Can You Bring Fruit On A Plane?

Often travelers are worried about whether it’s possible to carry fruit in hand luggage on the plane. After visiting an exotic country, you want to treat your friends and relatives with unusual products that you cannot find on the shelves of domestic stores.

You should understand that before traveling, you need to find out several nuances at once – the rules for the carriage of your airline, general standards for airlines, as well as customs restrictions if the flight is international.

Fruit in hand luggage

Since this cargo is very delicate and requires careful transportation, many tourists ask if they’re allowed to board the plane with fruit in a separate package. In this case, there are several factors:

• Variety
• Packaging reliability
• Condition, integrity
• Separate rules of the carrier regarding this issue
• Eating while flight
• Amount

The most airlines have nothing against the passenger taking some fruits, berries or vegetables with them in their hand luggage like a snack on the flight. If it’s your case, the fruits must lie in the container and be cut. However, sometimes their amount can be limited.

If so, you should pay attention to your airlines individual rules. For instance, Royal Flight advises to put fruits in soft containers, but plastic baskets cannot be taken on board the aircraft.

When AZUR air, on the contrary, recommends packing all fruits in the basket that don’t exceed the total volume of 5 kg and occupy one piece of hand luggage.

Remember, violation of such rules can add a penalty check to the cost of your flight. When traveling in the United States, airlines usually set following general rules:

• It’s not recommended to bring citrus fruits with you, as they can cause allergies in some passengers.
• You shouldn’t feast on any aromatic products that emit a pungent smell on the road, as not everyone like it.
• Don’t take overripe, soft, spoiled fruits on the road, as they will flow and can ruin the seat, aircraft cabin, clothes and belongings of passengers.

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In the luggage compartment

It’s much more convenient and safer to put such a load in a bag along with other things. Then you just need to make sure that they don’t exceed the total weight of suitcases allowed for one person and are neatly packed so as not to spoil the things in the suitcase.

Many people are also worried about whether the fruit will freeze in the luggage compartment. In fact, in the cargo compartment during the flight, the temperature remains at about + 15 °, it’s considered optimal for most products and won’t cause spoilage.

Customs regulations

Most often, the idea to transport some fruits and other exotic goods comes up when you travel from Vietnam or other tropical countries. There are many such wonders in Asian countries that you cannot even find at home. I’d like to surprise and please my friends by bringing an unusual delicacy from distant countries.

Durian has a very specific pungent smell, so it’s forbidden not only to carry it on board the plane, but even to the territory of most hotels.

Coconut – has a very thick skin that cannot be scanned at customs, so it was also included in the list of restrictions and isn’t allowed to be transported across the border.

Watermelon – can easily burst in atmospheric pressure and ruin everything around, it’s better not to take it with you on the road or cut it into small pieces for personal use.

There are also partial restrictions when traveling from China. For example, dried fruits and other permitted products (it’s better to check the list before the trip) should be carefully packed in a special container and take with you a receipt, as well as a quality certificate.

How to pack correctly?

It’s very important to bring the fruit intact. They are perishable and require careful handling. To prevent delicate goods from wrinkling, cracking, dripping and ruining things in your luggage on a way, we advise the following:

1. Fruit shops often have special containers that you can use to place your purchases neatly.
2. Take your receipt with you to determine the freshness of the product
3. Read the customs regulations of each country before traveling.
4. It is better not to use soft plastic bags for transportation.
5. It’s better to buy fruits on the day of departure and only if the flight isn’t too long.

So, this’s our final word here – check everything carefully! And everything will be fine!