Transporting live animals

[Lana]

I've read a few things (both here and other sites) about bringing fish back from vacation in a soda bottle. Does anyone know if the airlines prohibit or permit bringing live tropical fish with you as a carry-on? I would most likely just purchase the fish at a LFS, but I don't want to get to the airport and have to ditch it because it's against regulations. Also, is it bad for the fish if I just hold it while I go through the metal detector?
Sorry if these are really basic questions, but I've only recently begun to travel for my office and keep seeing these great fish stores - so I just had to ask.
Thanks!

[prof]

The metal detector should be no problem.

I would contact your airline and possibly the airport you will be flying out of to make sure that you won't have to flush that new fish down the toilet in the airport. Airlines are all about transporting things. As long as there ar no local regulations against having or federal regulations against tranporting the creature they should work with you.

Let us know what you find out.

[DeletedAccount]

I carried frogs with me 4X back and forth with to Alaska. The airlines said that it was fine, the security looked at me like I was a freak, but let me through with no problem. The problem I had was with the flight attendants. Many took them away from me and made them ride in the front, they were scared of the frogs, I think.

[brewercm]

They weren't those magice frogs were they?

Maybe they took them up front and were licking them. :o

[prof]

I carried a large shallow well pump home as a carry on from Atlanta. I asked the airline about it and they said it was no problem. If you can make it through the security screening you should be fine.

But you should have see all of the looks I got walking throught the airport with the tail end of a pump hanging out of the top of a brown paper bag. Odd shape, black formed plastic, grocery bag and wires hanging out. That was fun :)

[Bigreefer]

I had a problem with this. I travel to California a few times a year to see family and always bring something back.

First, the metal detector WILL KILL your fish and stun your corals (personal experience). If you want to carry it on, you have to ask a security person to go through the box on the side by hand. It helps if you don't seal the box. Then when getting on the plane, the attendants are instructed that no liquids are allowed. The lady at LAX didn't seem to mind but when I transferred at Phoenix, they stopped me and almost made me leave the package. They checked it on under the plane.

The best way to do it post 9-11 is to go to the air port 2 hours early and check in with your luggage. Seal every thing up in a box with lined with styrofoam and double bagged. Make sure you mark it "live fish" so they don't scan it. They are supposed to charge $40 extra for live cargo but usually don't make you pay it if they are able to look through it before you check it in. Bring extra tape with you and seal it up after they search it.

I've check several boxes on with my luggage and have had no problems.


Jason

[Instar]

And according to agricultural laws to protect the enviroment from unwanted pests, they can prevent you from transporting anything alive across state lines without a permit.
How is it that a pass thru metal detector that is magnetic can kill fish? If it did kill fish it would kill babies and harm you too. Shipping things stuns and kills without those detectors.
Lana, You will need a LFS to inject the bags with oxygen (depending on length of flight till you're home) before you leave. Definitely triple bag and then bag line the box or whatever you are carrying them in. You can not afford a leak.

[manny]

I thought he meant the x-ray machine

[Instar]

The attendants don't wear lead vests on those machines, so its most likely ultrasound. There must be an airline person on here that can say what it is for sure?

[manny]

It's somethin that can mess up camera film I know that. But now that you mention it x-rays would be kinda dangerous. Wonder what it is....

[Henry]

Here is a link to airport security:

http://travel.howstuffworks.com/airport-security2.htm

[Instar]

Can't see how any of that can kill a fish unless its malfunctioning.

[prof]

It won't kill or stun fish anymore than it will kill or stun you or me.