Duty Free Question

Jude13

I am flying from Muscat - Abu Dhabi (dont get off the plane)- London, change planes then off to Dublin this Christmas.

I have chatted to a two people who have done this trip. One swears blind that if you buy duty free (booze) in Muscat it will be taken off you in London before the onward journey to Dublin.

Does anyone know what the case is? I am hoping to buy two bottle of very good stuff on my way home but it would be a big loss it they get taken from me.

Cheers

circular flexing

I was able to buy duty free in Vancouver and I got it through Heathrow. When I bought it in Vancouver, it was placed in a tamper proof bag with the receipt. When I was passing through Heathrow, I told them I had duty free and they put it through a different screener.

So if the shop in Muscat puts it in the correct bag with the receipt, it should be fine.

Jude13

Yes, that is what I thought would be the story also but my pal swears different.

We took the Muscat-abu dhabi leg to go to AD for a few days last month and that's where the discussion started. Stupid me, I should have asked the staff of BA at the time.

martinsvi

it's not about the bag, AFAIK, it's about the allowances - https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-outside-the-eu

so it all depends what you mean by the "good stuff", if it's something like 2x1L bottles of whiskey, you've breached the allowance and either you must declare the goods and pay tax or, if you try to sneak through the "nothing to declare" corridor, if they found you have those bottles, they will be confiscated

for what it's worth adding, I bring home "good stuff" all the time from when I visit outside EU, I have never had anything confiscated.. I simply have never breached the allowances

roundymac

If you have to change terminals at LHR then you could have a problem, 100ml being the limit you are allowed to bring through. I also suspect it depends who's on duty on the day as to wheather your are left through. Try the LHR website, it might give you an idea as to what you can or cannot do.

circular flexing

roundymac wrote: »

If you have to change terminals at LHR then you could have a problem, 100ml being the limit you are allowed to bring through. I also suspect it depends who's on duty on the day as to wheather your are left through. Try the LHR website, it might give you an idea as to what you can or cannot do.

Changing terminals at Heathrow should never bring you landside. On the airside, if your duty free is in a tamper proof bag, it should be fine.

I went from T5 to T1 with a one litre bottle of rum and there were no issues.

circular flexing

martinsvi wrote: »

it's not about the bag, AFAIK, it's about the allowances - https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-outside-the-eu

so it all depends what you mean by the "good stuff", if it's something like 2x1L bottles of whiskey, you've breached the allowance and either you must declare the goods and pay tax or, if you try to sneak through the "nothing to declare" corridor, if they found you have those bottles, they will be confiscated

for what it's worth adding, I bring home "good stuff" all the time from when I visit outside EU, I have never had anything confiscated.. I simply have never breached the allowances

If transiting at Heathrow, you don't pass through customs.

martinsvi

circular flexing wrote: »

If transiting at Heathrow, you don't pass through customs.

that's how I remember it but the OP got me confused.. so can the OP ask his friend what personnel took the goods away, that would indicate the reason for it

lord lucan

martinsvi wrote: »

that's how I remember it but the OP got me confused.. so can the OP ask his friend what personnel took the goods away, that would indicate the reason for it

I'd hazard a guess that the items weren't in a STEB and transfer security took them. Once they're in a STEB you'll have no trouble getting through security in LHR. Image below of what a STEB looks like,ensure staff put the products into one before purchasing.

Jude13

I was hoping to get min a good bottle of whiskey for my Dad. The pal who flew the last time had the booze in one of those sealable duty free bags. I just don't want to lose a few 100 quid over this.

I will give BA an email.

LXFlyer

OP if you're flying with BA all the way to Dublin, there is now no terminal transfer at Heathrow as BA's Dublin flights now operate from Terminal 5.

You will still have to go through security, but nothing else.

Just make sure that whatever duty free that you buy, it is within a tamper-proof clear sealed bag.

Jude13

I will give it a go. I land in T5 and leave from T5 alright. Cheers for all the feedback.

The Buster

It's beeen a few years since I did this but I thinkmif your connecting flight originated outside the EU or other named country tree is a restriction on liquids irrespective of whether they are in a taper proof bag. I think the other named country was limited to Iceland, Nordics and USA so looks like you will not be able to buy in Middle East and bring through Heathrow. The staff in the duty free shop will be able to tell you

Jude13

The staff in the Duty Free shop here are clueless, I asked them a couple of weeks ago and they just nodded to whatever question I asked them

crisco10

Had a different experience in Amsterdam coming home from BKK though...Had it in the tamper proof bag etc; security wouldn't let it through and forced me to check it in if I wanted to keep it. Luckily I had a backpack with me so I just wrapped it in a jacket and checked it in in the backpack.

Apparently, BKK wasn't on their list of "trusted" airports or something. Sounded quite arbitrary to me.

*Kol*

It's something worth checking out. I had bottles in the tamper proof bags taken off me before because I had come from outside the EU with them.

Jude13

Ive emailed BA, no reply yet. I will fill you in when i get a reply

Stinicker

I myself flew to Ireland this year via Kuala Lumpur and Amsterdam to Cork. Whilst waiting for my connecting flight in Kuala Lumpur I bought a 1L bottle of Jameson which is the limit for importing from outside the EU.

Anyway the bottle was sealed in a clear plastic bag and later when I was in Amsterdam they just put the sealed bag through the X-Ray at security at the gate and I was left through no problems. I was on a connecting flight ticket so if you were on two separate flights you would have to place the alcohol in your checked luggage as you'd be in breach of the 100mls liquid restrictions.

Jude13

Im don't have a chance to put it in my check in lugage after the duty free. Still no answer from BA

conor_ie

You may get a faster response if you send them a tweet.

circular flexing

BA likely wouldn't know anyway. Might be better off emailing Heathrow Airport as they are the ones that enforce the rules around what gets through security.

Jude13

Sadly not on twitter.
I will email the airport now.

LXFlyer

Jude13 wrote: »

Sadly not on twitter.
I will email the airport now.

Well I'd suggest setting an account up - it's easy and it's very handy for anything transport/travel related.


Especially for asking quick questions and keeping up to date on the move!

Jude13

No reply form Heathrow.

BA are sending me on an endless loop.
1. Fill out online form
2. recieve email not answering the query
3. Reply to email saying that it doesnt answer the query
4. Get an apology and instructions to follow a link
5. Click link and end up at the online form that I initally filled out.

Rinse and repeat.

5 years flying with Etihad and decided to change to see what BA are like. Bad move.

braddun

if its in carry on they will take it off you

you need to check it in

Jude13

I will have already checked my luggage in when I get to Duty free.

braddun

I purchased liquid items outside of the airport. Can I now take these through?

The 100ml restrictions for liquids remain in place with exceptions for liquid medicines and special dietary products, such as baby food.

Jude13

Cool, however, the liquid will be purchased within the airport of origin, after security in the duty free.

LiamaDelta

I think you 'should' be ok. I have previously brought liquids from T5 to T1 and it has been ok. As long as they are in one of those tamper proof bags and have the receipt IN THE BAG. They usually check that you purchased the liquids same day (or within 24 hours) and you are airside. In T1 security for transit passengers is separate to security for those starting their journey so they are used to people coming through with liquids. It's worth noting that in some airports they can put your final destination and flight numbers on the receipt too.

In fact I once came through transit security in LHR T1 once with liquids (mmm Hendricks gin) in a bag that I would have considered to be 'less than tamper proof' from a not so modern country...I really didn't think it would get through but they seem to have taken the bag and put it into a machine (not sure if it was to check weight or maybe volume or density or what), then just handed it to me and said 'that's fine thank you sir'!!

I haven't done the T5 international - T5 Dublin flight transfer yet since the BA move so I don't know what the process is there. I have looked for information on this before and I could never find anything concrete. The airlines don't know & don't care as it's nothing to do with them. The airport you buy the stuff in doesn't care as you're long long gone and they have your money!!

Jude13

Got a reply from Heathrow:
"Thank you for getting in touch.

Duty free liquids, aerosols and gels purchased from any airport or airline may now be carried as hand baggage. However, these must be sealed at the time of purchase with the receipt inside a security tamper-evident bag (The use of staples will not meet this requirement.). Following the initial x-ray scan, security officers may also need to carry out additional checks.

Please ensure these are carried separately out of your hand luggage and placed through the x-ray in a separate tray.

I hope this helps and please feel free to contact me should you have any further queries.

Yours sincerely"

Jude13

Cheers for all your replies

Sadler32

Thanks for this thread. answered my question too. I am flying back to dublin via Heathrow and had the same questions. BA all the way so should be a problem. I hope......

Korat

Jude13 wrote: »

Got a reply from Heathrow:
"Thank you for getting in touch.

Duty free liquids, aerosols and gels purchased from any airport or airline may now be carried as hand baggage. However, these must be sealed at the time of purchase with the receipt inside a security tamper-evident bag (The use of staples will not meet this requirement.). Following the initial x-ray scan, security officers may also need to carry out additional checks.

Please ensure these are carried separately out of your hand luggage and placed through the x-ray in a separate tray.

I hope this helps and please feel free to contact me should you have any further queries.

Yours sincerely"

That's good to know.

I usually don't bother buying bottles of anything when I've a connecting flight, because I just presume there will be hassle or there's a risk of it being confiscated at a security check-point.

I will try this on my next trip.

Sadler32

I work at sea and fly at least once a month. But I usually dont fly through London. Have heard the stories of T5, so I was wondering what the scenario is there. Usual I only buy in the connection airport, but I have such a short connection time that I would have the time to shop, so all has to be done in the initial airport....