Storage bins for frozen meat on plane

[AspenTimber]

Wanted to run my idea by some more experienced travelers. Will be flying through Bethel on AK Airlines. We are planning to take about 10 of the (sturdy kind )18gal totes up. The plan is to stack them together on the way up then post hunt.. freeze meat inside contractor bags, seal them up, and tape the loaded 100lb totes shut as overweight luggage. Not sure it will be possible to get the fish boxes in advance to the field ,so this seems like the best option. Anyone ever try this? Also, Just wanted to add that we will not be stopping in anchorage so that eliminates any of those options. Thanks!

 

[realunlucky]

If you drill a hole though the edge of the lid and tote you can zip tie the lid on. Throw a couple extra inside on top after them up in case someone wants to look inside they can secure the lid again afterwards.

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[Reload]

Rubbermaid Roughneck 18 gallon totes hold 100 lbs of meat perfectly! Done it myself twice and as realunlucky said, zip ties through pre-drilled hole in tote/lid work great! Alaska Air never balked on said package both times flying out of Bethel. Good luck on your trip!

 

[AspenTimber]

Thanks guys!

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

Rubbermaid Roughneck 18 gallon totes hold 100 lbs of meat perfectly! Done it myself twice and as realunlucky said, zip ties through pre-drilled hole in tote/lid work great! Alaska Air never balked on said package both times flying out of Bethel. Good luck on your trip!

This is what I did too.

 

[JPD350]

Has anyone had any issues flying a bunch of heavy checked baggage out of Bethel? I wonder how often they invoke the 2 bag restriction?
What about your antlers, did you have to box or crate them like the AA rules state or did you just cover the tips and shrink wrap them?
When you guys put the meat in totes was the meat frozen or was it just cold? I would be a little concerned starting a 15 hour flight with thawed meat in plastic bags.

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

Has anyone had any issues flying a bunch of heavy checked baggage out of Bethel? I wonder how often they invoke the 2 bag restriction?
What about your antlers, did you have to box or crate them like the AA rules state or did you just cover the tips and shrink wrap them?
When you guys put the meat in totes was the meat frozen or was it just cold? I would be a little concerned starting a 15 hour flight with thawed meat in plastic bags.
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@mcseal2 has flown out of there for moose

 

[mcseal2]

We had no issue. We flew out at the end of season, not sure if that helped.

 

[Steve O]

There is NO wiggle room on weight for that 100#. My buddy had to trim a couple pounds off his Musk Ox cape to get it on the plane for home.

Your plan is solid. I brought 55# of my Musk Ox in my Yeti Hopper 30 as carryon as well.

 

[JPD350]

How did you all get the meat frozen in Bethel?

 

[Steve O]

Froze the meat in my transporter’s freezer on Nunivak. You have to switch airlines a couple three times to get to Nunivak Island from Michigan.

 

[BBalash3]

Here is how we checked in 2 caribou on Alaska airlines (AA codeshare ticket) in Fairbanks. We deboned and froze the meat for a good 24 hours in town before the flight. The meat was still frozen when we returned to Indiana 16 hours later.

Each tote weighed about 100 lbs. Like others mentioned, drill holes and use zip ties to secure the lid. Tape some extras to the lid in case TSA wants to take a look. We also wrote our contact info on the lid with a sharpie in addition to the airline ID stickers.

The antlers were wrapped separately, nestled together and checked as 1 piece. TSA claimed they had to completely unwrap them, which caused a slight panic attack, but in the end they just cut a small section away to verify what it was and then taped it back up. They ignored the meat completely.

I’m an EP on American and we were flying up front. This cost exactly $0.00 to check all the way home. The baggage allowances and priority handling in first class are well worth the extra cost for a trip like this. When we arrived in Indy the meat came out on the standard conveyor and the antlers were hand delivered along with our firearms. No complaints.

 

[SliverShooter]

I will second Steve O and the weight restrictions.

There is NO wiggle room on weight for that 100#. My buddy had to trim a couple pounds off his Musk Ox cape to get it on the plane for home

In Fairbanks we packed and froze a moose in fish boxes, then me and my hunting partner tried checking them as excess baggage. Every box had 100#‘s of meat, none exceeded the 100# limit. The lady at checkin interpreted the requirements to as up to 100#’s. We had to open each box and remove one package of meat because they were not less than 100#’s. Then she asked what we were doing with the meat and if she could keep it. We gave it to our friend who was waiting to make sure we got through without any problems.
I managed to check my selfbow in as a carry on in my fly rod case with my fly rod.

 

[live2huntelk]

Anyone check(Alaska Airlines) the 27 gal Commander totes as checked baggage? It is about 4 linear inches over the 62 in limit which would technically put you in the $100 checked bag category. I have heard they watch weight very close but not linear inches as close.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Anyone check(Alaska Airlines) the 27 gal Commander totes as checked baggage? It is about 4 linear inches over the 62 in limit which would technically put you in the $100 checked bag category. I have heard they watch weight very close but not linear inches as close.

View attachment 246986

Not sure.
But I will say I've not had the best luck with durability of the black and yellow totes.

There may be different thickness ones idk. But I've broken a few.

 

[live2huntelk]

Not sure.
But I will say I've not had the best luck with durability of the black and yellow totes.

There may be different thickness ones idk. But I've broken a few.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Catchfish]

I tried the black and yellow totes as well, the plastic is to brittle and can be cracked. I think the rubbery rubbermaid totes work better. I wanted to try because my packframe fits in one diagonally for the trip over and only had my gun case and two totes stacked together and filled with my carryon. I think I will go back to the rubbermaid totes.

 

[3d4me]

Alaska airline is very good

 

[martinwj12]

There is NO wiggle room on weight for that 100#. My buddy had to trim a couple pounds off his Musk Ox cape to get it on the plane for home.

Your plan is solid. I brought 55# of my Musk Ox in my Yeti Hopper 30 as carryon as well.

Any questions with the meat carried on in the Yeti?

 

[Steve O]

Never any issues with the Yeti Hoper carry on full of meat on Alaska or Delta.