Disclaimer: The information in this article is for informational purposes only and is current at the time of publication. Before taking honey on an airplane, it is best to check the information from official sources that are up to date on the date of your flight from where you are travelling to and to where you are travelling.
When travelling, people often bring with them gifts for relatives, friends or colleagues. And one of such gifts can be some sort of honey from an exotic country. But before carrying honey on an plane you need to study the rules that will help you do it safely and in accordance with all the rules.
Honey, in the case of air cargo, refers to liquids
As you know, honey can have both a liquid state and a solid state. Therefore, the question may arise as to which group honey should be classified. In most air transport regulations, honey, regardless of its state, is classified as a liquid. On equal footing with creams, shampoos, deodorants, and mascara.
Airlines are very careful about liquids on board and therefore carefully check all suspicious containers. There have been precedents when people tried to bring explosives on board the aircraft under the guise of liquids.
In case of any suspicion, an airport employee has the right to request additional documents, open the package, smell and even taste the honey to make sure it is safe. Sometimes the honey is asked to be tasted by the passenger. Please understand these requirements, they are for safety reasons only and protect passengers from possible trouble.
Carrying honey in hand luggage
So honey is a liquid. Therefore, when carrying honey on an airplane, you should be guided by this rule. It is necessary to pack honey in containers not exceeding 3.4 oz/100 ml. All containers with liquids should be placed in a transparent bag. The total volume of liquids can be no more than 1 litre. The bag must be removed from your hand luggage and placed in a separate container on the transport strap. If you have a container with honey, for example, 200 ml, but there is only 100 ml of honey in it, it may be taken away during inspection. So it is better not to take any risks. You can also put the original honey container in a transparent bag together with the liquids. In this case, its origin will be clear and will eliminate the question if it arises.
Carriage of honey on aircraft if purchased duty free
If you have bought honey in Duty free shops, the 3.4 oz/100ml limit no longer applies. Airlines allow you to take these products on board. It is important that they are packed and unopened. Also keep receipts in case you have any questions.
Be careful with the option of taking a connecting flight. As you will have to go through screening again when connecting to a third country, the airport security service has the right to confiscate additional liquids, even those purchased in Duty free.
Carrying honey in your checked baggage
Most airlines allow you to carry honey in your checked baggage. It is important to take into account the weight allowance and pack honey carefully so that it does not spill on the way and spoil your belongings and those of other passengers. All airlines have different baggage allowances. Information about baggage allowance is available on the official website of the airline. If your baggage weighs more, you can pay extra for the excess weight. The fares of each airline are individual and can be found on the official website of the selected carrier.
The best way to pack honey when you check in your luggage
To avoid spoiling things during transport, honey should be packed carefully. Give preference to plastic containers. Glass ones are more fragile, bulky and weigh quite a lot. Also take into account the weight of the product – a litre jar, depending on the type and sort, weighs about 1.5 kg. Plastic bottles and containers for transport should be tightly closed. In addition, you can wrap them in cardboard, a thick bag or special wrapping film with bubble wrap and place them in the centre of the suitcase, covering all sides with soft things.
Carrying honeycombs by plane
As for honeycomb honey, I have not found any information about liquid or solid products. If they are liquid, it would be difficult to follow the 100ml rule, because comb honey is a small volume and you can’t put much in it. It is also very inconvenient to squeeze the honeycomb into such a small container.
If comb honey is classified as a solid product and the airline thinks it is a liquid, there is a risk that they will confiscate it.
I find that the best way to transport honeycomb is in checked baggage and in dense food containers. Wrap them in something soft for extra security. They won’t break in transit or ruin the rest of your stuff.
At the check-in counter, you can ask to have your luggage declared as glass. This is a free service with most airlines. There is a chance that it will be handled more carefully during transport. Such luggage is often handed out at separate counters at the airport of arrival.
Import requirements for honey in different countries
When travelling internationally, it is important to take into account the requirements for importing foodstuffs from the host country. It is important to research them in advance, as they can change at any time and it is important to find out the latest information for the specific country you are travelling to. Otherwise, you may find out on arrival that the country has some restrictions on honey and it may be confiscated. It’s best to check with the airline you’re flying with and on the websites of government organisations.
For example, only honey with factory labels can be brought into Israel, and European countries have imposed restrictions on honey from China. Any certificates may be required to ensure that they meet the country’s standards.
Conclusion
Honey is a useful gift to take on a plane. The existing rules and restrictions are no reason to deny yourself the pleasure of eating this wonderful product of nature. You just need to know and follow them.
