I'm attending the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show next October, by flying from Georgia to OK. I've seen a lot of postings about transporting cakes, but not about transporting them via plane! I know it can be done, since I believe that last year's grand champion cake made it from Singapore to OK!
How do you do it? I'm guessing that all the decorations are carefully packed in boxes with foam, etc., but what about the tiers? You can't carry them all on, as some of those cakes I saw were HUGE! Do you just pack the heck out of the cake dummies and hope that the airline doesn't destroy them? Do you just check huge boxes?
Thanks!
The "professionals" frequently buy an extra seat and strap those puppies in. I have also seen undecorated cakes fly in cargo planes instead of passenger. I would think any toppers you would have to pack and carry on, but they are so strict about the bag limit to carry now that I don't think you'd be able to carry it all.
I took a cake with me for a 5 hour fly. It was a dummy, all decorations that were flat on the cake I put before packing, when I got there I finished the cake with all other decorations that I had in my carry on. It a was 4 tired cake, all together. It arrived ok. Let it dry through before packing.
Took the top tier from Sydney to Ohio via LA. The cake travelled in the overhead locker and we had not problems with it although it was not finished till we got to Ohio. When we went throught customs in LA they wanted a piece. It was a fruti cake covered in fondant, packed in beanbag beans and the box was covered by celliophane then the top of the box so they could look and see it was a cake.
There is no way I would put myself through that drama. I would just drive or hire someone to take me if driving isn't an option. GA to OK, it can be done (and in less time than it takes JetBlue to leave the tarmac lol) Could you just imagine doing that work and then have security need to inspect your work... and before a competition???? Nah. I'd drive.
I think I would drive, too.
FYI, the Singapore guy got 2nd runner up and had a LOT of breakage. I mean A LOT! Judges very heavily compensated for "broken in transit". The airline had rifled through all this boxes.
Clair Cary tried to fly with hers from Canada and it was completely destroyed. She had to create a brand new entry in her hotel room using poured and blow sugar decorations.
there is a size limit on carry ons. you are limited to a maximum of two bags, and your purse counts as a bag. you'll never get a whole cake in as carry-on luggage unless you have a couple of people going, and even then any really large tiers could be a problem. plus, you just don't know, since even if you only have that as your carryon, sometimes they run out of overhead space and if that happens they'll force you to check it.
I agree that it just doesn't seem worth the hassle.
Sorry, I just keep thinking...Snakes on a Plane.
I think if you have any chance of them surviving, you need to bring them on the plane with you. There is no way that they would survive if you checked them.
lol That's the first thing that popped into my mind also! I was thinking she had to do a cake based on that theme.
I don't really have anything constructive to add to this post though
I'm sorry. I'll be interested in the replies from those that do though.
On international flights you are allowed ONE piece only carry on - if you have a purse it has to be put in that ONE piece, and definitely NO FOOD items unless they were bought AFTER you go through customs. Don't think the rules are as strict with domestic flights, but I'd check with your airline, just in case.
I agree that you should check with the airline before making any set plans. There are some very strict guidlines that they adhere to. As far as carry on luggage...I worked for an airline (jetBlue before they started taking people hostage...lol) and they only allowed one carry on bag and one personal item (like a purse).
Good Luck!!
and your purse counts as a bag.
I have yet to see an airline count a purse as a bag. Most airlines allow as carry on items one(sometimes two) bags plus a personal item.
I have had different experiences, obviously. the primary issue is the TSA screeners - if I try to go through with more than 2 bags, I've been forced to put the purse inside a bag each and every time. And I've had to do that prior to boarding many times as well (having taken the purse out after having gone through security, only to have to put it back again).
One carry on plust your purse equals two carry ons.
They don't always enforce it, it seems, but they have every right to.
And you need to make sure anything soft or liquid is in your checked baggage. I took a cake to Ohio via Delta. The cake went uniced, the sugar cookies & fondant boot were finished. I carried the cake, my son carried the boot & cookies in a small duffel bag. The stewardess made sure they were secure in their own little cubby hole. Guess it depends on the airline (and who you know since my husband is retired from Delta and we travel for free 
and they know we are pass riders from our boarding pass)
Think twice about checking your cakes to storage. Collette Peters flew to do a wedding cake and checked her cakes in the cargo hold. Well it was a disaster as they lost alot of her equipment and cakes. She had to start from all over again when she landed. I would try and take them on board with you.
TSA will not allow the cake! Unless they have really loosened up their security!
DH & I traveled the day after Thanksgiving and food was a big issue. NOT ALLOWED! There were people getting out of line, eating their pie or leftover turkey sandwich, or whatever- then getting back into the security line! FUNNY!
Even if you carried it on, you would have to stuff it under the seat in front of you (not much room there) or into the overhead which can be just as dangerous as leaving it to the baggage handlers. Have you seen people try to stuff their "carry-on" suitcases up into those things and then wrestling them out after landing...not pretty. I'm with those that say drive if possible. If you decide to fly, def check out the security guidelines for the airport AND the airline you are flying before you set your plans.
HI! I AM AN AIRLINE EMPLOYEE AND MY ADVISE WOULD BE NOT TO CHECK ANY PART OF THE CAKE THAT IS FRAGILE. THE AIRLINE WILL NOT COVER THE DAMAGE AND I DON'T THINK IT IS WORTH THE HEADACHE FOR YOU. YOU CAN ALWAYS BUY A CHANGE OF CLOTHING OR A NEW TOOTHBRUSH BUT THAT FRAGILE PART OF THE CAKE CAN BE IRREPLACEABLE. CARRY IT ON! MAKE IT YOUR CARRY-ON PRIORITY. SO LONG AS IT IS NOT LIQUID OR SHARP AND DANGEROUS THE TSA SHOULD GIVE YOU NO PROBLEMS. ALSO, I WOULD CONSIDER USING FEDEX OR UPS. SOME KIND OF CARGO SHIPPING COMPANY THAT CAN DIRECT YOU ON HOW TO PROPERLY PACKAGE THE PIECES YOU MUST CHECK IN DO TO SIZE OR CARRY-ON RESTRICTIONS. SOMETIMES IT IS WORTH THE EXTRA COST TO SHIP THE ITEMS THROUGH A RELIABLE SHIPPING COMPANY SINCE THEY SPECIALIZE IN CARGO. AN AIRLINE SPECIALIZES IN TRANSPORTING PEOPLE NOT CARGO AND THE RULES OF CHECKED LUGGAGE FOR EACH AIRLINE PROVES THAT. AS AN AIRLINE EMPLOYEE I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH HEARTBREAKING INCIDENCESjavascript:emoticon('
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Crying or Very sad CONCERNING THAT CERTAIN VALUABLE ITEM THAT ARRIVED DAMAGED OR TOO LATE FOR A SPECIAL EVENT AND I PERSONALLY WOULD TAKE NO CHANCES. I HOPE THIS CAN HELP. GOOD LUCK!
Huh, I don't know whether to feel lucky or concerned now. I must fly through some of the most lax airports because I have yet to have anyone tell me my purse(and it's not a little one) counts as a bag. I always carry on the limit plus my purse and have never had anyone tell me I couldn't.
I've also carried on 2 covered(no window) cake boxes and no one even batted an eye. They went through the xray machine - each in their own little "bin" - and that was the only 'screening' that anyone cared to do with them. I boarded the plane with the 2 boxes (and my purse) and the stewardesses/stewards didn't even bother to ask what was in the boxes. I had both on the floor in front of my seat(neither would fit under the seat ahead of me) and I had to straddle them. Not once did anyone tell me I couldn't do it. And it was a full flight.
The only thing I've been told I couldn't do was take a tube of hand cream on that was in my purse. It was of the allowable 4 oz amount but I didn't have it presented in it's own ziploc baggie. It was a brand new tube and the TSA screener felt awful about having to take it from me. He offered to let me out of line and back to counter to have it checked in baggage but it wasn't worth it. He apologized like 5 times that it had to be 'confiscated'.
Can someone tell me if you are doing a show cake is it a real one or a dummy cake I'v often wondered about that to me I would think its a dummy cake but when I watch some of the cake shows they look heavy.
Ay carumba! I posted, and haven't been back in a while, so I was blown away by the number and wide variety of responses to my post! (Yes, I did call it "Cakes on a Plane" as a pun. I'm a big goober!)
Given the agony that's in store, I've decided that FedExing that puppy is the best way to go. I know how to pack for that, and it's going to be a dummy, so fewer worries!
LanaC, I live in Savannah. Are you planning to go to the show, too? Heck, anyone nearby want to carpool? It'd be a lot more fun to go to the show in the company of others! I was alone most of last year. I met Bronwyn Weber that way, though. I had no idea who she was, and she came up to me as I was packing up my cakes, and told me that I needed to go over to the ACD booth to have my cakes photographed. I have since discovered that I had a brush with greatness!! She was awfully kind. I didn't know who any of the Food Network people were, either!
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