Air travel with food

[broads]

Has anyone travelled either to or from Spain to England with any meat, veg etc? have been trying to find out just what food you can carry but can't. Ie can we legally bring things like garlic, peppers, chorizo etc back to England with us? Are there any restrictions for taking food into Spain from England?

[swerve]

Try here and you may find the answers you need
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort ... e=document

[Trigger]

Most people will probably think I am mad, but last week I returned to UK with Potatoes, beans, onion & garlic from my amigo Jose's parcela (I could not bare to throw it away). Plus I bought Jamon, chorizo, morcilla and cheese in a supermarket to bring home. And yes, of coarse I was asked to show what I had in my bag when it went through the scanner.
I think you can take most things except liquids or jams etc.

[broads]

Thank you both.
Will look at your recommended site Swerve
Trigger. You obviously bring back the sort of food i was asking about. So at what point of your journey did you have to show what you had in your bag?
Also have you ever taken food from Britain to Spain. I ask as we have two days in Spain where we cannot get to buy any food so want to take some with us to tide us over.

[swerve]

We often take frozen bacon and sausage and a good selection of cheeses over to malaga in our suite cases and have had no problems so far so maybe that's what you will have to do just keep nothing in your hand luggage

[Julie]

If you pack it all in a cool bag and put it in your suitcase it will be ok, plus the benefit of the hold being really cold helps keep it fresher

[annie_d]

thinking along those lines...the best way to transport chocolate.....in your experiences. Thankyou

[swerve]

Regarding garlic i would be careful about taking that in case customs think you are trying to hide the smell of something else

[El Cid]

In effect there are no restrictions about moving food or plant products within the EU. The problems arise on importation of non EU originating products.

The only rule that could prevent you doing so is the airlines baggage rules which do not normally allow the carriage of perishable goods in luggage.

Sid

[Trigger]

I brought mine back in my hand luggage and was asked to open the case when I went through security. My coolbag has a foil lining so I think they were unsure of what was inside.
The same as Swerve, I took bacon and bread out as I arrived after our bakers closed on Sunday. We often take sandwiches to eat on the flight as well, though earlier this year I was told I was not allowed to eat my peanuts as someone on the flight had a nut allergy!

[Heston]

The first Christmas my husband had moved over here ( I was stuck in the UK!) but flew over Christmas eve on Easyjet to Malaga..in my quest to do the right thing I phoned their customer services department as I wanted to bring a Turkey Crown with me for our christmas dinner. I was promptly diverted to a call centre in India and the poor girl didnt have a clue...20 minutes late I spoke to a supervisor to be told that Easy jet dont transport animals!!! They went to say that if it was cooked it was classed as food but if raw it was a dead animal and I couldnt take it on board! So I smuggled it under three towels and took my chances!!
I was later punished as the apartment he was renting had a broken oven ( he had just moved in!)so our first Christmas in Spain we enjoyed ham slices from Asda and a tin of peas.................oh what memories!! I learnt a lesson and just kept my mouth shut from then on!!!

[jennym]

Going through the scanner at Stansted airport on Monday my Husband was asked to step aside and open the contents of his luggage because, on the screen it showed he was carrying three 'canisters'.
He did what he was told and emptied the bags out when, the security lady nearly fell over laughing when she realised that the three 'canisters' were in fact three custard tarts! However, they let him go through with them and he ate them all on the plain back to Spain!!!! - ALL 3 OF THEM!!!!