We fly maybe once a year. Now, with a major trip to Europe, we are finalizing our Global Entry paperwork. It will help entering the country but also with TSA. It's not just for elite, frequent fliers.
About the apple. Odds are good it was grown in America. As was pointed out the fruit left on the plane had to also pass customs.
About the only wrong she appears to have made was in filling out the custom form.
No doubt the agent was fired from his Walmart greeter job.

It would give great insight if new posts to this thread would start with:

I believe this was her X offense.
With X being either 1st or 2nd

Then state your position, opinion, or comment.

quote:

Originally posted by Sgt Neutron:
I don't have an issue with her making a mistake. I could've made the same mistake. And I would've paid the fine, and learned from my mistake, and would be extremely careful in the future. What I Would NOT have done is go to the local "On Your Side" media, and whine about something being "Unfair", so that I could be mocked online.

I agree 100%.

Wonder if we'll ever hear the whole story.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
It seems to me that after we get serious about the hordes of illegal IMMIGRANTS crossing our borders, carrying God only knows what, then we can worry about US citizens carrying an illegal apple off an aircraft in a plastic bag....

That got me thinking. Seems she flew into Denver. Had she flown into SFO or LAX, there would be no issue. Just claim the apple was undocumented, they would have a celebration.

I believe that everyone is missing a very important fact.

Had it been a banana, or orange, or even a kumquat, no one would have cared.

However, US Customs is charged with the protection of the US. This woman was caught trying to bring in an APPLE!

Remember how it turned out the first time a woman had an apple – yep, expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the start of Original Sin.

Thank you US Customs. God might not have been so lenient this time.

.

I wonder if Delta declared their leftover apples.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
I wonder if Delta declared their leftover apples.

All garbage coming off an international flight, at the first point of disembarkation, must be put in sealed bags, and cannot reach the lowest step on the stairs or reach the ground; it has to be taken directly to a customs incinerator for disposal. They don't declare them, but they do have to dispose of them.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
Mindlessness is the primary product of bureaucracies.

While not Customs, rather TSA, last Dec I was traveling, am TSA approved, went through the scanner, it went off, seems I had my prescription sunglasses/case in my pocket. I took it out, handed it to the TSA fellow standing to the side. I went through a second time, no problem. But when I got through and went to the belt to get my carry-on bag, my sunglasses were gone. They looked all around-under-over-through, no one could find them (they cost ~$200). I went to the TSA supervisor at the desk behind the security area, she said they were out of "lost luggage" cards, they had given them all out as they were experiencing a high volume of "lost luggage".

I have declining confidence in the quality or integrity of rank and file bureaucrats (and their bosses).

Most of us have done it, if you really look at the list. No Legumes.....AKA Nuts, who hasn't had a pack of nuts in their bag etc. when traveling.

quote:

Originally posted by redleg2/9:
I believe that everyone is missing a very important fact.

Had it been a banana, or orange, or even a kumquat, no one would have cared.

However, US Customs is charged with the protection of the US. This woman was caught trying to bring in an APPLE!

Remember how it turned out the first time a woman had an apple – yep, expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the start of Original Sin.

Thank you US Customs. God might not have been so lenient this time.

.

Actually, biblical translations only specify "fruit" in Genesis. A kumquat would do. Or mango or quince. Just sayin'....

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by Dusty78:...When I was 9 I snuck a tortoise into the country from Chile in a fanny pack. Fed him lettuce in the bathroom. I turned out alright

My turtle wants to know what happened to the "undocumented" tortoise?

He’s chillin’ at the zoo

Even if the passenger is to blame the smart move for Delta would be to pay her fine for the PR. We love our customers and will do a better job of announcing that passengers can't take fruit off the plane.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
Even if the passenger is to blame the smart move for Delta would be to pay her fine for the PR. We love our customers and will do a better job of announcing that passengers can't take fruit off the plane.

You make sense.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
Even if the passenger is to blame the smart move for Delta would be to pay her fine for the PR. We love our customers and will do a better job of announcing that passengers can't take fruit off the plane.

Maybe, but Delta can't be responsible for every dumb thing a passenger does after exiting a Delta flight. (nor would they necessarily want to set such a precedent)

quote:

Originally posted by LDD:

Maybe, but Delta can't be responsible for every dumb thing a passenger does after exiting a Delta flight. (nor would they necessarily want to set such a precedent)

Absolutely not, but customer service isn't about the letter of the law and they handed the food packet out without announcements. Yes, the passenger is to blame and should have known the rules, but that is probably something I would have done as well. Heck, that is something I've done on domestic flights.

It is just my opinion, but in this situation they could spend $500 and get a lot more than that in PR while saying it is a one time deal. Our passenger made a mistake with the Delta food package we handed out, but we love our customers and are paying the fine. To prevent any confusion in the future we'll now be announcing on all our international flights that passengers must consume the complimentary items or leave them behind. All the follow up stories will be about what Delta did for their customer. If it happens again down the line then it's on the passenger and Delta won't have to do anything.

Sidenote to Ackks:. Maybe your attitude is why my wife and I fly almost exclusively Delta.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
Even if the passenger is to blame the smart move for Delta would be to pay her fine for the PR. We love our customers and will do a better job of announcing that passengers can't take fruit off the plane.

No, it wouldn't be the smart thing. Whether she's done it before or not, she was made aware prior to getting off the airplane. Everyone is. It's asked on the declaration, it's asked in person, and she would have been told.

That said, it's a freaking apple. People are told not to bring water bottles and liquids over three ounces all the time, and show up at the screening line with things they can't take through. That's what the big bins are for. No different if someone has an article of fruit they can't carry through. Drop it in the bin, and move on.

Five hundred dollars is asinine, regardless of whether she carried an apple through before. It's a goddamn apple. What is she supposed to be, some kind of repeat-offender serial apple-carrier? Find it, chuck it, be done. It's not like she was carrying weapons grade plutonium.

I remember seeing at the airport last week right before we entered Immigration (before Customs), there was a sign that said "Declare It, Dispose It or Pay Fine". I declared that we were bringing in some food, but did not itemize as I am not sure how to correctly describe the food (some sort of fruit we got from Japan). I described to the Customs Officer what we were bringing it the best I can. He then waived us through.

I think they just want to make sure that a passenger actually declares it if something is being brought into the country.

About the apple incident, if this was her second offense (documented by Customs), then the fine imposed is justified (IMO). But if this was her first offense, then I think the Customs Officer could have just confiscated the apple and dispose it. Obviously, the officer followed the printed warning at the arrival area.

quote:

Originally posted by Scoutmaster:

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
Even if the passenger is to blame the smart move for Delta would be to pay her fine for the PR. We love our customers and will do a better job of announcing that passengers can't take fruit off the plane.

You make sense.

It’s been a while but the last time I flew international the flight attendants passed out forms for customs declarations then spent at least 5 minutes going over every single detail. Do they not do that anymore? If so, I agree the lady should know better with or without GES.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
Even if the passenger is to blame the smart move for Delta would be to pay her fine for the PR.

I don't think the fine is her biggest concern.

quote:

Tadlock said the innocent mistake could end up costing her bigger than just the $500 fine – she could also lose her Global Entry Status...

Doubt Delta can help her with that.

I notice nobody who's been protesting the unfairness of it all has anything to say when the Mediterranean Fruit Fly and other incidents, which were precipitated in likewise "innocent" ways, are brought up.