Pressurised cabins

[sddsddean]

This is playing on my mind. The cargo hold of an airliner is pressurised isn't it? I'm sure it is, but I'm taking a couple of bottles of pop to a friend  (who can't get the stuff there) and I keep having visions of it exploding in the suitcase!!

[Clanad]

Most are, but some, usually on large aircraft are not...Keep in mind that even the pressurized areas are still at an equivalent altitude of around 8,000 feet above sea level...

[Pinotage]

This question keeps coming up and always attracts two opposite answers.

I fly a lot on business. I've packed wine & Champagne in my check in baggage, plus shampoo in small bottles, shaving foam, ball point pens,  etc etc etc. They don't leak.

You'll have no problem with 'pop'.

This answer has a full money back guarantee.

[Clanad]

Pinotage, I congatulate you on your luck.  As a pilot for many years, we often had additional crew members using the jump seat to get from their home to their pilot base.  Their airlines reciprocated with our use of their 'jump seats'. Sometimes, our bags had to be put in one of the cargo bays.    I could usually count on the lightly screwed on after shave, toothpaste or shampoo leaking.  Especially if the flight was operated above Flight Level (FL) 350 (35,000 feet above sea level). Didn't take long to learn the flight attendants trick of putting them in plastic bags.  Granted, heavy duty bottles of champagne and other such containers will probably not 'explode'  but a friend had a prized bottle of Old Bushmills Irish whiskey that was only half full when he arrived at his destination.  He thought perhaps someone had discovered the smoky elixir and had a nip or three.  But he found the missing liquid by squeezing it out of his shorts and socks.  No, he didn't throw it away!  No fool he...

[Bangkok]

I bow to Clanad's far greater experience, but have similar personal experience to Pinotage. I once had a truckle of mature cheddar get squashed though, which did my suits no good.  I've even been known to carry the odd part bottle of something nice, but with a very tightly screwed cap.

The one thing that does worry be is draft flow cans, as I have had a couple leak on the ground, so don't take them in my luggage.

[Pinotage]

Clannad, Perhaps I've just been in luck by not flying on your airline. :)

 But you are talking about the additional crew persons bags being put in the cargo bay, not the luggage hold, presumably ast the last minute?.

I think that if passenger baggage was subject to leaks of bottles, hairspray, aftershave etc etc then we'd all know about it from personal experience or tales from friends colleagues, as most of us fly these days.    

[morg_monster]

better to be safe than sorry, just take it into the cabin with you!

[sddsddean]

Well, I've spoken to British Airways today and they think it will be OK, but I think I might chicken out and put it in the hand luggage! I don't think a plastic pop bottle would be as strong as a champagne bottle.

[Little Lady]

They havecans of pop on planes don't they i am sure and they seem ok so i don't think it would be too bad, maybe put them in plastic bags just incase like Clanad suggested better to be safe than sorry eh.

[moonunit100]

The cabin and the cargo hold on passenger aircraft are all held at the same pressure. The same air circulates around the cargo bays, the electrical equipmant bays, the flight deck and the passenger cabin. Therefore there is no difference in carrying items in your hand luggage or in a suitcase that is checked in to go into the cargo bays.

It would be very unlikely that a bottle would explode or 'pop' as they are pressure tested to extreme amounts, the difference between sea level and about 8500 feet isn't that great. For instance, an aircraft cabin is pressurised at about 8.5psi, sea level is 14.7 psi (a difference of about 6psi) while a bottle of champagne is holding about 90psi!