Safety & Security Call – Medication Importation

Personal Importation is the practice of bringing items, particularly drugs or medical devices, through customs for personal use and not for resale. This practice is highly regulated and monitored by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure that no undocumented items enter the country. Knowing what you can import and what documentation you need to bring can help you abide by local laws and regulations when travelling internationally. Importing prescription drugs (and some over the counter drugs) purchased from outside of the U.S. is illegal, as these products have usually not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the U.S. and may be harmful to the user. If CBP discovers non-regulated medication in your baggage, they will seize the item, deny its entry into the country, and may impose fines or other penalties on you and Omni. Failure to declare any items brought into the U.S. is also illegal. If Customs and Border Protection discovers a non-regulated article in your baggage that you did not declare, it could be subject to higher penalties. Additionally, the FDA and CBP do not recommend traveling with more than a 30-day supply of any medication.

You are only permitted to re-enter the United States with medication if:

• The medication was prescribed/legally obtained within the U.S.
• The medication remains in the original, labeled packaging or container
• You provide the written prescription, if applicable

It is also not permitted to store your medication in galley carts or ice bins due to the risk of contamination. The container could break or leak over the ice without your knowledge, exposing the ice and subsequently our passengers to medication that could cause serious health issues. The Safety department greatly appreciates the transparency and professionalism that you demonstrate every day. We hope that this information helps you understand the steps you need to take to travel safely with your prescription medication, but please use the following links or reach out to safety@oai.aero if you have any questions.