FA claims no food allowed off the airline?
Dec 12, 2018, 2:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: DL DM, HH diamond
Posts: 330
FA claims no food allowed off the airline?
Flying in Delta Comfort from SEA into AMS this morning, as usual (I never like to eat shortly before landing) I didn’t eat the breakfast pack. As one of the FAs was coming through the cabin to collect trash he saw me putting a wrapped and packaged muffin and yogurt into my bag to eat later. He held his hands out for these items and said “I’ll take those please.” I asked why and he told me that “the rules” state that no food is to be taken off the plane.
I thought this was amusing as I’ve never heard of such a thing, and in fact my seat mate told me about 5 minutes later that he gone to the restroom and had just seen the FAs in the SCO galley stuffing their own bags with leftover service food.....
as as far as I’m aware , EU customs regs don’t prohibit this type of item coming from the US.
Anyone have any insights to share here, or was this FA crazy or just having a bad day...?
I thought this was amusing as I’ve never heard of such a thing, and in fact my seat mate told me about 5 minutes later that he gone to the restroom and had just seen the FAs in the SCO galley stuffing their own bags with leftover service food.....
as as far as I’m aware , EU customs regs don’t prohibit this type of item coming from the US.
Anyone have any insights to share here, or was this FA crazy or just having a bad day...?
Dec 12, 2018, 2:21 am
#2
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,926
Presumably you would have had to declare that you were bringing food into the US when you cleared customs. The muffin would probably have been ok, less sure about the yogurt. Regardless, it seems like that's up to CBP, not the FA to enforce, so I agree that the remarks were kind of strange.
Was your seatmate sure they were stuffing their own personal bags with food and not some sort of disposal bag?
Was your seatmate sure they were stuffing their own personal bags with food and not some sort of disposal bag?
Dec 12, 2018, 2:26 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: DL DM, HH diamond
Posts: 330
Presumably you would have had to declare that you were bringing food into the US when you cleared customs. The muffin would probably have been ok, less sure about the yogurt. Regardless, it seems like that's up to CBP, not the FA to enforce, so I agree that the remarks were kind of strange.
Was your seatmate sure they were stuffing their own personal bags with food and not some sort of disposal bag?
Was your seatmate sure they were stuffing their own personal bags with food and not some sort of disposal bag?
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 12, 2018, 2:44 am
#4
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,926
Dec 12, 2018, 3:36 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,194
FA is correct. You are not supposed to being in dairy products into the EU
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...l/index_en.htm
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...l/index_en.htm
Dec 12, 2018, 3:54 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,051
I suspect DL is rather sensitive to the issue after this recent event where the woman blamed DL for not telling her should couldn't take particular food items off the plane through customs --
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/23/woma...ms-report.html
I'm pretty sure this isn't some general policy on all flights and only applies on international flights where there are potential customs issues. Suggest folks lighten up a bit.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/23/woma...ms-report.html
I'm pretty sure this isn't some general policy on all flights and only applies on international flights where there are potential customs issues. Suggest folks lighten up a bit.
Last edited by xliioper; Dec 12, 2018 at 4:01 am
Dec 12, 2018, 5:46 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,281
FA is correct. You are not supposed to being in dairy products into the EU
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...l/index_en.htm
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...l/index_en.htm
Given that the FA has stuffed their own bags with food, this is obviously not the explanation!
Dec 12, 2018, 5:46 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
If the OP is an actual transcript of what was said, it was inartful of the FA not to make it clear that the rule is not a DL rule, but an EU rule. If the language was a bit different, it would have been fine as the FA was correct about what the "rules say" then it's up to the passenger to figure out the risk tolerance issue.
On FT, if someone were nicked with the Yogurt, there would be a rant about how "DL failed to warn me that if I violated the law, I might be in trouble"
On FT, if someone were nicked with the Yogurt, there would be a rant about how "DL failed to warn me that if I violated the law, I might be in trouble"
Dec 12, 2018, 5:49 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
I suspect DL is rather sensitive to the issue after this recent event where the woman blamed DL for not telling her should couldn't take particular food items off the plane through customs --
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/23/woma...ms-report.html
I'm pretty sure this isn't some general policy on all flights and only applies on international flights where there are potential customs issues. Suggest folks lighten up a bit.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/23/woma...ms-report.html
I'm pretty sure this isn't some general policy on all flights and only applies on international flights where there are potential customs issues. Suggest folks lighten up a bit.
Dec 12, 2018, 5:53 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,281
If the OP is an actual transcript of what was said, it was inartful of the FA not to make it clear that the rule is not a DL rule, but an EU rule. If the language was a bit different, it would have been fine as the FA was correct about what the "rules say" then it's up to the passenger to figure out the risk tolerance issue.
On FT, if someone were nicked with the Yogurt, there would be a rant about how "DL failed to warn me that if I violated the law, I might be in trouble"
On FT, if someone were nicked with the Yogurt, there would be a rant about how "DL failed to warn me that if I violated the law, I might be in trouble"
Dec 12, 2018, 6:01 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 774
I suspect DL is rather sensitive to the issue after this recent event where the woman blamed DL for not telling her should couldn't take particular food items off the plane through customs --
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/23/woma...ms-report.html
I'm pretty sure this isn't some general policy on all flights and only applies on international flights where there are potential customs issues. Suggest folks lighten up a bit.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/23/woma...ms-report.html
I'm pretty sure this isn't some general policy on all flights and only applies on international flights where there are potential customs issues. Suggest folks lighten up a bit.
Dec 12, 2018, 6:22 am
#13
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 3,461
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.
Let's start with your seat mate? Really he had nothing better to do then spy on the FA. But as we all know from the TSA the 'rules' for airline crews bear no resemblance to the "rules" for the rest of us
As for why Delta is enforcing the "rules". Perhaps to avoid the media backlash when someone gets caught?
https://www.delish.com/food-news/a20...rough-customs/
Then let's just consider WHY anyone would want to "import" that horrid stuff Delta serves. Maybe the authorities in AMS are trying to ban bad food?
Dec 12, 2018, 8:35 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,194
Australia has very tight rules on bringing in food and is even more intolerant if you don't declare it. They can and do fine you for not declaring even OK foodstuffs that they find when they check your baggage.