Woman pays over $2600 for a Subway sandwich at the airport —”It is my mistake”
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We've all been there. You're at the airport, you're hungry, and you want something to eat. But you quickly realize that the prices for food at the airport are sky-high!
While news about the absurdly high prices of airport food is hardly groundbreaking information, did you know that one woman ended up paying thousands of dollars for a single sandwich?
You read that right, folks! The bizarre incident happened when the woman, who was flying back home to Australia, copped a hefty fine after she failed to declare a sandwich that she bought from Singapore.
In a video shared on TikTok, Jessica Lee explained that she "basically" spent $2664 on a foot-long Subway sandwich in Singapore because she forgot to declare two ingredients during her flight.
She shares: “It is my mistake but like, I bought a foot-long Subway at Singapore airport because I was a hungry girl after my 11-hour flight.”
“I ate six inches before my second flight and then saved the other six inches for the flight which they’re more than happy with.”
Although Jessica had initially intended to finish her sandwich, she says she decided to save it for later, thinking that the declaration form didn't apply to pre-purchased food that wasn't in her luggage.
“I thought the little declaration thing you do is for your carry-ons and your luggage, so I didn’t tick chicken and I didn’t tick lettuce. Chicken and lettuce!” she exclaims.
Jessica then shows a form that states the substantial fine she had to pay.
She continues: “That is a nice little $2664 to be paid in 28 days.”
The young lady claims that, combined with having to pay rent and her decision to quit her job before her trip, the fine has put more pressure on her financial situation.
Jessica said that the hefty fine has put pressure on her financial situation. Credit: @_jessicaleeee.
The post has captured the attention of social media, with some users questioning why she failed to declare the sandwich given that the airport personnel usually remind international travellers of the do’s and dont's of carrying certain foods.
In the comments section a TikTok user said international travellers are sometimes let off with a warning, but being a native speaker, Jessica was not so lucky.
“But because I speak perfect English I can get the fine,” she pointed out.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, travellers who fail to declare or make fraudulent declarations are in violation of the Biosecurity Act and may get fines of up to $2664.
The spokesperson explained: “All meat products and vegetables must be declared on the Incoming Passenger Card. This is a legal declaration."
“All airlines play mandatory biosecurity messaging (video/audio) in flight at top of descent (ie. just prior to landing – not mid-flight when passengers might be sleeping) highlighting things of biosecurity risk, and the need to declare food and ingredients, and to leave all food on-board.”
The spokesperson also emphasised that comparable messaging platforms (electronic, posters), reinforcing the message to disclose or dispose of food in biosecurity bins, is present in the arrivals area of airports.
Needless to say, the incident only highlights how crucial it is to either declare or discard foreign food when flying back to Australia.
So, there you have it, folks! What are your thoughts on this? Better yet, have you experienced a similar situation before? Share your stories with us in the comments below!
Also, we recommend checking out this video to learn more about the biosecurity rules in Australia:
Credit: YouTube/Australian Government Department of Agriculture
While news about the absurdly high prices of airport food is hardly groundbreaking information, did you know that one woman ended up paying thousands of dollars for a single sandwich?
You read that right, folks! The bizarre incident happened when the woman, who was flying back home to Australia, copped a hefty fine after she failed to declare a sandwich that she bought from Singapore.
In a video shared on TikTok, Jessica Lee explained that she "basically" spent $2664 on a foot-long Subway sandwich in Singapore because she forgot to declare two ingredients during her flight.
She shares: “It is my mistake but like, I bought a foot-long Subway at Singapore airport because I was a hungry girl after my 11-hour flight.”
“I ate six inches before my second flight and then saved the other six inches for the flight which they’re more than happy with.”
Although Jessica had initially intended to finish her sandwich, she says she decided to save it for later, thinking that the declaration form didn't apply to pre-purchased food that wasn't in her luggage.
“I thought the little declaration thing you do is for your carry-ons and your luggage, so I didn’t tick chicken and I didn’t tick lettuce. Chicken and lettuce!” she exclaims.
Jessica then shows a form that states the substantial fine she had to pay.
She continues: “That is a nice little $2664 to be paid in 28 days.”
The young lady claims that, combined with having to pay rent and her decision to quit her job before her trip, the fine has put more pressure on her financial situation.
Jessica said that the hefty fine has put pressure on her financial situation. Credit: @_jessicaleeee.
The post has captured the attention of social media, with some users questioning why she failed to declare the sandwich given that the airport personnel usually remind international travellers of the do’s and dont's of carrying certain foods.
In the comments section a TikTok user said international travellers are sometimes let off with a warning, but being a native speaker, Jessica was not so lucky.
“But because I speak perfect English I can get the fine,” she pointed out.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, travellers who fail to declare or make fraudulent declarations are in violation of the Biosecurity Act and may get fines of up to $2664.
The spokesperson explained: “All meat products and vegetables must be declared on the Incoming Passenger Card. This is a legal declaration."
“All airlines play mandatory biosecurity messaging (video/audio) in flight at top of descent (ie. just prior to landing – not mid-flight when passengers might be sleeping) highlighting things of biosecurity risk, and the need to declare food and ingredients, and to leave all food on-board.”
The spokesperson also emphasised that comparable messaging platforms (electronic, posters), reinforcing the message to disclose or dispose of food in biosecurity bins, is present in the arrivals area of airports.
Needless to say, the incident only highlights how crucial it is to either declare or discard foreign food when flying back to Australia.
So, there you have it, folks! What are your thoughts on this? Better yet, have you experienced a similar situation before? Share your stories with us in the comments below!
Also, we recommend checking out this video to learn more about the biosecurity rules in Australia:
Credit: YouTube/Australian Government Department of Agriculture
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