"Orchids on a Plane"??? - Orchid Board

Christina Anderson-Abella · #1 10-12-2006, 11:41 AM

Hi folks.

I know that most of you have mail-ordered orchids from afar without problems, but has anybody brought orchids on a plane with them as luggage???

I'm visiting family in southern Florida, and thought it might be fun to check out a few orchid nurseries while there. If I found a gorgeous orchid, and just HAD to buy it, what would my options be? Of course, I'm sure I could just select orchids myself and ask them to ship them home for me. (I might do just that.) But, could I physically carry any of them home to Chicago on the plane with me? Checked baggage? Carry on? I know the regulations just got a little less strict regarding what you can and can not carry on.

It's a weird question, but I'm wondering what any of you've done or heard!

Thanks.

Christina

nyorchids · #2 10-12-2006, 12:20 PM

i brought some phals home from california to new york as a cary on and nobody said a word to me except ooooo what pretty flowers

justatypn · #3 10-12-2006, 06:49 PM

Why not give it your all...just got to watch out for the security person that is a orchid hobbiest...

thats when I will pull out the

ceejae511 · #4 10-13-2006, 04:49 PM

I brought an orchid back from Hawaii in my carry on bag.
It wasn't easy because it was always near my feet and in danger of having the spike broken off....but it arrived intact and bloomed a week later. The spike did not develop fully however, probably shocked from the whole experience but I was happy to get 4 blooms anyway!

Oscarman · #5 10-13-2006, 09:54 PM

I brough some plants back to Canada from Florida on the plane once. I had a bit of a run around, with the government offices.

The airline was great, I had 2 carry on boxes which they stored in closets other than the overhead. The growers packaged them very well and supplied all neccessary documentation without hassle.

Once in customs and they established that the plants were not in soil and I simply walked on through.

If I did it again (and I will), I would package them myself in boxes that fit in the overhead compartments perfectly!

Ray · #6 10-14-2006, 10:22 AM

Another alternative is to check them.

Wrap them securely with MANY layers of newspaper and put the plants in a box and check it through. The box and the newspaper become great insulation, and the heat won't escape as rapidly as one might think.

If you're really concernead about it, add a heat pack or two, but if you do, don't seal the box totally (or put a few holes in it) so the heat packs will work.