Will my checked luggage freeze in the airplane?
I'm taking some freeze-sensitive items in a checked luggage for a short flight. It's cheese, chocolate, toothpaste and wine. I would like to know whether the luggage can get "frozen" in the aircraft. Sometimes it happened to me that my stuff actually was quite cold after the flight, so I'd like to be quite sure. Especially the cheese was really expensive and freezing it would very likely demage it.
Usually I pack everything well in clothes, but this time the things are just too many so it's tough to do more than just protect the wine from breaking.
Some details: It's an A320 flight taking 1.5 hours, with Czech Airlines, from Paris CDG to Prague PRG.
Best Answer
Running a datalogger inside a checked suitcase between Paris and Sydney via Dubai showed the minimum temperature to be 13 degrees Celsius. That occurred in the last 3 hours of flight. A change of aircraft at Dubai showed the temperature rise to 28.5 degrees Celsius, when it changed aircraft, and then slowly drop as the Sydney bound aircraft proceeded on its flight. Temperature and humidity were logged every 15 seconds. The datalogger was a recorder and not a transmitter. Transmitter equipment aboard aircraft is illegal. I am yet to marry data from the recorder against actual flight data available online, but aircraft typically travel at around 38000 feet, with an outside temperature of around minus 44.6 degrees Celsius. The datalogger was placed against the side of the suitcase in a side pocket. The suitcases position within both cargo holds was unknown.
Pictures about "Will my checked luggage freeze in the airplane?"
How cold does checked baggage get?
The cargo hold is pressurized and temperature controlled, with the temp usually at about 20 degrees colder than the cabin (at altitude).How cold is an airplane cargo hold?
Cargo temperatures vary in our fleet. The Boeing 767 maintains its baggage hold above 7\u02daC, but the bulk area (where animals are carried) can be heated above 18\u02daC. Controlled temperature cargo bins are also available when temperature-sensitive goods are being shipped.Can a person survive in the cargo hold of a plane?
US Federal Aviation Authority records suggest that, at best, one in four stowaways survives. Others die or fall in transit; some are crushed when the mechanised landing gear retracts into the wheel well; most survivors suffer severe hypothermia or frostbite, often losing limbs.Is the luggage compartment on an airplane pressurized?
Many are surprised to hear that the cargo hold in the belly of an airliner is pressurized. Conditioned air is directed from the cabin, so the air tends to be a little cooler by the time it reaches the cargo areas, which are also less insulated than the cabin. Cargo temperatures vary in our fleet.Can I pack frozen food in my checked luggage?
More answers regarding will my checked luggage freeze in the airplane?
Answer 2
Hi I'm a flight attendant and have checked in freeze sensitive items like the above (wines , cheese... even champagne and a whole clingwrapped roasted duck) to bring home throughout my 2-year career. Yes, it's only 2 years but I do check in such stuff frequently (between monthly and quarterly basis). I would stow them quickly in the fridge when I get home. Everything ended up fine and unspoiled. So far (Thank God) none of the wines/sparkling wines which I packed home exploded or ended up like 7-11 Slurpee slush or separated into different layers of liquid. In fact, my greatest concerns and the greatest risk taken would be physical damages to the bag during the check-in-out process which may in turn damage my stuff. Ground staff handling baggage may damage your bags accidentally. If you're lucky, it's a harmless scratch. A wheel missing? OK, still repairable. But have you ever seen bags badly cracked or dented lying sadly on the conveyor belt? A bad dent in the wrong place may cause a bottle to crack and soak all my stuff inside. Hope this helps. :)
Answer 3
I've checked numerous freeze-sensitive things over the years. Once, back in the 80s I had damage (and that from a 1-hr flight.) Since then everything has been fine, even on very long flights.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Mikhail Nilov, Andrea Piacquadio, Vlada Karpovich, Jonathan Moore