Traveling with Discus by Air?

[Tshethar]

Hi folks,

Anyone know whether it is possible these days to travel with discus on airplanes (esp. entering and within the U.S.)? I will be traveling internationally next month and, despite my lack of tank space, was curious about whether I ought to carve out time to look for discus specialists.

If both carry on and checked luggage options would be a problem, I might let it go. OTOH, if I knew I could check a styrofoam box... well, you know how it is. :o

[dagray]

Absolutely no on the carry-on for anything entering or leaving the US due to the threat that the liquid is flammable or explosive. I am unsure about checked luggage.

I quit flying even within the US about 14 years ago as I got tired of the hassle of going through the security checkpoints and dealing with poorly trained TSA employees.

[Tshethar]

Yeah, I hear you on the hassle of security in a post 9/11 world. Not something I enjoy too much either, especially at big hubs. I remember sending my Mom on a plane with a paper shopping bag full of marine fish back in the early 90s when I was working in an LFS, and know that this sort of thing isn't happening anymore.

Still, I'm guessing that some of the NADA folks might be able to report something about how they get their fish to the show, besides driving them. Can fish boxes be checked? Or do you have to ship them separately via overnight express?

The second question would then have to do with customs and international protocols. Hoping I wouldn't have to have something like an importer's license to bring one box in as checked luggage, assuming it would be possible otherwise.

[Megalodon]

You could probably put boxes of fish in checked baggage but they would take much more of a beating than if shipped by, say, FedEx.

Customs would probably be a big issue as well.

[Mando]

You could probably put boxes of fish in checked baggage but they would take much more of a beating than if shipped by, say, FedEx.

Customs would probably be a big issue as well.

My brother confirmed, that even if it didn't go in the luggage and it went as a live animal cargo, they still toss and kick the boxes/crates. I'm not going to mention what airline as this is in humane, but something tells me they all do it including fedex/ups. He mentioned that you could put the box in your luggage however, as an independent box, you're not able to do it because you need to be an authorized customer.

[Mando]

Yeah, I hear you on the hassle of security in a post 9/11 world. Not something I enjoy too much either, especially at big hubs. I remember sending my Mom on a plane with a paper shopping bag full of marine fish back in the early 90s when I was working in an LFS, and know that this sort of thing isn't happening anymore.

Still, I'm guessing that some of the NADA folks might be able to report something about how they get their fish to the show, besides driving them. Can fish boxes be checked? Or do you have to ship them separately via overnight express?

The second question would then have to do with customs and international protocols. Hoping I wouldn't have to have something like an importer's license to bring one box in as checked luggage, assuming it would be possible otherwise.

NADA folks probably went through an approved customer/vendor that had clearance to send live cargo.

[RogueDiscus]

My first trip to NADA, I shipped my box as "pet in the hold" or something like that. The box traveled on the same planes as I did, I think. For my second NADA, I became a "known shipper" and shipped the box via the airline's air cargo. Basically paid $100 to get checked out ahead of time, and this was worth it at the time because of scheduling issues. I sent the box the day before I traveled and it was there waiting at their air cargo terminal, not the passenger terminal. Similar for the return flight, had to drop off at air cargo, but it came to my small local airport. Both times it was Alaska Airlines. You have to check with each airline. I have no idea about international.

[Tshethar]

My brother confirmed, that even if it didn't go in the luggage and it went as a live animal cargo, they still toss and kick the boxes/crates. I'm not going to mention what airline as this is in humane, but something tells me they all do it including fedex/ups. He mentioned that you could put the box in your luggage however, as an independent box, you're not able to do it because you need to be an authorized customer.

Thanks for the insight. Can you say more about what it means to be an "authorized customer"? I could imagine tacking a chance on the cargo space--probably they'd experience something like most of our shipped fish go through--but it sounds like it might not be able to be a simple checked box. (And have to be more like what Steve did.)

[Tshethar]

My first trip to NADA, I shipped my box as "pet in the hold" or something like that. The box traveled on the same planes as I did, I think. For my second NADA, I became a "known shipper" and shipped the box via the airline's air cargo. Basically paid $100 to get checked out ahead of time, and this was worth it at the time because of scheduling issues. I sent the box the day before I traveled and it was there waiting at their air cargo terminal, not the passenger terminal. Similar for the return flight, had to drop off at air cargo, but it came to my small local airport. Both times it was Alaska Airlines. You have to check with each airline. I have no idea about international.

So, is the "known shipper" status something you did through the TSA site, like getting the pre-screening clearance (or whatever they call that so you can go through the fast line?) Would be curious if something like that exists, and if it costs $. I have picked up and sent off air freight before at the cargo terminal and it definitely isn't that difficult.

[RogueDiscus]

So, is the "known shipper" status something you did through the TSA site, like getting the pre-screening clearance (or whatever they call that so you can go through the fast line?) Would be curious if something like that exists, and if it costs $. I have picked up and sent off air freight before at the cargo terminal and it definitely isn't that difficult.

It was through Alaska, but they sent a local last-mile carrier representative to my home to check out who I was and what I was shipping.

[Tshethar]

Thanks, Steve. Alright, I think what I'll do is try to check with my airline and I'll see what they say. If "pet in the hold" might work on an international flight, I'll have an excuse to look at some discus if/when I have some down time and have done some of the other things I'd like to do. I'll report back on what I find out.

If anyone else has any thoughts or experiences, I'd be happy to know. Right now I'm thinking it might not be worth the risk and/or hassle, but curious to find out if it's actually possible.