A hungry airline passenger thought it wouldn’t be too big of a deal to stash two sausage and egg McMuffins in her backpack.
But airport security wasn’t having it – and once they discovered her “contraband” – they were determined to make her pay.
Instead of just instructing her to throw them out, they had the audacity to slap her with a $1,874 fine – and just wait until you hear the insane details.
Imagine getting stuck with a $1,874 fine (in U.S. dollars) …
… simply because you didn’t declare two breakfast sandwiches!
Sounds crazy, right!
But this is the new world we live in.
And sadly, one traveler found out the hard way just how seriously Australia takes their laws.
Once the higher-ups learned about her fine, they showed no sympathy for the woman, and felt she deserved to pay.
In fact, they are using her as an example to deter anyone from even thinking about disobeying airline protocol in the future.
NBC News reported:
“This will be the most expensive Maccas meal this passenger ever has, this fine is twice the cost of an airfare to Bali, but I have no sympathy for people who choose to disobey Australia’s strict biosecurity measures, and recent detections show you will be caught,” Murray Watt, Australia’s minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said in a statement.
Ok, but seriously.
What’s the big deal about two sausage and egg McMuffins?
Apparently, the sandwiches violate “biosecurity laws” – as Australia is currently free of foot-and-mouth disease – and they want to stay that way.
While this entire situation seems bizarre – it’s not the first time Australian airport officials have pounded down the hammer this summer.
Another weary passenger named Jessica Lee had flown over 8,000 miles – and picked up a footlong sub from Subway in a Singapore airport.
She ate half the sandwich and stuffed the rest in her purse.
But on her declaration form, she apparently didn’t check the “appropriate box” alerting authorities about her half-eaten sub (which she forgot about).
Yet again, Australia is serious about their biosecurity laws – so when they found her half-eaten sub – they let her know she was going to pay.
They slapped her with a $1,840 fine – and gave her 28 days to pay it.
She went viral after she told her story on TikTok.
The Daily Mail reported:
“Lee was fined for violating Australia’s strict customs and biosecurity regulations. The rules state that anyone entering the country must declare goods purchased overseas, including “meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy, fruit, vegetables.” Failure to report such items to customs officials can lead to a fine or even imprisonment.
Lee admitted that not claiming the sandwich was her mistake, but explained that she didn’t fully understand the customs guidelines.
“I thought the little declaration thing you do is for your carry-ons and your luggage, so I didn’t think chicken and I didn’t think lettuce,” Lee said in her video. “
We get it – Australia wants to protect their land and animals – but this is craziness!
If you are traveling internationally – make sure you KNOW the laws (even if they are ridiculous) so you aren’t forced to fork over your hard-earned cash for an honest mistake.
What are your thoughts on passengers getting fined almost $2,000 for Egg McMuffins and subs?
Do you think Australia’s biosecurity laws have gone too far?
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