Flight Canada > USA. Customs??

Awk

Hello hello

Im flying on monday from Canada to Florida (you heard me). I have a question.

I really would like to surprise my girl with a bouquet of flowers, but im not sure if bringing flowers like that onboard to the states is allowed. They'll probably be simple plants, but could the customs/security not allow plants to enter the USA? Im thinking like tulips or something, but id be pretty dissapointed if they confiscated my gift. Anyone know accurately if Homeland Security will consider me a terrorist?:winky:

Thank you!

ASimPerson

You may find this page useful as a general guideline: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing/agri_prod_inus.xml#GeneralListofApprovedProducts

Depending on which airport you're leaving from, you may clear customs before entering the US, which I imagine would be useful in this situation. Here's a list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_border_preclearance#Canada

I can't say for sure what will happen, but I will say that you should check the box on the customs form. Do not try to sneak anything in - you will regret it if you are caught.

Cauld

why not just buy flowers at the destination airport?

JebusUD

get the flowers delivered.

Aridhol

JebusUD wrote: »

get the flowers delivered.

vonPoonBurGer

Dried flowers, or tasteful fake flowers (I'm thinking the ones made of silk, that don't look like crappy plastic) might work too, if you really want to have something in hand for when you get off the plane.

Limp moose

They sell flowers at the airport for just this sort of thing.

Awk

i cant buy the flowers at the destination because she will be right there. having them delivered to the airport sounds unreliable.

i think ill buy some fancy fake ones if i find some today. Danke

Limp moose

She wont be waiting for you when you get off the plane. The TSA doesnt allow that any more. She will be waiting at the end of the terminal. Most likely There will be some place to buy flowers in between The terminal and your gate. Also you could buy them at the departure airport and just carry them on with your carry on luggage.

I have done this before.

Daedalus

To be fair, flowers you buy in the terminal will cost at a minimum three times as much as flowers not bought in an airport, just like everything else sold in an airport.

Awk

Sounds like a good idea to buy the flowers at my stop-over in Chicago. Will help kill the time too. Sucks about the inflated price, but oh well, whats a man to do.

Cheers

Nakatomi2010

Yeah, always wait to buy any vegitation until after you cleaer customs...


My mother had be buy a pack of yellow squash seeds while I was visiting my girlfriend (now wife) in florida a while back, and while I was flying back up to Canada and went through customers in Ottawa they asked if I had any plants or seeds and such, I said yes and got sent into another room where they basically took a closer look at everything and were fully prepared to keep the seeds...


It's an issue of whether or not what you're bringing in could cause an eco-system problem... I'm sure you've probably see that episode of the Simpsons where bullfrogs slowly over populate Australia, same concept, but with plants.....

Better to pay airport price for something you know wont get taken from you...



American airports have also changed their system of who's allowed where, you might also find that you can get your plants in the terminal before you go out to the area where you meet people... Regular folks are no longer allowed into the terminals....