Reminder not to take food from flight through Customs

[Bunk]

https://nypost.com/2018/04/22/woman-fined-500-for-saving-free-airplane-snack-from-delta/

Woman fined $500 for saving free airplane snack from Delta


Passenger flying back to US from Paris on Delta saves an apple in a plastic bag given to her on the plane and is hit with a $500 fine and possible revocation of Global Entry access.

Wonder if customs agent has discretion to give her a warning.

But it's reminder to all of us not to bring any food into another country, even food we get on the airplane

 

[DaveNV]

It was most likely because it was fresh fruit. There are specific rules about bring produce into the country. I'd wager if she had saved a bag of pretzels, nobody would have blinked.

Dave

 

[PigsDad]

Right, generally packaged foods are not an issue, but fresh fruits, vegetables, meats (not commercially packaged), etc. are usually not allowed.

Kurt

 

[am1]

The fine is there for a reason. Make sure to toss it on the plane as if you declare it at customs with the intent to toss it you have to get in another line.

 

[Sapper]

When I have gone through customs in the past, they always tell you to either declare or toss fresh fruit, veggies, uncooked food, etc..... IF she had made it past that point, and failed to declare or dispose of it, then the fine is hers.

 

[Kel]

The woman seems to be blaming Delta Airlines. It doesn’t matter that the fruit was given to her by a Delta flight attendant. She should have eaten it, thrown it away or declared it. Simple.

I made my husband go through the declare line when I couldn’t get him to throw away a sealed package of raisins and a sealed package of trail mix. I wasn’t sure if we needed to declare it, but I felt better declaring it. They waved us through with the raisins and trail mix.

 

[Patri]

I've seen a program where they show what comes through customs with the passengers also on the film. If something is forbidden, they just throw it. This lady should not have been fined.

 

[dioxide45]

She is also very likely to lose her Global Entry. No longer a trusted traveler if you fail to declare. So if you have any such program; Nexus, Sentri, Global Entry. Be sure to declare any and all food or better yet just don't bring it with you.

 

[Sicnarf]

I had the same situation a couple of years ago when my daughter forgot to remove an apple she was supposed to it from her backpack. The dog smelled the apple while we were waiting for our bags, and luckily the Customs agent was understanding enough so we didn't got hit with the $500 fine. Now, I make sure we check all our backpacks before entering customs.

 

[davidvel]

Purely my suspicion, but my guess is she was a PITA to customs, based upon her blaming Delta for her failure to declare. By the way, she says that Delta didn't warn her but it did, in the customs forms they hand out, in the magazines, etc.

Also, the Global Entry information states:

Declare goods
1. The kiosk will then display a customs declaration screen. All travelers entering the U.S., including Global Entry members, must complete a declaration. With Global Entry, you do not need to complete the paper Customs Declaration form 6059B before arrival.

2. Touch YES or NO to answer each declaration question. You must declare all goods purchased, received as gifts or repaired or altered while abroad.
...
5. You must declare any fruits, vegetables, plants, insects, meats or meat products, dairy products, animals or animals/wildlife products, disease agents, cell cultures, snails, or soil.

So, just moments before, she was specifically asked on the kiosk questionnaire if she had any fruit, and she answered no.

Yes this is all Delta's fault, for not assigning a personal concierge to search her items at the kiosk, and make sure she answered accurately. She probably knew she'd get referred and tried to sneak it in to save time.

 

[PigsDad]

Yes this is all Delta's fault, for not assigning a personal concierge to search her items at the kiosk, and make sure she answered accurately. She probably knew she'd get referred and tried to sneak it in to save time.

Of course this is Delta's fault -- you don't think people should take personal responsibility for their actions, do you?

Kurt

 

[isisdave]

I also suspect there's more to the story, like lying or a horrible attitude.

Still, you have to wonder why an airline would hand out contraband fruit near the end of a flight without a reminder. And just what happens to the leftovers? Do they have to go back to wherever the plane came from? Stay on it forever like Charlie, Who Never Returned?

In the UK there are several TV shows depicting customs operations in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. You'd be amazed at what people bring and say "I didn't know that was food." "Were you going to eat it?" "Well, yes ...."

Did you read another similar story where the apple in question had a Washington State sticker still on it?

 

[davidvel]

I also suspect there's more to the story, like lying or a horrible attitude.

Still, you have to wonder why an airline would hand out contraband fruit near the end of a flight without a reminder. And just what happens to the leftovers? Do they have to go back to wherever the plane came from? Stay on it forever like Charlie, Who Never Returned?

In the UK there are several TV shows depicting customs operations in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. You'd be amazed at what people bring and say "I didn't know that was food." "Were you going to eat it?" "Well, yes ...."

Did you read another similar story where the apple in question had a Washington State sticker still on it?

Where did you read it was near the end of the flight? I didn't see that detail, other than implications from her. I saw an article that she took the silverware (plasticware?) from the flight in the bag as well.

 

[LisaH]

This has happened to a friend of mine. She flew to Auckland, New Zealand and totally forgot about an apple she had saved in her pocket. She was fined $400 NZD.
When we flew to Auckland, custom check was very tight. We were asked if we had fruit in our luggage and we said no. Then the agent searched thoroughly and found an orange shaped chocolate candy that my friend asked me to give to her nephew there. Thank god it was not real fruit though it looked like it in X-Ray machine.

 

[Talent312]

...Then the agent searched thoroughly and found an orange shaped chocolate candy...

I'm surprised he didn't "confiscate" that.
At the Amsterdam airport, their version of a TSA agent threatened to take my bag-full of Brussel's chocolates. But relented when my jaw dropped. Their version of a joke.

I did once toss 1/2 a banana in the trash at immigration.
.

 

[taterhed]

I don't want to seem harsh, but OMG. Can you not read? Did you not look at the screen you were punching?

Which part of "I have fruits/vegetables " yes/no? did you not understand? Even if you thought an apple was a vegetable, you are still covered.
And, which part of this is Delta's fault? Because they brought you to the USA? Because you lied or can't read or just punched 'NO' because you were in a hurry?

Sorry. This is why the airlines are catering to the lowest possible denominator in the market. You can now kiss fresh fruit goodbye on flights.

 

[klpca]

Honestly, this is my worst nightmare. I could do this. When I do things on autopilot, they don't register in my brain. I am the logistics person when we travel so I would be thinking about a million other things - having to get my luggage (which baggage claim?), getting an uber home (do I have the app installed or is that my husband?), don't forget to put the clean sheets on the bed because the pet sitter slept there yadda, yadda, yadda that I wouldn't even remember putting that in my backpack. I certainly don't blame Delta - this is on her 100%, but I agree that a heads up would have been nice - along the lines of "you need to finish this or throw it away before customs". Who knows, maybe they did make that announcement. I have read about this happening before on Flyertalk and as a rule, I don't eat fruit on my last international travel day so that it doesn't accidentally happen to me.

 

[clifffaith]

This has happened to a friend of mine. She flew to Auckland, New Zealand and totally forgot about an apple she had saved in her pocket. She was fined $400 NZD.
When we flew to Auckland, custom check was very tight. We were asked if we had fruit in our luggage and we said no. Then the agent searched thoroughly and found an orange shaped chocolate candy that my friend asked me to give to her nephew there. Thank god it was not real fruit though it looked like it in X-Ray machine.

We flew from Sydney to Auckland, and bought sandwiches at the airport to eat on the I think 3 hour flight. Then they actually fed us because it was an international flight. But arriving in New Zealand big sign said no meat could be brought in, so we dumped the uneaten sandwiches. Thinking back now I wonder if "processed" meat in a sandwich is ok just like "processed" fruit and vegetables are ok in your bags going in and out of Hawaii.

 

[LisaH]

Actually she took the apple in the UA lounge in Sydney while waiting for the connecting flight then forgot about it. It was the most expensive free apple she has had ：）

 

[jehb2]

When I was teaching in Japan a student gave me a small tangerine. I put it in my backpack and forgot about it. 3 days later I was going through US customs. The agent asked me if I had any meat, fish, or fruit. I had completely forgotten about the tangerine and said no. He put his hand all the way down to the bottom of the backpack and pulled out the tangerine. I panicked. I stood there waiting to be escorted to another room. The agent looked at me and said “madam you can go now.” That’s was it. But that was pre 9/11.

 

[Talent312]

...He put his hand all the way down to the bottom of the backpack and pulled out the tangerine....

... and prolly ate it for lunch.

 

[jehb2]

On a funnier note. Remember on I Love Lucy when she tried to disguise a big block of cheese as a baby so that she could sneak it into the US.

 

[Patri]

People filling out the form probably are thinking about goods they purchased in the other country, not food given to them on the plane. I don't blame Delta, but a strong reminder from the crew when handing out snacks or meals would be to mention leftovers must be thrown away. Or not serve potentially contraband food.

 

[clifffaith]

I went through TSA in Detroit on Sunday, and then Monday was changing from my travel purse to my regular purse and found a full bottle of water. Had no memory I still had that bottle and would have been mighty embarrassed if they'd caught me. Now the question is why they didn't catch it.

 

[davidvel]

People filling out the form probably are thinking about goods they purchased in the other country, not food given to them on the plane. I don't blame Delta, but a strong reminder from the crew when handing out snacks or meals would be to mention leftovers must be thrown away. Or not serve potentially contraband food.

Well then those people may have a defense of mental disability, because it plainly says "DO YOU HAVE ANY FRUITS...?"

Not: did you buy any fruits in another country, or are you bringing fruits from France, or do you like fruit, or what is your opinion about us asking you about fruit, or do think it's fair if we fine you for not disclosing fruit, or did Delta tell you you should declare fruit when we ask you if you have any fruit, or do you think forgetting you have fruit should be a defense to your failure to declare fruit when we ask you?

No, it said "DO YOU HAVE ANY FRUITS..." And she said No.