Leaky Bottles in Airplanes

Most recent answer: 03/24/2013

Q:
Seems like every time I fly some bottles leak and make a mess. Which bottle will leak less in checked luggage - a bottle with a little airspace or a bottle with no airspace? Or does it make any difference?
- Ann Kopelousos (age 67)
Fleming Island, FL, USA
A:
Hi Ann,
My guess is that you should fill the bottles with as much liquid as possible.  The reason is that if there is a very small amount of air, and this air is over-pressured with respect to that of the airplane, then a small amount of liquid leakage will relieve this overpressure.   On the other hand if there is a large amount of air inside the bottle then it will take correspondingly lots more liquid leakage to equalize the inside-outside pressure difference.

LeeH

(published on 03/24/2013)