Taking flowers transpac? Can I bring them into Korea?
Jul 30, 2008, 7:52 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 523
Taking flowers transpac? Can I bring them into Korea?
I'm going to ICN from SFO to see my s.o. in late August, and I'd really like to be all cute and have flowers for her as I get off the plane to meet her. The problem is I don't know how I can do this.
The two obvious options are:
1. Attempt to carry on and bring flowers all the way from SFO. Issues here are:
The two obvious options are:
1. Attempt to carry on and bring flowers all the way from SFO. Issues here are:
-Will a bouquet of flowers make it through Korean customs? Anybody have experience with this?
-Will roses even look presentable after that ~11hr flight?
2. Attempt to buy flowers at ICN upon arrival before meeting her. Issues here are:-Unless there is some way to do this after customs yet still airside, I'm pretty sure this is impossible considering she will be waiting the closest to the customs outlet she possibly can. I am quite conspicuously not Korean 
so I can't exactly sneak to the flower shop in the arrivals hall before she sees me...
Opinions? Thanks for your help everyone. so I can't exactly sneak to the flower shop in the arrivals hall before she sees me...
Jul 30, 2008, 8:11 pm
#2
Senior Moderator; Moderator, Eco-Conscious Travel, United and Flyertalk Cares
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Fulltime travel/mostly Europe
Programs: UA 1.7 MM;; Accor & Marriott Pt; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 17,831
Nope. Lufthansa puts roses in the little vases at your seats and those flowers are in sad shape after the plane lands. If you can carry flowers in, I'd look for something more durable such as proteas that do well for long periods without water and I know them to withstand long flights.
I have a permit to do the reverse - bring orchids from Asia to the US - and I can tell you the orchids do fine, but it would probably be a little silly to bring an Asian plant to Asia.
Anyway ...with that, I'm going to move this to the Asia forum, which I think you'll get more help with your other questions.
l'etoile
UA moderator
I have a permit to do the reverse - bring orchids from Asia to the US - and I can tell you the orchids do fine, but it would probably be a little silly to bring an Asian plant to Asia.
Anyway ...with that, I'm going to move this to the Asia forum, which I think you'll get more help with your other questions.
l'etoile
UA moderator
Jul 30, 2008, 8:54 pm
#4
Senior Moderator; Moderator, Eco-Conscious Travel, United and Flyertalk Cares
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Fulltime travel/mostly Europe
Programs: UA 1.7 MM;; Accor & Marriott Pt; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 17,831
Here's a site that will help on bringing in flowers and restrictions for Korea:
http://www.npqs.go.kr/homepage/foreign/english/e_03.asp
http://www.npqs.go.kr/homepage/foreign/english/e_03.asp
Aug 4, 2008, 4:56 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2003
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 2,262
I'm going to ICN from SFO to see my s.o. in late August, and I'd really like to be all cute and have flowers for her as I get off the plane to meet her. The problem is I don't know how I can do this.
The two obvious options are:
1. Attempt to carry on and bring flowers all the way from SFO. Issues here are:
The two obvious options are:
1. Attempt to carry on and bring flowers all the way from SFO. Issues here are:
-Will a bouquet of flowers make it through Korean customs? Anybody have experience with this?
-Will roses even look presentable after that ~11hr flight?
2. Attempt to buy flowers at ICN upon arrival before meeting her. Issues here are:-Unless there is some way to do this after customs yet still airside, I'm pretty sure this is impossible considering she will be waiting the closest to the customs outlet she possibly can. I am quite conspicuously not Korean so I can't exactly sneak to the flower shop in the arrivals hall before she sees me...
Opinions? Thanks for your help everyone. so I can't exactly sneak to the flower shop in the arrivals hall before she sees me...What is s.o.?
Aug 4, 2008, 9:57 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2003
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 2,262
I'm going to ICN from SFO to see my s.o. in late August, and I'd really like to be all cute and have flowers for her as I get off the plane to meet her. The problem is I don't know how I can do this.
The two obvious options are:
1. Attempt to carry on and bring flowers all the way from SFO. Issues here are:
The two obvious options are:
1. Attempt to carry on and bring flowers all the way from SFO. Issues here are:
-Will a bouquet of flowers make it through Korean customs? Anybody have experience with this?
-Will roses even look presentable after that ~11hr flight?
2. Attempt to buy flowers at ICN upon arrival before meeting her. Issues here are:-Unless there is some way to do this after customs yet still airside, I'm pretty sure this is impossible considering she will be waiting the closest to the customs outlet she possibly can. I am quite conspicuously not Korean so I can't exactly sneak to the flower shop in the arrivals hall before she sees me...
Opinions? Thanks for your help everyone. so I can't exactly sneak to the flower shop in the arrivals hall before she sees me...Don't think option 1 is possible IMO.
About option 2, there is no way to buy flowers after customs yet still in airside. If you take a few steps after customs, you'll be in landside. Those people waiting outside can see travellers going thru customs.
Here is a suggestion if you really want to get some flowers. If you're arriving on a UA flight, your designated exit to landside arrival hall will be either E or F. The designated exit will be remarked on arrival information display. Take the other exit than your designated exit. While I'm cannot assure, I guess there should be at least one flower shop in the arrival hall. Buy some flowers. Go back to your designated (landside) exit. Tap on your sigficant other's shoulder. (assuming she is looking at people coming out thru the exit) Get her flowers then. End of story. BTW, I'd get her a teddy bear if I were you.