Carrying Seed Trays (3) on the airplane

I've got three seed flats with germinated seedlings, that I need to transport to a more tropical location a 1.5 hr flight away from here.

I'm thinking about duct taping three more seed flats to the top of each seed flat in order to make lids, so that I can stack them on top of each other before placing in a well-fitted cardboard box. The airlines nowadays (at least on small planes) won't allow me to take something like this on board the aircraft and hold the babies between my two caring arms on my warm lap. Instead, they ask you to leave your carry-on luggage with the workers before boarding the aircraft. The workers then load the cargo bay with people's "carry-on" luggage. I'm thinking about writing very large and clear, "Caution: Live plants. This side up" on the box, because if the box tips over in any way, then it's game over.

Can you think of any other suggestions to get these seed flats to their destination?

This message was edited Dec 4, 2010 1:49 PM

I just noticed on a recent flight (on one of the smaller regional jets) that you have to leave your carry on bags at the doorway, for ground crew to stow in the cargo hold. It had been awhile since I'd been on such a small plane and had forgotten how narrow the overhead bins are.

You are brave if you trust airline ground crew to load fragile packages! Usually anything going into the cargo hold is thrown about carelessly, even on large planes I've watched from my seat as the ground crew throws luggage onto the moving belt and bags fall off onto the ground to be picked up and tossed onto the belt again.

Your package will be loaded by hand but I'd be afraid the carton with the seed trays would get crushed with luggage possibly being thrown on top of it but maybe labeling the package "Caution: Live Plants" and arrows pointing "This Side UP" will help. Another suggestion ... wait to be the last person boarding the plane so you can hand the box directly to the ground crew guy and ask him to handle with care. Of course they can't guarantee the contents not shifting during flight.

I remember seeing a double type hard cardboard box somewhere one time (like a box within a box) ... if you could find one like that to fit the seed trays, maybe it could be packed securely enough that they aren't jostled about ... but then again, what if the box is dumped upside down? I hope you are able to get the seedlings to their destination without damage.

I decided to only take two trays. Three trays are way too big the way I have them stacked as lids. With two trays they are only 12 inches tall. Hopefully that is small enough for fitting under the seat in front of me. I'll have to call the airline because on those really short flights the space is insanely meager, and the flight attendants usually catch everything that's not "stowed properly."