Woman Steps Off Plane With Half a Sandwich, Gets $1820 Fine
A woman buys a foot-long Subway sandwich in a Singapore airport after an 11-hour flight, she was headed for Australia. She eats half at the airport and carries the other half on the plane with her for the second half of her flight into Singapore. But she didn't eat it on the plane. And that's where her troubles began.
Jessica Lee did not finish her foot-long Subway sandwich on the plane from Singapore back home to Australia, which was perfectly fine.
I ate six inches before my second flight and then saved the other six inches for the flight. -Jessica Lee
When Lee got off the plane in Australia with the sandwich, the Australian government fined her $2664 AUD/$1820 USD for not declaring the remaining six-inch sub.
I thought the little declaration thing you do is for your carry-ons and your luggage, so I didn't tick (check) chicken and I didn't tick (check) lettuce. -Jessica Lee
According to Australia's News.com.au, chicken and lettuce were the problem.
All meat products and vegetables must be declared on the Incoming Passenger Card. This is a legal declaration. All airlines play mandatory biosecurity messaging in flight at top of descent. highlighting things of biosecurity risk and the need to declare food and ingredients and to leave all food on board. -Spokesperson for Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Lee says, she quit her job right before the trip and she has rent to pay.
Subway of Australia caught wind of what happened to Lee and gave her a gift card worth the total cost of the fine, $1820 USD. (They did not pay her fine.) She also received a Subway merchandise gift bag.