A reader shares a photo of “A six pack of Veuve Clicquot that came down in baggage claim in Goma, Congo.. completely intact.” And I have so many questions!

These aren’t bottles of La Grande Dame – was it worth it to check these? And why pack them without better protection? Did the passengers pay customs duty? It was going to be tough to conceal them leaving baggage claim!

I’m honestly surprised that these bottles made it intact! There are containers meant for protecting bottles of wine (and champagne). Use one of those, packed in a larger bag and surrounded by soft items to cushion it. Because here’s how checked bags are handled:

Nice of @Delta to handle our clubs with such care… pic.twitter.com/5tcIivt9dy

— ETSU Men’s Golf (@ETSU_MGolf) May 22, 2024

@AmericanAir this who yall be hiring. The reasons why folks bags/suitcases be damaged. Smh pic.twitter.com/6HgaC9v0RM

— quay gipson (@Sir_quay) May 4, 2024

Wine is probably the biggest reason I abhor the liquid rule. I often want to bring a bottle of something nice with me and don’t want to check it, or a bag generally. Although I suppose I could try leaning on Emirates first class flight attendants for a nice bottle?

A man famously checked a beer can as a standalone bag and it made it all the way to baggage claim. American didn’t quite deliver a single bottle of deoderant, though. It most likely got lost in the airport baggage system. People have checked a garbage can and even a plate of sushi has been delivered out to baggage claim.

When you have a free checked bag allowance, I guess why not? It’s the only way to explain this:

And if you’re traveling somewhere that you won’t have easy access to champagne, you take extreme measures.