A question to European members about air travel with plants

[camille1585]

I am flying back to France for x-mas for 18 days. A friend generously offered to take care of the orchids while I'm gone. She is fine with coming up every 7 days or so to water everyone, but I don't want to take advantage of her generosity by making her mist the mounted orchids and small plants every day.

So, I want to take them with me in the airplane from the Netherlands to France. I emailed Air France but I'm still waiting for an answer. Does anyone know if I'm going to run into problems traveling with 11 small orchids in my carry on and suitcase? I do not want to have them confiscated!

If I don't take them with me, how long can mounted orchids last without water?

[lepanthes89]

Hi;
I would not take them with me,as they can cause you delays and problems with the authorities.Remember plants mean nothing to most of these people,and they think nothing of throwing your plants out.
What I do is put mounted plants in deep trays (or baking pans filled with wet sphagnum.Sink them in it,even draping some over them.
I've had Lepanthes,Pleurothallis etc.stay in excellent shape for 2 weeks like that.
Take care
Spiro