Lobsters by FedEx

[Bolas De Fraile]

I was interested with some members responses to the husbandry of geese in the chiefs thread "faux gras".
I was watching the Tv prog unwrapped this morning, a company places live lobster in a box with dry ice and a towel soaked in sea water then seals the box and post it to you via fedex. They guarantee del of the live lobster within 4 days and recommend you drop the lobster in boiling water as soon as possible.
I love lobster but I would not eat it if this was the only way I could get it.

 

[CWS4322]

I was interested with some members responses to the husbandry of geese in the chiefs thread "faux gras".
I was watching the Tv prog unwrapped this morning, a company places live lobster in a box with dry ice and a towel soaked in sea water then seals the box and post it to you via fedex. They guarantee del of the live lobster within 4 days and recommend you drop the lobster in boiling water as soon as possible.
I love lobster but I would not eat it if this was the only way I could get it.

I have shipped lobster to my parents in MN many times. The lobster arrives live--and they've kept them for 12-24 hours in the packing. I don't remember that there was a towel... I used to bring lobster home from Boston when I traveled--I would cook it within 12 hours. As long as they are still green and moving, I figured they were good. Buy me a round-trip ticket from Boston or Maine and I'll bring you lobster .

 

[Steve Kroll]

I've had live lobsters shipped to me via FedEx overnight before, but 4 days??? I would be a little skeptical of how healthy an animal would be after being confined to a box for that long. Also, I realize lobsters aren't considered the most sentient creatures on the planet, but that kind of treatment nevertheless strikes me as inhumane. For what it's worth, I don't plunge them live into boiling water, either. I drive a knife into their head right behind the eyes. Death is immediate.

 

[CWS4322]

The shipping time for the lobsters I've had shipped to my folks was 24 hours.

 

[Claire]

I have no idea how long it takes, but my mom has sent me "lobster grams" several times (there is no lobster tank within a 90 minute drive). The first time she did it, the delivery guy (FedEx) asked me if there really,really were live animals in there (the box was plainly marked). I took a razor blade, opened the box, then the thermal cooler inside, and showed him.

All we've received have been alive and kicking. I think one year we had to throw out two clams (they were a mixed New England lobster boil) that didn't close when thumped. But overall, all was delicious, and would do it again.

 

[buckytom]

, but 4 days??? I would be a little skeptical of how healthy an animal would be after being confined to a box for that long.

aww, don't worry, bolas is used to it. he's pretty tough.

 

[Addie]

I assume that the lobsters are starting their journey from New England. So no matter what state they are coming from, the lobsters have to go through Logan Airport in Boston. Fed Ex and UPS have a large shipping center there and all their planes are there for this area. So if they are coming from Maine, a local freight company picks them up, marks them and they either go to Boston by a refrigerated truck or a small local air freight company. The closer to Portland, the better chance of flying them to Boston.

So they get to Portland and probably wait for up to five hours for a flight to Boston. Portland is the only airport that has flights to Boston. They make it over to the Fed Ex terminal and get in the right plane. All Fed Exes take off at the same time. More sitting time. They go to Tennessee for sorting, on another plane to their destination, on to a truck for delivery. No wonder they take four days.

On summer days I take my knitting or whatever and go sit at the beach and watch the planes get in line for takeoff. It is only about a half mile across the beach. At low tide I could walk over there. Fed Ex and UPS get priority for takeoff. They take off about two minutes apart. In the meantime, all passenger planes are waiting at the very end of this parade. Whenever I fly out of Boston, I get an eleven a.m. flight. After that the crazies start and you sit in the plane for sometimes up to 30 minutes or longer waiting to take off. So it is lobsters over people.

Sometimes people think if they carry the lobsters on and put them in the overhead, they will get them there faster. Sorry folks. You have to open the box, prove that they are alive and then seal it up again. You can't carry dead things on a plane. (Bacteria) Do you know anyone who carries tape with them on a flight? So you get out of line, someone takes you to a little room with all the stuff you need to seal it up again while they watch, they stamp the box as being examined, you get back in line and go through security again! Oh what fun. In the meantime you have probably missed your flight. And all for a lobster.

 

[jennyema]

I've had live lobsters shipped to me via FedEx overnight before, but 4 days??? I would be a little skeptical of how healthy an animal would be after being confined to a box for that long. Also, I realize lobsters aren't considered the most sentient creatures on the planet, but that kind of treatment nevertheless strikes me as inhumane. For what it's worth, I don't plunge them live into boiling water, either. I drive a knife into their head right behind the eyes. Death is immediate.

I agree that 4 days is way too long. Plus having to cook right away? FAIL.

Any outfit worth their salt will pack in seaweed and dry ice and have them on the deliveree's doorstep 24-36 hours later.

I used to send lobsters all the time and carry them onto the plane. The one time I put them in my checked luggage the luggage was lost for almost 3 days and they were dead. And smelly.

 

[jennyema]

I assume that the lobsters are starting their journey from New England. So no matter what state they are coming from, the lobsters have to go through Logan Airport in Boston. Fed Ex and UPS have a large shipping center there and all their planes are there for this area. So if they are coming from Maine, a local freight company picks them up, marks them and they either go to Boston by a refrigerated truck or a small local air freight company. The closer to Portland, the better chance of flying them to Boston.

So they get to Portland and probably wait for up to five hours for a flight to Boston. Portland is the only airport that has flights to Boston. They make it over to the Fed Ex terminal and get in the right plane. All Fed Exes take off at the same time. More sitting time. They go to Tennessee for sorting, on another plane to their destination, on to a truck for delivery. No wonder they take four days.

On summer days I take my knitting or whatever and go sit at the beach and watch the planes get in line for takeoff. It is only about a half mile across the beach. At low tide I could walk over there. Fed Ex and UPS get priority for takeoff. They take off about two minutes apart. In the meantime, all passenger planes are waiting at the very end of this parade. Whenever I fly out of Boston, I get an eleven a.m. flight. After that the crazies start and you sit in the plane for sometimes up to 30 minutes or longer waiting to take off. So it is lobsters over people.

Sometimes people think if they carry the lobsters on and put them in the overhead, they will get them there faster. Sorry folks. You have to open the box, prove that they are alive and then seal it up again. You can't carry dead things on a plane. (Bacteria) Do you know anyone who carries tape with them on a flight? So you get out of line, someone takes you to a little room with all the stuff you need to seal it up again while they watch, they stamp the box as being examined, you get back in line and go through security again! Oh what fun. In the meantime you have probably missed your flight. And all for a lobster.

I think Portland has it's own Fed Ex.

I've carried lobsters on a zillion times and never have had to open the box.

Got taken back to the little room once... But not for lobsters...