Gov't Fines Delta Passenger $500 for Snack She Took From Plane
A Delta Air Lines customer was hit with a $500 fine from U.S. Customs and Border Control for saving an apple she’d received on her flight from Paris back to the United States.
Crystal Tadlock of Arvada, Colorado, said a flight attendant gave her the apple in a plastic bag.
She wasn’t hungry, but decided to save it in her bag for later, KDVR reported.
When she went through customs, her bag was searched and the apple was discovered.
Tadlock explained the situation and asked if she could eat it or throw it out, but she was told “no.”
Customs then handed her a $500 fine for possessing the apple.
“He had asked me if my trip to France was expensive and I said, ‘Yeah,'” Tadlock said.
“I didn’t really get why he was asking that question, and then he said, ‘It’s about to get a lot more expensive after I charge you $500,’” she added.
Part of the blame should fall on Delta for not reminding passengers they couldn’t take fruit off the plane, she said.
She thinks it’s ridiculous that she was ticketed when the apple was clearly from Delta Air Lines.
“It’s really unfortunate someone has to go through that and be treated like a criminal over a piece of fruit,” Tadlock said.
“We encourage our customers to follow U.S. Customs and Border Protection protocols,” a Delta spokesman said.
A statement from U.S. Customs and Border Control, meanwhile, was similarly vague.
“Privacy policy prohibits CBP from discussing the details of any individuals specific inspection, however all agriculture items must be declared,” the statement read.
Tadlock plans to fight the charge in court.
A version of this article previously appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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