Transporting rum in checked baggage - a note of caution

[DemeraraDrinker]

I brought 5 bottles of rum back from a recent trip to Florida. I live in Kansas, and we don't have as good a selection of rum as the coasts do. So when I travel, I'm usually bringing back some bottles.

Before the whole liquid explosive terrorist thing, I used to transport in a carry on bag. Now because of those a**hole terrorists, I have to check the rum. As you can tell, this is a sore spot with me. When I could carry on rum, I could baby it and make sure it didn't get smashed.

So now, I pack the rum very carefully, taping the top so it can't unscrew or uncork. I pad the bottles with socks and clothes. I usually request a FRAGILE sticker from the airline person. I did this in Clearwater, and she said, "What's in the bag?". I stumbled a bit and then my wife said, "A bottle of wine." I had a bottle of wine in addition to the rum in the bag. Well the Southwest person said I HAD to buy their bubblewrap bottle transporter for $5 or she wouldn't check the bag. I almost flipped out.

So I just bought it and shoved it in my bag (all the rums and wine were already packed in socks and clothes). Everything transported fine. If I had mentioned I had 5 bottles of rum in addition to the 1 bottle of wine, I'd be out $30, and 6 of the damn things would never have fit (they're pretty puffy and big).

Keep this in mind before you ask for a FRAGILE tag for your bag. I won't be asking anymore (I doubt it makes a difference).

[Troy]

Glad to hear that the rum made it back home ok.

The fragile sticker might just signal some of the less than honest baggage workers that there could be something worthwhile in the bag to steal. ;)

[DemeraraDrinker]

True dat .

[Dood]

Makes me glad that we bought 6 of those bottle protectors for a dollar each when we were in Tahiti.

We'll be taking them with us to the Caribbean this fall to bring back the booty.

[DemeraraDrinker]

Good for you. Just pack them carefully, and they'll get back OK. Whether or not to declare them is another issue.

I was in Puerto Vallarta 2 years ago. I brought back 11 bottles of Tequila and rum. I was going to declare them so as to pay the duty, but our flight from PV to Houston was so late, that customs literally hustled us through so we could make our connecting flight. I never even got a chance to declare as I was sprinting through.

[alagave]

We have struggled with this same problem and have solved it with the following strategy. Take an extra suitcase with as much structural support as you can get. A 24" Pullman is perfect because it is hard to put more than 50 pounds in it. Purchase bubble wrap at an office supply store at home. Also purchase a roll of sealing tape and a roll of plastic stretch wrap.

Use the plastic stretch wrap to secure the cap and completely wrap the bottle to prevent leakage. Airlines really do not like leaking luggage! Now, wrap the secured bottle in bubble wrap and either tape it or wrap it again. I usually label the outside to discourage unwrapping by inspectors.

Place the implements in the bag with the bottles and you are ready to go. We have transported hundreds this way with no problems.

[Chuck E. Mong]

I have a horror story about travelling with rum. My girlfriend who's from Trinidad insisted on buying a case of Old Oak drummer boy rum for gifts. What the heck at the duty free shop they're only about $3. US per bottle. They wouldn't let her take it on the plane but insisted it be checked. When we got to Miami to change planes the whole area near the baggage pickup smelled like rum. An employee brought out the crushed, dripping case and left it with us on a luggage dolly. I left a trail of rum all the way to the parking lot where we went though it and found only 3 or 4 bottles intact. Ya gotta give some to the dead or they'll take it for themselves.....

[Edward Hamilton]

Sorry you didn't wrap your bottles well enough. I carry 5 or 6 bottles with me all over the country every week and in nearly three years have lost only 3 bottles due to operator error. I have lost a couple of bottles to ignorant TSA inspectors who thought it was illegal to carry alcohol but they carry a bigger gun than I do.
The good news is that you can buy more of those bottles in Trinidad.