Duty Free Discrimination
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Duty Free Discrimination
Was in KL International the other week waiting for a flight to ABZ via AMS so passed some time in the duty free shop, where a bottle or two of Gordon's finest ended up in my shopping basket.
Came to the checkout and the lovely Malaysian girl (they're all lovely) asked if AMS was my final destination. "No" says I. "Then you can't have them" says she.
WTF, I thought, you can stick your Gordon's and I'll keep my remaining ringgits for next time. This can't be right? Similar flight this time last year my litre of juniper juice from Singapore in its clear sealed bag, complete with visible receipt, walked through LHR from terminal 4 to 1 to catch the ABZ flight. Must be the f---ng Cloggies in AMS I thought.
In AMS I picked up a duty free brochure to convince Mrs C-dog that my ranting was justified, but there it was, last paragraph on the back page. [B]NO DUTY FREE BOTTLES CAN BE TRANSFERRED BETWEEN FLIGHTS WITHIN THE EU!
As ABZ and many other airports in the UK and the EU for that matter don't have the luxury of intercontinental flights this means effectively we have seen the last of duty free as we know it if you use the regionals.
This is blatant discrimination favouring those who live close to the likes of AMS or LHR (mind you they need all the encouragement they can get to stay there) but what are us poor people in the sticks going to do now?
Check your baggage to the gateway airport, claim baggage, put Gordons in baggage, check self and baggage in for domestic flight - err, no thanks, probably easier to take the case (no pun intended) to the European Court of Human Rights.
Of course the answer is to buy your duty frees on arrival and I understand there are some facilities for doing this. However that would hammer the profits of the existing duty free shops, probly to the extent of BAA having to double the 20% increase they have been given approval to charge airlines.
OK, rant over!
Came to the checkout and the lovely Malaysian girl (they're all lovely) asked if AMS was my final destination. "No" says I. "Then you can't have them" says she.
WTF, I thought, you can stick your Gordon's and I'll keep my remaining ringgits for next time. This can't be right? Similar flight this time last year my litre of juniper juice from Singapore in its clear sealed bag, complete with visible receipt, walked through LHR from terminal 4 to 1 to catch the ABZ flight. Must be the f---ng Cloggies in AMS I thought.
In AMS I picked up a duty free brochure to convince Mrs C-dog that my ranting was justified, but there it was, last paragraph on the back page. [B]NO DUTY FREE BOTTLES CAN BE TRANSFERRED BETWEEN FLIGHTS WITHIN THE EU!
As ABZ and many other airports in the UK and the EU for that matter don't have the luxury of intercontinental flights this means effectively we have seen the last of duty free as we know it if you use the regionals.
This is blatant discrimination favouring those who live close to the likes of AMS or LHR (mind you they need all the encouragement they can get to stay there) but what are us poor people in the sticks going to do now?
Check your baggage to the gateway airport, claim baggage, put Gordons in baggage, check self and baggage in for domestic flight - err, no thanks, probably easier to take the case (no pun intended) to the European Court of Human Rights.
Of course the answer is to buy your duty frees on arrival and I understand there are some facilities for doing this. However that would hammer the profits of the existing duty free shops, probly to the extent of BAA having to double the 20% increase they have been given approval to charge airlines.
OK, rant over!
Paid...Persona Grata
Actually, she did you a favour. If she had let you take them on the a/c some jobsworth at AMS security would have taken them off you!! I've given up bothering with duty free at all, learned long ago that the shops (well LHR anyway) are a real rip-off, can buy decent whisky as cheap from local supermarket.
UFO
UFO
Last edited by UniFoxOs; 12th Mar 2008 at 08:27. Reason: Typo
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But where were you departing from...If I go from USA to Manchester it's ok because I am already outside the EU...I worked in the Duty free shop for 2 years at MAN... If a passenger was going on a domestic but transferring in LHR for say Boston...We always sold the duty free to them.
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I think UFO is right- she did you a favour. At AMS the security has been dispersed to the gates, so it is impossible to isolate your duty free from anything bought groundside.
The best solution would be to put the duty free shops in the baggage hall, give you something to do while you wait for your bags. The fact that we would no longer be carrying all those bottles of flammable liquid would be a bonus!
The best solution would be to put the duty free shops in the baggage hall, give you something to do while you wait for your bags. The fact that we would no longer be carrying all those bottles of flammable liquid would be a bonus!
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I didn't argue the point with the lovely Malaysian lassie even though I thought she was totally wrong at the time. She was right and the bottles would have been taken off me at AMS. Is LHR still letting them through?
It would appear from the signs in the KL duty free shop that there is a similar regulation in Oz but they don't mention the EU.
It would appear from the signs in the KL duty free shop that there is a similar regulation in Oz but they don't mention the EU.
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Dairyground
I seem to recall reading something recently to the effect that booze and similar liquids bought in EU duty-free shops and on board UK (or EU?) operated aircraft would be supplied in approved transparent packaging and could be carried through security checks in that packaging. A quick search using a well-known search engine has not turned up a reference to such a statement, although it did find reports of a European Decision to extend such a facility to goods purchased in airports outside the EU where security was believed to be up to ICAO standards.
My search did find specific rules for transit through Australian airports. generally it can't be done, but there is a hint of an exception similar to that proposed by the EU. In Sydney, and possibly at other entry points into OZ, it is possibly to buy at duty-free shops on arrival. The new finger-printing regime at Heathrow may provide similar facilities there.
My search did find specific rules for transit through Australian airports. generally it can't be done, but there is a hint of an exception similar to that proposed by the EU. In Sydney, and possibly at other entry points into OZ, it is possibly to buy at duty-free shops on arrival. The new finger-printing regime at Heathrow may provide similar facilities there.
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C-Dog,
she really did you a favor! It's the same procedure in all airports within Europe. You get in with liquids over 100 ml from outside Europe, its for the garbage bin when you transfer to a Intra-European flight.
Learned it the hard way from Russia via MUC. The difference is that they told me in St. Petersburg, that I can get through as they are using the same sealed bags you get when you buy duty free inside Europe. Well, the guys in MUC had a totally different opinion
.
Frank
she really did you a favor! It's the same procedure in all airports within Europe. You get in with liquids over 100 ml from outside Europe, its for the garbage bin when you transfer to a Intra-European flight.
Learned it the hard way from Russia via MUC. The difference is that they told me in St. Petersburg, that I can get through as they are using the same sealed bags you get when you buy duty free inside Europe. Well, the guys in MUC had a totally different opinion
.Frank
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Well, my last 3 trips from Bombay to Edinburgh via Heathrow, I have bought a bottle of the hard stuff on the BA flight, which they just wrap in their clear plastic bag (hardly approved, or sealed). The first time it was in my backpack when it went under the scanner at Heathrow. Of course I was pulled up:
Security Guy: Yew have a bottle in your bag, sir. That is not allowed.
Me: Oh dear, it's just some duty free I got on the plane.
I pull out the bottle in its flimsy bag and wave it in front of him.
SG (sucks breath through teeth): BA was it? (I nod) Werl, I'll have to ask my supervisor.
Luckily, the super was within shouting distance and came over. In the meantime I had found the receipt for my bottle and waved it like a prisoner's pardon. SG takes the receipt and they both study it.
SG: 'Ere, this receipt has got yesterday's date.
Me: Yes, well it was an overnight flight.
This seems to satisfy them and they hand me back my receipt, my bottle and my dignity. I was halfway across the Flight Connections Centre when I realised that I had left my shoes back at security...
The last 2 times I took the bottle out of my bag and put it in a tray with my laptop and I mention that it is duty free and so far I have had no trouble.
Have I been lucky? I'm wondering if it will work all the time.
Security Guy: Yew have a bottle in your bag, sir. That is not allowed.
Me: Oh dear, it's just some duty free I got on the plane.
I pull out the bottle in its flimsy bag and wave it in front of him.
SG (sucks breath through teeth): BA was it? (I nod) Werl, I'll have to ask my supervisor.
Luckily, the super was within shouting distance and came over. In the meantime I had found the receipt for my bottle and waved it like a prisoner's pardon. SG takes the receipt and they both study it.
SG: 'Ere, this receipt has got yesterday's date.
Me: Yes, well it was an overnight flight.
This seems to satisfy them and they hand me back my receipt, my bottle and my dignity. I was halfway across the Flight Connections Centre when I realised that I had left my shoes back at security...
The last 2 times I took the bottle out of my bag and put it in a tray with my laptop and I mention that it is duty free and so far I have had no trouble.
Have I been lucky? I'm wondering if it will work all the time.
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The Malaysian lady in the shop was quite correct, if you are transferring within the EU you cannot take duty free items into the cabin which have been purchased outside the EU. Here is the wording of the rule...
"If your journey involves changing flights at any EU airport, special restrictions apply. You may only take liquid duty free purchases above 100ml through the security check point at your connecting airport if they have been purchased at another EU airport or in Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, or on board an aircraft operated by an EU carrier or a carrier of Iceland, Norway or Switzerland. You will need to show proof of purchase to demonstrate this. Liquid purchases of more than 100ml bought from other airports or on board other airlines may only be carried as checked in baggage on the connecting flight."
No reason is offered for the regulation and this rule appears to be ignored in certain EU airports....
"If your journey involves changing flights at any EU airport, special restrictions apply. You may only take liquid duty free purchases above 100ml through the security check point at your connecting airport if they have been purchased at another EU airport or in Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, or on board an aircraft operated by an EU carrier or a carrier of Iceland, Norway or Switzerland. You will need to show proof of purchase to demonstrate this. Liquid purchases of more than 100ml bought from other airports or on board other airlines may only be carried as checked in baggage on the connecting flight."
No reason is offered for the regulation and this rule appears to be ignored in certain EU airports....
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Duty Free Issues
Was in Dubai Duty Free last Friday, and bought some after-shave. Salesgirl asked me if I would be transiting on another flight after the Bahrain leg. Said no, and asked why. She said that iany liquids over 100 ml would be conficated. I asked if that were true, flying east as well as west. Her reply was affirmative.
Must have put a huge hole in the DDF profits.
Must have put a huge hole in the DDF profits.
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Yep,
Real Duty free now a thing of the past for many due the stupid security rules these days. Even inter-Europe doesnt always work depending upon the airport regardless of what the rules actually are.....do you want to stand arguing with security these days?...no, I thought not.....
Definite EU Cash-grabbing monopoly.
Real Duty free now a thing of the past for many due the stupid security rules these days. Even inter-Europe doesnt always work depending upon the airport regardless of what the rules actually are.....do you want to stand arguing with security these days?...no, I thought not.....
Definite EU Cash-grabbing monopoly.
