Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a data storage device that comprises a housing and a disk pack mounted to the housing which has a plurality of disks that are rotatable relative to the housing. The disk pack defines an axis of rotation and a radial direction relative to the axis. The disk pack has an upstream side wherein air flows away from the disks, and a downstream side wherein air flows toward the disk. The data storage device further comprises an actuator mounted to the housing which is movable relative to the disk pack and a bypass channel for directing an airflow generated by rotation of the disks from the upstream side of the disk pack to the downstream side of the disk pack.