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Rules on Transporting Wine out of EZE to the USA

Rules on Transporting Wine out of EZE to the USA

Old Jan 10, 2007, 7:00 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by ssoul
Yes, once, comig from EZE but with check-in at MVD. Had to pay $40. They calculated $4 per bottle on 10 of the 12 bottles. I still don't know where the $4 came from but I wasn't going to argue...
Thanks for sharing your experience.... I dont recall having any customer being written up before.
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Old Jan 10, 2007, 10:06 pm
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Where do you "declare" wine on a US customs form? On the back there is a list for itemizing but I never bother filling it out and I think the small print says that you only have to fill it out if above $800 or something like that.
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Old Jan 11, 2007, 2:25 am
  #18  
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Yes, its on the back where you should declare the no. of bottles of wine you are bringing into the country.
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Old Jan 17, 2007, 12:15 pm
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Originally Posted by ssoul
Yes, once, comig from EZE but with check-in at MVD. Had to pay $40. They calculated $4 per bottle on 10 of the 12 bottles. I still don't know where the $4 came from but I wasn't going to argue...
I don't know where they got that amt from either. We flew back from Italy last May, arrived at EWR with 8 bottles and the calculated amount was something like 17 cents per bottle. Needless to say, they didn't bother.

When we returned from EZE last November we decided not to bring any wine back, due to the TSA security hassles, etc. At the EZE airport x-ray we were specifically asked if we had any wine in our checked luggage. I didn't think to ask why since we didn't have any.
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Old Jan 17, 2007, 3:26 pm
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Gaucho100K,

Where do you get these special styrofoam packing boxes? Do you know some wine merchants in BA who have them? Are they much of an extra expense?

I am visiting BA in 10 days and then leaving for a 2 week stop in SCL before flying back to YYZ. I know exactly what I'll pay when I get home and I'm SE on AC so I have extra baggage allowance. How will customs at SCL react if I try to bring cases into Chile? And would you trust the luggage storage place at SCL with storing them if I brought them in?

I'd appreciate your advice on my many questions. I'd love to bring a few cases home.
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Old Jan 18, 2007, 6:48 am
  #21  
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Originally Posted by donnyb
I don't know where they got that amt from either. We flew back from Italy last May, arrived at EWR with 8 bottles and the calculated amount was something like 17 cents per bottle. Needless to say, they didn't bother.

When we returned from EZE last November we decided not to bring any wine back, due to the TSA security hassles, etc. At the EZE airport x-ray we were specifically asked if we had any wine in our checked luggage. I didn't think to ask why since we didn't have any.
A question on your x-ray experience... I assume you mean when your carry-ons were x-rayed...? I ask this because your checked luggage gets x-rayed after the airline desk checks you in, or did you get some sort of secondary screening for your checked bags that involved an xray machine?

Ive heard the question of wine in checked bags by some of the security folks that grill you before you get to the check-in desk, but in my experience this step never includes an x-raying of the bags, if at all there is a hand inspection.

On this issue of wine in baggage, there are continuos report of folks being harrassed by these private security folks that dont work for the airlines, each with their own interpretation of what one is allowed to put in your suitcase. Dont let these guys bully you, you are allowed wine in your suitcase, just ask to speak with a supervisor of the airline.
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Old Jan 18, 2007, 6:51 am
  #22  
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Originally Posted by jimmac
Gaucho100K,

Where do you get these special styrofoam packing boxes? Do you know some wine merchants in BA who have them? Are they much of an extra expense?

I am visiting BA in 10 days and then leaving for a 2 week stop in SCL before flying back to YYZ. I know exactly what I'll pay when I get home and I'm SE on AC so I have extra baggage allowance. How will customs at SCL react if I try to bring cases into Chile? And would you trust the luggage storage place at SCL with storing them if I brought them in?

I'd appreciate your advice on my many questions. I'd love to bring a few cases home.
Please PM me on the styrofoam case issue, Id be happy to assist you.

I doubt SCL customs will give you any issues, you are a non resident of Chile and are only there on your way home. You will be OK. Also, I would have no issues with leaving the cases at SCL left luggage facility, Im sure its perfectly safe to leave some things there and collect them on your way out.
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Old Jan 21, 2007, 7:01 pm
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When I checked in with DL at EZE in late November, with a case of Gaucho-supplied wine, the DL agent told me that if I had 6 bottles they all had to be 750 ml, not 1 liter, because DL's maximum amount of wine they allowed checked in the hold per package was 5 liters.

Don't know if they were making this up or not.

No problems at ATL customs, no charges. And TSA at international bag re-check insisted that they x-ray by hand with other fragile items so that it didn't go on the main x-ray processing belt where "things get knocked around some".
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Old Jan 22, 2007, 4:08 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by MarkXS
When I checked in with DL at EZE in late November, with a case of Gaucho-supplied wine, the DL agent told me that if I had 6 bottles they all had to be 750 ml, not 1 liter, because DL's maximum amount of wine they allowed checked in the hold per package was 5 liters.

Don't know if they were making this up or not.

No problems at ATL customs, no charges. And TSA at international bag re-check insisted that they x-ray by hand with other fragile items so that it didn't go on the main x-ray processing belt where "things get knocked around some".
Mark, thanks for sharing your experiences. The 5 liter "rule" sounds to me like just another of these free interpretations... I mean, whats the difference between 5 and 6 liters of wine?

It would be great if airline employees could point to a part of the website where the rules are spelled out in print, so there is no room for funny interpretations.
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Old Jan 23, 2007, 8:18 pm
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Originally Posted by Gaucho100K
A question on your x-ray experience... I assume you mean when your carry-ons were x-rayed...? I ask this because your checked luggage gets x-rayed after the airline desk checks you in, or did you get some sort of secondary screening for your checked bags that involved an xray machine?

Ive heard the question of wine in checked bags by some of the security folks that grill you before you get to the check-in desk, but in my experience this step never includes an x-raying of the bags, if at all there is a hand inspection.

On this issue of wine in baggage, there are continuos report of folks being harrassed by these private security folks that dont work for the airlines, each with their own interpretation of what one is allowed to put in your suitcase. Dont let these guys bully you, you are allowed wine in your suitcase, just ask to speak with a supervisor of the airline.
Gaucho: It was the private security folks you describe above, I am sure that was it. I got the impression it was just to be aware of the glass containers before x-ray, but I apologise I did not ask. Since we did not have any wine with us, I just answered "no" and went to the TA.
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Old Jan 23, 2007, 8:33 pm
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Gaucho100K
The 5 liter "rule" sounds to me like just another of these free interpretations... I mean, whats the difference between 5 and 6 liters of wine?

It would be great if airline employees could point to a part of the website where the rules are spelled out in print, so there is no room for funny interpretations.
The 5 liter rule is very real on certain US airlines, not for wine but for hard liquor. It's 5l per person, not per checked bag. This is something I investigated very thoroughly before a recent trip to Mexico...

Wrong airline I know but this points to specific limits by alcohol content.

http://www.aa.com/content/travelInfo...horEvent=false

Recognize that individual US states, not Federal law, will set importation limits at point of US re-entry and that Federal Customs staff will be responsible for implementing state law in these circumstances.
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Old Jan 24, 2007, 2:36 pm
  #27  
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3Cforme-- thank you for providing the link, very good information. Perhaps its relevant to discuss in further detail a few issues that come to mind:

i) as you correctly point out through the provided link, the 5 liter limit per pax is for hard licquor, and is therefore not applicable to wine. There is no set limit as long as its in "retail packaging".

ii) I agree with your point about Federal Customs Agents enforcing the regulations and limits related to what you can bring in to the USA... however, where do the airlines come into play here? If someone wants to bring back X amount of wine and deals with the airline on the issue of bags checked and total weight (all this is done at the airport of departure), it would appear that the issue of customs & duty is something to be settled upon arrival & entry into the USA - and is a separate issue to the actual transportation of the goods.

Last edited by Gaucho100K; Jan 24, 2007 at 2:42 pm
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Old May 12, 2007, 8:30 pm
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How does wine travel?

Hello everybody, and Gaucho100K in particular...

So I travel to Argentina fairly often (once a year, my family is there) and I always brought a few bottles of wine back to the US, but only on my carry-on.

I was under the impression that wine might not travel so well in the regular luggage compartment, due to the pressure/temperature changes, and that it might be "spoiled" by that. Is this a complete fantasy? Will wine travel OK in my checked luggage?

Thanks for the clarification!

E.
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Old May 13, 2007, 5:22 am
  #29  
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Originally Posted by enmascarado
So I travel to Argentina fairly often (once a year, my family is there) and I always brought a few bottles of wine back to the US, but only on my carry-on.

I was under the impression that wine might not travel so well in the regular luggage compartment, due to the pressure/temperature changes, and that it might be "spoiled" by that. Is this a complete fantasy? Will wine travel OK in my checked luggage?
Wine will be fine if you check it in. The cargo area in passenger aircraft is pressurized and temperatures are also controlled. While it may get a little colder than the main cabin, your wine will not freeze.

Having said that, remember that wine in your suitcase may mean stained clothes... if you must do this I suggest you wrap each bottle with protective material such as bubble wrap, etc. The best solution is to use styrofoam shippers and check these as regular baggage.
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Old Jun 18, 2007, 4:46 pm
  #30  
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important: 5 liter rule does not apply to wine

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

Good news for those wanting to bring back a nice quantity of their favorite Argentine wines to the US. Here is the official rule explained on the TSA website. The 5 liter rule applies to flammable products, but wine is not one of the substances that is regulated because it does not fit into the alcohol content category. Please see below in RED the limitations for hard licquor, and in BLUE the explicit exclusion of liquids such as wine that are below 24% alcohol content:

Carrying Alcohol In Your Checked Baggage

Please note, you cant take alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol content (140 proof), including 95% grain alcohol and 150 proof rum, in your checked luggage.

You may take up to five liters of alcohol with alcohol content between 24% and 70% per person as checked luggage if its packaged in a sealable bottle or flask.

Alcoholic beverages with less than 24% alcohol content are not subject to hazardous materials regulations.

Link to the TSA website:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...rial_1189.shtm
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