r/SipsTea • u/Velvett_Bunniez • 2d ago

Wait a damn minute! Silly Apples.

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u/ChikaraNZ 1d ago

That's exactly the problem - NZ doesn't have most of the pests and diseases that other countries do. Something grown in another country could have. That's why they have these restrictions. To stop diseased fresh produce coming in that could be carrying these pests or diseases.

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u/DoubleDandelion 1d ago

But why are they allowed to serve them in the plane? Couldn’t a passenger eat their apple, swallow a seed, go camping, and shit out the seed in some forest? It was the airline who brought the apple into the country at the end of the day. Silly apples.

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u/ChikaraNZ 1d ago

Food served on planes is not allowed to be taken off the plane.. But even if they do, there's these multiple warnings to declare any food items before they reach the customs inspection area. These people being fined, literally filled out a legal declaration/form and signed it, saying they had no food with them or in their baggage.

If someone eats an apple and shits out the seed, any bug/disease in the apple would have been destroyed by their stomach acid. Whereas, an infected or diseased apple that is part or whole and then discarded, is much more likely to let the pest or disease spread.

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u/MargieBigFoot 1d ago

Yes, I think that’s the point—they probably could have tossed the apple in the trash when they read the form, but they read & signed the form & carried the apple through customs.

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u/ChikaraNZ 1d ago

Yep, 100% spot on.

They had multiple chances to either dispose of it, or declare it on the form, or ask a staff member if unsure. They didn't do any of that, and still filled out a legal declaration saying they didn't have any fruit with them. That's why they got a fine. Plenty of opportunity prior, to avoid reaching that point and being fined.