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Author Topic: Buying beer and flying it back home, is it legal?  (Read 2084 times)

Offline bo_gator

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Buying beer and flying it back home, is it legal?
« on: May 20, 2010, 07:23:44 am »
Is it legal/safe to buy beer and check it in as luggage on a commercial airliner to bring back home?
All views expressed in the above post are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any other member of the AHA, BJCP, or home brew community at large.   


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Offline MDixon

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Re: Buying beer and flying it back home, is it legal?
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2010, 07:32:01 am »
Yep, only in checked luggage. Wrap it well, they will manhandle the bag. Also account for how heavy it will make the bag.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Buying beer and flying it back home, is it legal?
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2010, 07:34:50 am »
The only time I think much about this is when coming back from Europe.  I declare it on the customs form.  Never been stopped or paid duty.  The charge is so low, they will spend more on the paperwork than they will collect, so it is not worth their time.  Usually they comment on the "good German beer" we are bringing back.

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Offline tom

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Re: Buying beer and flying it back home, is it legal?
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2010, 09:58:09 am »
Ahh, I fondly remember the days of bringing 2 cases of beer as carryon. Meanwhile they were stopping little old ladies form bringing eyelash curlers onboard.
« Last Edit: May 20, 2010, 03:28:18 pm by tom »
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Offline BrewingRover

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Re: Buying beer and flying it back home, is it legal?
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2010, 02:53:37 pm »
I think the airlines don't care but the revenuers might ;)
It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.

Offline bluesman

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Re: Buying beer and flying it back home, is it legal?
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2010, 02:59:47 pm »
Been there, done that. Actually had my bags checked and the inspector said I was allowed to check the beer. Carry on is not allowed as far as I know.
Ron Price

Offline rabid_dingo

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Re: Buying beer and flying it back home, is it legal?
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2010, 04:42:14 pm »
Ahh, I fondly remember the days of bringing 2 cases of beer as carryon. Meanwhile they were stopping little old ladies form bringing eyelash curlers onboard.

That was after 9/11/01 before 8/10/07...Liquids were not banned until some p****** w*****s tried to smuggle
'splosives in their listerine and scope bottles in London. Since then no (edit) carry on liquids in quantities greater than a Eye dropper...

Sucks for me since there are times where I work in both the terminal and concourse. I bring my own sodas to work.
I can even buy a soda on the concourse go to the terminal to work. But I am not allowed to take it back to the concourse...Boooo.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2010, 07:28:41 pm by rabid_dingo »
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Offline joelambic

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Re: Buying beer and flying it back home, is it legal?
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2010, 05:02:46 pm »
Have had no problem bringing beers with in check luggage.  I have been lucky with one or two in a full suit case just wrapped in socks as long as they didn't clink together.  The best method I've used when taking beer to friends in Hawaii is to get a shipper box with partitions and heavy cardboard.  I've had some exterior box damage on occasion but never a broken bottle -- yet.