I'm going to be traveling to England this summer. I have a friend over there that wants me to bring Mt. Dew for him (they don't have any over there). Since we're now limited to the amount of liquids we're allowed to carry on to the plane, I was wondering if bottles of soda were safe in the cargo hold?

We have traveled a few times with bottles of wine in our luggage but soda could pop with the pressure .. no?

There are ex-pat stores in London, tell your friend to be sure there is no Mt Dew before you risk the luggage

There are some really interesting comments if you google "Mountain Dew" + London

I thought cargo holds on planes were pressurized the same as the passenger compartment.

No, I don't think they are.
When you travel with an animal in a crate, the pilot has to know so they adjust the pressure for a living creature.

The pressure in the cargo hold is the same as the pressure in the passenger area. (think of the dogs that go in the cargo area!) Bottles of MD will be fine.

HI--aren't you still allowed to buy drinks past security? Just get him a bottle or two in the newstand/sundries shop. You certainly are allowed at least one bottle per passenger in your party, are you not? The reason I ask is that I have not gone to Europe since the liquid ban and even tho I know my statements are correct for domestic travel, I do not want to steer you wrong if international is different.

As I said, the pilots have to be told of animals in cargo, otherwise I have been told, the pressure is different from that in the cabin.

Maybe it is not pressure but temperatures..now that I think about it. But they say the pressure changes in cargo cause animals to die so I would still worry about bottles exploding in my luggage.

I know cans travel well in cargo.

Will Mt Dew be in plastic bottles with plastic caps? Just put them in a double-zipper plastic bags (just in case!) and you should be fine.

"HI--aren't you still allowed to buy drinks past security? Just get him a bottle or two in the newstand/sundries shop." - only if there is no another stop on the way with another security check, it all depens on the flights' schedule.

Good point, Faina---I just assumed a non-stop flt, as I am accustomed to the Boston-London non-stop. Of course, the OP's plans may include other legs.

We have taken soda in checked bags (both cans and plastic bottles) with no problems. We placed them in plastic bags just in case though.