FA claims no food allowed off the airline?
Dec 12, 2018, 9:01 am
#17
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DL specifically made an announcement on this exact issue (And included Bananas by name) on approach into DTW last month, stating clearly that nothing served in flight could be taken into the country. They said 'into the country', not 'off the plane' - to make it clear its a customs issue, not a fetish for leftover food issue
If there is any announcement, it should be accurate. The issue is food coming into the country, not the fact that such food had been served on the plane. Moreover, not all food is banned, although the customs questions might or might not specific particular categories of food.
I often bring and declare minor amounts of food, but I've never had something that isn't permitted. I have yet to be questioned regarding whether the food had been provided by an airline or not.
For AMS in particular, someone could easily consume the food in the airport before going through customs or they could depart on another flight such that they never enter Holland (or the EU).
I often bring and declare minor amounts of food, but I've never had something that isn't permitted. I have yet to be questioned regarding whether the food had been provided by an airline or not.
For AMS in particular, someone could easily consume the food in the airport before going through customs or they could depart on another flight such that they never enter Holland (or the EU).
Dec 12, 2018, 9:45 am
#18
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It seems to me that I have read quite a few posts recently where just how an FA communicated something was the real issue. I think we can all be guilty of similar communication errors from time to time.
The problem with communication is that it is not the message that you think you are communicating that matters, it is the message the recipient understands that matters. When we are familiar with something (like no dairy into the EU), it is very easy to say something like, 'the rules are no food is to be taken off the plane'. It's a quick, easy answer rather than an actual explanation of WHY you can't take the food off the plane that you have in your hand and are putting into your bag. It is really not a correct answer or detailed answer but it gets the 'point' across as far as the FA is concerned. 'No, you can't put that in your bag.'
Like anything that any of us do over and over again, it can become really a chore to explain in detail to each and every person where it comes up, the same thing over and over again. So we simply find a 'quick and easy' answer. So the FA probably isn't crazy and probably not having a 'bad day'. Just yet another day with yet again the same thing happening with a passenger that has happened 26 times in the last 6 months for this one FA alone. No, you can't take dairy products off the plane and through AMS Customs. All she did was leave out the word dairy and the last 3 words.
It's not what we say that matters, it's what the person we are saying it to hears that matters.
The problem with communication is that it is not the message that you think you are communicating that matters, it is the message the recipient understands that matters. When we are familiar with something (like no dairy into the EU), it is very easy to say something like, 'the rules are no food is to be taken off the plane'. It's a quick, easy answer rather than an actual explanation of WHY you can't take the food off the plane that you have in your hand and are putting into your bag. It is really not a correct answer or detailed answer but it gets the 'point' across as far as the FA is concerned. 'No, you can't put that in your bag.'
Like anything that any of us do over and over again, it can become really a chore to explain in detail to each and every person where it comes up, the same thing over and over again. So we simply find a 'quick and easy' answer. So the FA probably isn't crazy and probably not having a 'bad day'. Just yet another day with yet again the same thing happening with a passenger that has happened 26 times in the last 6 months for this one FA alone. No, you can't take dairy products off the plane and through AMS Customs. All she did was leave out the word dairy and the last 3 words.
It's not what we say that matters, it's what the person we are saying it to hears that matters.
Dec 12, 2018, 2:16 pm
#20
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DL specifically made an announcement on this exact issue (And included Bananas by name) on approach into DTW last month, stating clearly that nothing served in flight could be taken into the country. They said 'into the country', not 'off the plane' - to make it clear its a customs issue, not a fetish for leftover food issue
https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/22/afric...ase/index.html
And the USA does have a small commercial banana crop in its tropical areas, so it makes a certain sense for them to be flagged and banned at the border.
Dec 12, 2018, 3:50 pm
#21
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Warning passengers about transporting food across international borders is quite normal. This one time though a FA saw me store a liquor mini in my backpack, asked me if I was connecting and told me I could not bring it on board of another flight. I think she meant "drink it on board of another flight" and make me wonder about the exact wording of the relevant regulation. After all, that would have been an alcoholic beverage served to me by a FA, except that the FA was on another flight...
Dec 12, 2018, 4:22 pm
#22
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It seems to me that I have read quite a few posts recently where just how an FA communicated something was the real issue. I think we can all be guilty of similar communication errors from time to time.
The problem with communication is that it is not the message that you think you are communicating that matters, it is the message the recipient understands that matters. When we are familiar with something (like no dairy into the EU), it is very easy to say something like, 'the rules are no food is to be taken off the plane'. It's a quick, easy answer rather than an actual explanation of WHY you can't take the food off the plane that you have in your hand and are putting into your bag. It is really not a correct answer or detailed answer but it gets the 'point' across as far as the FA is concerned. 'No, you can't put that in your bag.'
Like anything that any of us do over and over again, it can become really a chore to explain in detail to each and every person where it comes up, the same thing over and over again. So we simply find a 'quick and easy' answer. So the FA probably isn't crazy and probably not having a 'bad day'. Just yet another day with yet again the same thing happening with a passenger that has happened 26 times in the last 6 months for this one FA alone. No, you can't take dairy products off the plane and through AMS Customs. All she did was leave out the word dairy and the last 3 words.
It's not what we say that matters, it's what the person we are saying it to hears that matters.
The problem with communication is that it is not the message that you think you are communicating that matters, it is the message the recipient understands that matters. When we are familiar with something (like no dairy into the EU), it is very easy to say something like, 'the rules are no food is to be taken off the plane'. It's a quick, easy answer rather than an actual explanation of WHY you can't take the food off the plane that you have in your hand and are putting into your bag. It is really not a correct answer or detailed answer but it gets the 'point' across as far as the FA is concerned. 'No, you can't put that in your bag.'
Like anything that any of us do over and over again, it can become really a chore to explain in detail to each and every person where it comes up, the same thing over and over again. So we simply find a 'quick and easy' answer. So the FA probably isn't crazy and probably not having a 'bad day'. Just yet another day with yet again the same thing happening with a passenger that has happened 26 times in the last 6 months for this one FA alone. No, you can't take dairy products off the plane and through AMS Customs. All she did was leave out the word dairy and the last 3 words.
It's not what we say that matters, it's what the person we are saying it to hears that matters.
Even if it's "really a chore" this is part of the FA's job. Many occupations can involve explaining the same thing to people over and over.
Dec 12, 2018, 8:50 pm
#24
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Sounds like some senior FA who can be a grouch while waiting for retirement. There are some still hanging around from the Air West and Pan Am days. 
Dec 12, 2018, 11:57 pm
#25
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The announcements into New Zealand and very clear, nothing from the plane can enter NZ
if you do and don’t declare it the sniffer dogs will find it and it’s $400 fine, no questions asked and your free food is in the bin off to the tip!
And yes, there are always very cute looking beagles running around waiting to bust you
if you do and don’t declare it the sniffer dogs will find it and it’s $400 fine, no questions asked and your free food is in the bin off to the tip!
And yes, there are always very cute looking beagles running around waiting to bust you
Dec 15, 2018, 12:17 am
#26
Join Date: Jul 2000
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To be clear, I was flying from the US into the EU. And yes, my seat mate said there were 2 FAs loading up on cheese and other items, putting them into their purses in the rear galley.
It was very strange. I fly about 150k miles per year and this is the first time I’ve ever heard anything of the sort.
Dec 15, 2018, 12:27 am
#27
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Dec 15, 2018, 10:56 am
#28
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Splitting hairs here, but I'd think the packaged muffin would be OK to bring into the EU, even through the 'green' line, and the yoghurt not. I can sort of understand that the FAs may tire of trying to explain the distinctions, but it doesn't seem that hard to say "the EU won't let you take that yogurt off the plane, so I'll trow it away for you" as a kinder approach.
If I'm wrong about the packaged muffin, then I'm a major scofflaw. DL almost always serves a Dancing Deer brownie with the Y meal over to AMS. I never want to eat it right before 'bed time' (in my little C+ bed), so I put it in my messenger bag. I usually remember to eat it like three days into the trip.
If I'm wrong about the packaged muffin, then I'm a major scofflaw. DL almost always serves a Dancing Deer brownie with the Y meal over to AMS. I never want to eat it right before 'bed time' (in my little C+ bed), so I put it in my messenger bag. I usually remember to eat it like three days into the trip.
Dec 15, 2018, 11:25 am
#29
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NO, the rule is that you cannot bring certain food items into the EU, not that the EU will not let you bring those food items off the plane.
It's OK to bring the yogurt off the plane in AMS providing that you either consume it or dispose of it before going through customs in the green lane.
It's OK to bring the yogurt off the plane in AMS providing that you either consume it or dispose of it before going through customs in the green lane.
Dec 15, 2018, 2:38 pm
#30
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NO, the rule is that you cannot bring certain food items into the EU, not that the EU will not let you bring those food items off the plane.
It's OK to bring the yogurt off the plane in AMS providing that you either consume it or dispose of it before going through customs in the green lane.
It's OK to bring the yogurt off the plane in AMS providing that you either consume it or dispose of it before going through customs in the green lane.
I'm not fully sure how to explain this, but let me try: When you get off the plane, even before customs you ARE in the EU! It's reasonable that that airlines simply tell pax that no food from the a/c is allowed off the a/c.