Duty Free Question

Mimikyu

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Had the same problem flying home from vegas via gatwick.

You will have to check it in on the last leg of your trip unfortunately.

Mimikyu

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undo

The best thing is to have it sealed by the duty free shop. They have special plastic bags that, if properly sealed, will allow you to take more than 100ml through security.

If you happen to change flights without having to go to a different terminal, this may be unnecessary - but it won't hurt. Also, I have seen it happen that people had gotten to the gate, duty free in hand, and then suddenly gates got switched around, forcing them to walk out of the secure zone and back through a security check. Anyone with liquids not sealed in that kind of bag had to give them up. So definitely insist on the bag and do not open it until you are at your final destination.

Captain Morgan

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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hmm, if it's a connecting flight you might get away with it. Depends if you have to go through security again.

undo

If you get a tamper-proof bag, properly sealed by the duty free shop, you can keep going through security time and time again until you finally start glowing in the dark from all the x-rays and still keep your precious liquids. Here is a link from Google that shows the kind of bag I mean:

http://www.megafortris.com/mfmportal/Products/BoxesLabelsPouchesBags/TEBagsDutyFree/tabid/101/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Mimikyu

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BuffyBot

I think they mean you could do it the other way (Dublin -> Heathrow -> Canada)

You can't purchase Duty Free in Heathrow on the way in - if you bought the spirits in London, you would be charged normal price as it's your onward flight that counts, not where you came from.

The good news is that if you're flying in on a UK Based airline (e.g BA) your on board duty-free purchases can be bagged in that way and brought though. Even then, I'd bring a print out just incase you get someone not familiar with the rules at the checkpoint

If it isn't a EU based airline (e.g) Air Canada or purchased at the airport (if not listed above) then you'll most likely lost it at the security point.

nompere

I recently read a thread on tripadvisor about buying duty-free on board a BA flight. It is worth making sure that the attendant knows to put your bottles in a sealable bag.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k3223597-British_Airways_Duty_Free_Warning-Air_Travel.html

enzo7

You cant bring duty-free throught heathrow they will make you check it in, i tryed it from kuala lumpur a mth ago even doe i had the sealed security bag they still said coz it was from an non eu destination i had to check it in.

you can buy duty free in heathrow but its at uk duty free prices so wouldnt really be saving much

RATM

The duty free rules are pure cack these days, especially flying into the EU from elsewhere.
I just got stung at Gatwick only 6 weeks ago. My flight was Buenos Aires to San Paulo to London then Ryanair off my own bat to Dublin. Bought 2x1L Smifnoff in the Sao Paulo duty free on a 5 hour stopover, vodka was placed in a sealed bag and I kept the reciept to prove where and when I had bought it (as the rules say)

But in Gatwick I made the fatal mistake of not putting it into my check in luggage and tried to carry it on. Cue Gatwick Customs drinking confiscating my vodka:mad:
The uniformed lad held up my 2litres of vodka and said that 'It's considered a dangerous object in the UK'. I sniggered and said 'Only if you drink it all at once'. We both laughed, but he still kept my vodka

undo

It's ridiculous that rules get in the way of duty free bought outside the EU - when it is precisely buying outside the EU that entitles you to get things duty free in the first place. It makes little sense. But what can you do, those are the rules... I guess the best thing is to always remember and stuff duty free into checked luggage when doing a stopover somewhere.