IATA Packing Instruction 70: How Airlines Pack Live Fish To Prevent Leaks at BKK Cargo
DOA & PackingBy Leo - AquaBridge Thailand· Published 28 Oct 2026
Airline will reject live fish if packing leaks because water destroys cargo electronics. AquaBridge Thailand follows IATA LAR Packing Instruction 70 with double 150-200 micron bags with pure oxygen, styrofoam box 22-26C, outer corrugated box, and LIVE FISH labels to fly on time from BKK.
Airline will reject your fish if packing leaks. Water destroys electronics under the cargo hold. Many new shippers fail at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Cargo (BKK) not because of fish quality, but wrong packing.
What is IATA Packing Instruction 70? IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR) requires 4 mandatory layers for live fish:
Inner Double Plastic Bags: Thick 150-200 micron, double-tied with rubber bands, filled with pure oxygen not air. Enough oxygen for 24-48H. One bag leaks, the second holds. Styrofoam Box: Keeps temperature stable at 22-26C during flight and absorbs any leak. Mandatory for live fish acceptance. Outer Corrugated Box: Strong corrugated box protects from crush and allows safe stacking on airline pallets. Airline charges by total gross weight. Labels: LIVE FISH, Live Animals, This Way Up arrows on every side, plus AWB number, shipper, consignee, and phone. Without labels, airline refuses. What We Do at AquaBridge Thailand? We are a 100% neutral bridge. At our Hub Kanchanaburi 71130, we do 48H quarantine with no feeding, check temperature, oxygen, pH every 6H, separate tanks never mixed. Then IATA pack: double bag with pure oxygen, newspaper insulation, foam box, outer box, LIVE FISH sticker. Every box gets video proof, weighed, numbered. Then we consolidate as ONE AWB at BKK Suvarnabhumi Cargo and send you the Real AWB + all docs.
Why It Matters? One weak bag = leak = airline offloads ALL boxes = 48H delay = 100% DOA. One IATA pack = flies on time = clears customs in hours.
Process: You send farm list > We pickup & 48H quarantine > Photo verify > Double bag pure oxygen > Foam + outer box > LIVE FISH labels > ONE AWB BKK > Send Real AWB + docs.
"Packing is not cost. Packing is insurance for live fish."
Questions this article answers
What is IATA Packing Instruction 70 for live fish?
IATA LAR Packing Instruction 70 is the airline standard for live fish: double thick plastic bags (150-200 micron) with pure oxygen, placed in a styrofoam box to keep 22-26C and absorb leaks, inside a strong outer corrugated box, with LIVE FISH, Live Animals, and This Way Up labels on all sides.
Why will airline reject live fish shipment at BKK Cargo?
Airlines at BKK Suvarnabhumi Cargo reject shipments that leak. Water damages aircraft electronics. Causes include single thin bags, air instead of pure oxygen, no styrofoam box, weak outer box, or missing LIVE FISH labels and AWB information.
How long can betta fish survive in IATA packing?
With IATA standard double bags filled with pure oxygen (not air), betta fish can survive 24-48 hours safely when packed at 22-26C in a styrofoam-insulated box.
What does AquaBridge Thailand do for IATA packing?
At Hub Kanchanaburi 71130, AquaBridge quarantines fish 48H with no feeding, monitors temp/oxygen/pH every 6H in separate tanks, double-bags with pure oxygen and newspaper insulation, adds foam + outer box + LIVE FISH stickers, provides video proof, weighs and numbers boxes, and consolidates as ONE AWB at BKK with Real AWB document.
What happens if packing leaks during flight?
If one bag leaks, the airline will offload all boxes from that AWB, causing 48H delay and 100% DOA risk. Proper double-bag IATA packing prevents this and ensures on-time flight and fast clearance.
