Liquids in original container?

[NCBusguy]

I just read through the sticky about entering Cozumel at the airport and I read several comments that said they had their liquids (soap, shampoo, ect) confiscated for not being in original packaging. On the Official Mexican site (Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México) it doesn't say it needs to be in the original packaging. What is the scoop?

 

[ggunn]

I just read through the sticky about entering Cozumel at the airport and I read several comments that said they had their liquids (soap, shampoo, ect) confiscated for not being in original packaging. On the Official Mexican site (Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México) it doesn't say it needs to be in the original packaging. What is the scoop?

I'm confused; after you have landed why would they be enforcing measures ostensibly designed to make flying safer?

 

[rick00001967]

for me personally, my wife and i rarely travel with anything in original packages. it has never been an issue anywhere we have gone and that includes mexico. we regularly transfer shampoo, conditioner, and even medications and vitamins etc into smaller, travel sized containers. i have never been questioned. maybe we just get lucky ? have things changed at the coz airport (we usually fly into cancun) ? does the airport security think people are smuggling something into the country that is not allowed ?

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Cancun is much more lax about entry. than is Cozumel. t may be the Cozumel shake down.

Dave Dillehay

 

[deepsea21]

I've not heard of such a thing when entering Coz but I can tell you there are some strange things going on with Mexican Customs entering Coz that I view as unusual and there are even stranger things going on in other Mexican international airports. However, at the end of the day, we all are entering a foreign country and if we want to pass through that gate and enter that country we have to be willing to accept whatever search and confiscations they may impose prior to allowing us to enter. If not, we can pack up our stuff, not leave the airport and book the next flight back to where we came from.

A few years ago when my wife and I flew in we witnessed a woman who grabbed her bag from the belt, one of those cheap wheels from her luggage had been broken off in transit and she was raising all hell about that. Perhaps her behavior made her stand out and she was flagged for an inspection. She continued to raise all hell screaming that no one was going inspect her bag and that she had rights and this and that. Everyone who passed her ongoing outburst was probably thinking the same thing we were... That bag is gonna get opened and searched or your're not leaving this airport and will be going back to where you came from at your own expense. If not, you'll be going to jail. Obviously this person must have never traveled abroad before or was just ignorant.

Entry into another country as a foreigner is not a right of ours but a privilege that country may or may not grant us. If Mexican Customs confiscates a few bottles of shampoo and conditioner in those little bottles its not a big deal. One can buy all of that they want at any grocery store.

 

[Streydog]

I've not heard of such a thing when entering Coz but I can tell you there are some strange things going on with Mexican Customs entering Coz that I view as unusual and there are even stranger things going on in other Mexican international airports. However, at the end of the day, we all are entering a foreign country and if we want to pass through that gate and enter that country we have to be willing to accept whatever search and confiscations they may impose prior to allowing us to enter. If not, we can pack up our stuff, not leave the airport and book the next flight back to where we came from.

A few years ago when my wife and I flew in we witnessed a woman who grabbed her bag from the belt, one of those cheap wheels from her luggage had been broken off in transit and she was raising all hell about that. Perhaps her behavior made her stand out and she was flagged for an inspection. She continued to raise all hell screaming that no one was going inspect her bag and that she had rights and this and that. Everyone who passed her ongoing outburst was probably thinking the same thing we were... That bag is gonna get opened and searched or your're not leaving this airport and will be going back to where you came from at your own expense. If not, you'll be going to jail. Obviously this person must have never traveled abroad before or was just ignorant.

Entry into another country as a foreigner is not a right of ours but a privilege that country may or may not grant us. If Mexican Customs confiscates a few bottles of shampoo and conditioner in those little bottles its not a big deal. One can buy all of that they want at any grocery store.

So are you saying you have not experienced them confiscating unlabeled bottles?

 

[ggunn]

So are you saying you have not experienced them confiscating unlabeled bottles?

Just to be clear, are we talking about flights incoming to or outgoing from Cozumel? Why would such things be a concern for incoming travelers? All the regulations I have seen about liquids and gels in airports have been about post shoebomber and post underwearbomber measures taken for air travel security (please let's not get into whether they are effective or necessary); what's the point after the plane has landed?

 

[DandyDon]

I avoid taking liquids as they add to my weight challenges so much, but I have never had the problems others have recently described. I normally do take liquid soap in a travel bottle, but Customs has only stopped me once - and then only glanced inside my bag.

A few years ago when my wife and I flew in we witnessed a woman who grabbed her bag from the belt, one of those cheap wheels from her luggage had been broken off in transit and she was raising all hell about that. Perhaps her behavior made her stand out and she was flagged for an inspection. She continued to raise all hell screaming that no one was going inspect her bag and that she had rights and this and that. Everyone who passed her ongoing outburst was probably thinking the same thing we were... That bag is gonna get opened and searched or your're not leaving this airport and will be going back to where you came from at your own expense. If not, you'll be going to jail. Obviously this person must have never traveled abroad before or was just ignorant.

The airline is responsible for such damages. Was she directed to an airline claims agent? Was her bag searched?

Entry into another country as a foreigner is not a right of ours but a privilege that country may or may not grant us. If Mexican Customs confiscates a few bottles of shampoo and conditioner in those little bottles its not a big deal. One can buy all of that they want at any grocery store.

I wouldn't care, but many women would. During the first six months after the pandemic was recognized here, I did shopping for my brother's family to keep everyone in their household out of stores as they're all high risk - until his wife adopted online shopping and curbside pickups. For a few months, it was like a scavenger hunt trying to meet their particular tastes with the shortages. My sisinlaw and her mom are very particular about their body washes and shampoos.

 

[living4experiences]

I just read through the sticky about entering Cozumel at the airport and I read several comments that said they had their liquids (soap, shampoo, ect) confiscated for not being in original packaging. On the Official Mexican site (Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México) it doesn't say it needs to be in the original packaging. What is the scoop?

I've never had anything confiscated at the Cozumel airport upon arrival. Just curious, how old is the "sticky" you're referring to? It may be outdated info or a one-off, occasional thing. Mexico, though, is known for not following their own laws.

 

[deepsea21]

So are you saying you have not experienced them confiscating unlabeled bottles?

I have not but there could always be exceptions... For example, if someone is traveling for only a week and a quart or more of some liquid that could have been left in its original container had been put into an unmarked bottle I can see why that could be looked at more closely, questioned and opened to see what it is. I can only guess but if one is traveling with liquids in unmarked bottles as long as the size of the bottle and number of bottles reflects what a normal person would be traveling with given the length of their stay I don't see a reason for any checks and/or confiscations unless someone is acting strangely. Generally I'd say hair shampoo, conditioner, hair de-tangler in a little spray bottle, mouthwash, etc. isn't going to raise any flags, isn't going to be looked at and, therefore won't be confiscated.