten or 12 bottles a trip , been doing it for a couple years and never had a problem.

Unless it's in a Styrofoam shipper mentioned above, don't tell the airline you have wine, as they will require it to be in a Styrofoam shipper. If they don't know they won't care, but you mention "I'm bringing wine over with me" they could insist it be packed in Styrofoam.

missydarlin

I just pad the bottles well with clothing. Or bubble wrap + plastic bags.

General_Flyer

I see, That's one idea worth trying. Let me see if I can get my latest shipment with those styrofoam shipper.

I like this idea very much actually, but its hard not to tell airlines if you're bringing champagne coz I always ask for the fragile label. Just in case so they don't shake the suitcase a lot to cause cork combustion..

But tomorrow, I'll be going to home depot to take care of the stuff I have at home. That should work well!

The part I am most worried about is the shaking the luggage will receive from the entry to TSA bag check, and then the belt, and then the aircraft, and then when switching airlines, and then loading and unloading those kinds of stuff. Other than that there's no problem with me.

Some champagnes carries a case with them. Is it safe to use it inside a suitcase? One of the bottles I'm bringing home is a Dom 2000 and possibly a Dom 1996 and 1998.

Skink

Moet & Chandon bottles have been coming with a free chiller lately that seems to be pretty strong. I've used it a couple times in checked luggage and not had any problems. As an extra precaution, after placing the bottle inside the chiller, I wrap the chiller with some clothes.

General_Flyer

Nice to know that those chillers are strong.. That makes 1/5th of my problem go away.

Ocn Vw 1K

Also see this active thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...le-scotch.html

mileshound

Do all of the above but also get a 2 gallon ziploc bag to put in just in case it opens. That way you contain the spill.

dbusiness

I always carried a few extra tube socks and would pull two of
the socks over the bottles and never had any problems.
As for the contents of the bottle the metal cage on top and
design of the cork, plus the liquid causing the cork to expand
even more prevent any leakage.

number_6

OP mentions taking the champagne to Indonesia, presumably he is aware of the very strict enforcement there with confiscation of any bottles over the limit; so be sure not to be a bottle over! This was my experience last november, with no option to pay duty.

cordelli

Just came across this while looking up something else, it's a luggage insert for carrying six wine bottles. Doesn't say if it will do Champagne sized or not, but it may be worth a phone call

http://www.ebeaver.com/EBLuggageMate.htm

nba1017

Apologize if this has been discussed previously, but I've been unable to find authoritative clarification online as of yet.

I'd like to bring a bottle of champagne with me on a trip tomorrow. I have no real impetus other than that it's a nice bottle and I'd like to enjoy it on vacation. It's a domestic American flight. As far as I can tell, there are no airline restrictions regarding champagne in checked baggage, but I was wondering if anyone here has had experiences with it and has any words of caution or approval.

I would, of course, wrap the bottle in bubble wrap, double-bag it, and so on.


Thanks!