Can you take your airport leis onboard POA and then back on the plane home?

[Linda the Book Lover]

It has been many years since I have been to Hawaii and times have changed. I am arranging leis for my DGD and DD when we deplane in Honolulu. We will be staying for a few days before we board for the cruise. Will there be any issues with them taking the leis onboard? Has anyone taken their leis back home on the plane? If you packed them would you mind sharing how you did it? They will most likely be faded and gone by the time we return home but just in case. Thanks!

[BirdTravels]

Unfortunately, the leis used for lei greeting have a short shelf life. Some won’t last much more than the taxi ride to the hotel. Keep the leis spritz with water and in the refrigerator. No problem bringing them on the ship.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Unfortunately, the leis used for lei greeting have a short shelf life. Some won’t last much more than the taxi ride to the hotel. Keep the leis spritz with water and in the refrigerator. No problem bringing them on the ship.

 

Thanks! Kind of figured they may not make it long so I better take pictures within the first five minutes of getting them. ;):)

[1025cruise]

Not sure about the ship, but odds are definitely no to the plane.

[bluesea777]

The lei that I received while on POA lasted a few days - very nice and firm lei. I wore it to dinner a couple or so nights. DH received a shell lei instead of flower.

 

As for taking them on plane out of Hawaii - no, it will not happen. All cases and stuff are subject to X-Rays and checking for local products by Agriculture people at the airport and are sealed with marking tape (stating they've been checked) BEFORE you can check-in!

 

If you queue long for check-in and they don't see the tapes, you'll be asked to go to the Agriculture x-rays and then rejoin the check-in queue. Please keep this in mind!

[casofilia]

On that theme but not specifically on Leis. Anyone going to Australia or coming to New Zealand do NOT believe anything told you by sellers of flowers, wooden articles, fruit, meat and so on. Both countries have VERY strict regulations regarding anything that cane be construed as Agricultural Produce.

DECLARE anything and everything that could be classified as Agricultural Produce and be prepared to lose it or be prepared to pay to have it fumigated.

We carry unopened excess tea bags, coffee sachets and Tim Horton's Chocolate and declare all of them. Better safe than sorry, the fines are "nice" ones.

[Silver Sweethearts]

Has anyone taken their leis back home on the plane? If you packed them would you mind sharing how you did it? They will most likely be faded and gone by the time we return home but just in case. Thanks!

 

Buy them at the airport when you depart Hawaii. While they won't be your original leis, they will be fresh and permitted to travel and will still be a wonderful reminder of your time spent here.

[johnrich]

I have researched the same thing in the past. If you are traveling to the mainland US, as long as there are no parts of any citrus plant, the jade vine, or the Mauna Loa plant used in your lei, you should be able to bring it on the plane with you. However many of us would not know what specific kind of leaves or flowers were used on the lei. So the best advice I can give is to ask the seller if it is airline transportable.

 

 

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[Linda the Book Lover]

The lei that I received while on POA lasted a few days - very nice and firm lei. I wore it to dinner a couple or so nights. DH received a shell lei instead of flower.

 

As for taking them on plane out of Hawaii - no, it will not happen. All cases and stuff are subject to X-Rays and checking for local products by Agriculture people at the airport and are sealed with marking tape (stating they've been checked) BEFORE you can check-in!

 

If you queue long for check-in and they don't see the tapes, you'll be asked to go to the Agriculture x-rays and then rejoin the check-in queue. Please keep this in mind!

 

Thanks for this information.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Silversweethearts and johnrich, Thank you, for your input. I most likely will not buy flowers on the way home. It is interesting about Agriculture folk as I don't recall ever seeing any but again it was years ago. Since we are traveling from one state to another and no customs we may very well miss this step but one never knows. When we drive from Nevada to California they always ask the plant question. We never have any but this question is not asked at the airport. If we have time while on the cruise I think I will encourage my DGD to make shell leis instead of the flower ones.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Buy them at the airport when you depart Hawaii. While they won't be your original leis, they will be fresh and permitted to travel and will still be a wonderful reminder of your time spent here.

 

 

Better than that: Check out "Flowers Forever" in Lihue on Kauai.

 

They ship to the mainland overnight (packed in large leaves that maintain adequate moisture). Their leis are far nicer than anything you'll find at the airport and cost significantly less (for any similar style).

 

When we travel to Kauai on a land vacation, we preorder them for pickup on day 1 (our favorite is one made of the hearts of more than 100 orchids which, on our last trip, was less than $50 each).

https://flowersforeverhawaii.com/lihue-flowers-forever-llc/deluxe-lei.html

Under the right conditions it can last 5-7 days. We've also had this and other lei types sent to California for graduations and other events.

 

 

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[Silver Sweethearts]

It is interesting about Agriculture folk as I don't recall ever seeing any but again it was years ago. Since we are traveling from one state to another and no customs we may very well miss this step but one never knows. When we drive from Nevada to California they always ask the plant question. We never have any but this question is not asked at the airport.

 

At least the last time we were at the airport here, your bags aren't going anywhere (even check-in) until you put them through the agricultural inspection. Then, at least on Maui, you personally will have to go through the inspection and have your carry-ons checked before proceeding to your gate. This has nothing to do with customs.

[chengkp75]

At least the last time we were at the airport here, your bags aren't going anywhere (even check-in) until you put them through the agricultural inspection. Then, at least on Maui, you personally will have to go through the inspection and have your carry-ons checked before proceeding to your gate. This has nothing to do with customs.

 

This has been the practice since my first trip to Hawaii in the 70's. When entering Honolulu airport (the one I'm most familiar with), you are instructed to place all baggage, checked and carry-on on a baggage belt where the Agriculture guys scan them. All baggage is tagged and given back to you to take to the individual airline check-in counters. As noted, without the Ag tag they won't allow the bags on the plane. The only thing I have ever been allowed to bypass the Ag screening was some pineapples that were bought for transport to the mainland, and are screened and tagged at the packaging plant.

[deladypilot]

When I finished my POA cruise, I had 3 flower leis and a flower hairpin and brought all of them back on the plane. As most were looking a little rough, I had put them in gallon size ziplocks for the trip home and into my suitcase. When I finally made it home, I laid them back out to finish drying. I have them in my vacation box today and all are doing well.

[Loonbeam]

Since all travel is within the US, I think you can carry certain ones back on the plane (https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/content/7-things-know-about-what-you-can-bring-and-take-out-hawaii) as noted above it depends on what is in them... If you were to take a cruise involving Hawaii that stopped anywhere outside the US, then I think full restrictions off the ship can hit. And yes, I know people do it anyway. I've also seen grown men cry when told the fine they incurred when caught by a dog)

[Linda the Book Lover]

Since all travel is within the US, I think you can carry certain ones back on the plane (https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/content/7-things-know-about-what-you-can-bring-and-take-out-hawaii) as noted above it depends on what is in them... If you were to take a cruise involving Hawaii that stopped anywhere outside the US, then I think full restrictions off the ship can hit. And yes, I know people do it anyway. I've also seen grown men cry when told the fine they incurred when caught by a dog)

 

Thanks for the link!