How to Check in Fruit on Southwest Airlines
- 1). Determine if you can transport homegrown fruit between states. Commercially grown fruit is safe to transport, but some states have guidelines about what kinds of homegrown fruit can be transported in or out. The USDA Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service maintains a list of homegrown fruits that cannot be transported in or out of certain states.
- 2). Package your fruit in a sturdy, secure crate. Luggage sometimes is thrown, shoved or handled roughly at an airport. To assure your fruit arrives home in the best condition possible, remove overripe or rotted fruit, wrap each piece of fruit separately, pack it in a hard-sided crate or box and seal with plenty of tape.
- 3). Write "fragile" on the top and sides of your container to help ensure it is handled with care.
- 4). Weigh your package to determine if it meets Southwest's requirements. The maximum weight for a checked piece of baggage is 50 pounds, and the maximum size is 62 inches (length plus width plus height). Anything exceeding those limits carries an additional charge or must be shipped as air cargo.
- 5). Check your fruit as you would any other piece of luggage.
Source...