Customs

[blott]

Don't forget if you are travelling from UK to US, you are still entitled to your original (pre EEC) duty free allowances to bring back with you. Check out your allowance at www.hmce.gov.uk/public/travel/index.htm


If you make a purchase from most US duty free airport shops, you will not be given the goods you have purchased but need to retain your receipt and collect these as you are boarding your plane (this is to stop you from using them whilst you're still in the US). So leave yourself a bit of time when boarding the plane to make sure you get your purchases.

There are some surprising things which you must declare to US customs when you enter the country - like some sleeping tablets or anti-depressant pills, if you are taking over $10,000, any food articles you have with you (you are not allowed to take any meat products or fruit into US). Check out the regulations at www.customs.ustreas.gov Don't be tempted to try to 'smuggle' any food items into the US as most airports now have 'sniffer' dogs which roam around the baggage collection area with their handlers sniffing out contraband items in your luggage!

Blott

[bellaepovera]

Just a funny story but sad about security at airports: I am a smoker and after going to Rome to France then onward to Miami i really feel the need to have a few cigs before the long flight to Miami.
I had 3 lighters in my purse which was not detected at all and before boarding, on the ramp to the plane they were still metal detecting. My poor son who is almost 2 meters tall17 yrs old, told him to pull to the side and checked him thoroughly and i mean checked him. Off went the shoes empty pockets etc. Me and my younger son of course were chuckling but to think i had 3 lighters in my purse and on the floor near my son was a stack of tweezers and odds and ends. Kinda scarey!! And this one done round trip with out taking a single lighter from me. Security is still not tight enough.


patti pacienza

[MMFAN]

Cigarette lighters are not prohibited. Using them is.

[imported_n/a]

If you are travelling from US to UK but have to change at a US airport to catch your final flight to UK your duty free has to be purchased at the second airport. Common sense I know but Mother queued for ages at Orlando duty free only to be told she was going on an domestic flight to Newark therefore did not qualify to purchase duty free!

[bellaepovera]

Lighters are prohibited, because i met a gentlemen in France who when seeing me smoking said how did you get your lighter past security. He had a zipo and they wanted to take it away and he said this lighter cost a fortune you can only have the guts and also in the stack on the floor were lighters that were taking away so anyone bringing one be careful.

patti pacienza