Duty Free

[gra46]

Last june when i went to Thailand i bought alcohol from duty free in Sydney. When we arrived at Bangkok we went to domestic terminals to wait forour flight to phuket but was told we can not board the plane with the alcohol ..we traveled from Syd to Bkk with it no problem on Thai airways....We were told to leave it behind or hurry to the 3rd floor and have it boxed and checked in to load on plane..So we had it checked in as luggage and picked it up at Phuket airport ...so my question is why can we leave Sydney and take it in the plane as duty free as our suit cases are already checked in and not allowed to board domestic flight with it?
As we checked our luggage in at Sydney we dont see our suitcases till Phuket so how we suppose to pack it in the luggage prior to departure? im Just wondering is this still the case as i leave for phuket again in 23 days time

Hi - this is a pretty standard rule, not just in Thailand but most places. Basically you can bring liquids onto a flight if within specified dimensions, bought in the airport of departure and packaged in tamper proof packaging. What you cannot do is transfer to a second flight with them.

I cannot say that this is universally observed, however I know it happens in most UK airports, Narita, Incheon & Moscow. I find that duty free staff tend to be informative and helpful - tell them your plans and they can suggest the best course of action.

I actually remember buying some sun tan lotion and after sun at Heathrow. There was no problem in taking it out of Heathrow but the problem was when I got a connecting flight in BKK, I had to throw it away, as it was in my hand luggage, even though it was not tampered with and I had the receipt etc from Heathrow. I now make a point of buying all my "stuff" and packing it in my luggage. I try and not buy anything at airports now, unless it is cheap and I don't have any onward travel. Airport goods are a total rip off anyway, with regard to the so called saving of VAT or whatever they call it in the respective country.

[gra46]

I actually remember buying some sun tan lotion and after sun at Heathrow. There was no problem in taking it out of Heathrow but the problem was when I got a connecting flight in BKK, I had to throw it away, as it was in my hand luggage, even though it was not tampered with and I had the receipt etc from Heathrow. I now make a point of buying all my "stuff" and packing it in my luggage. I try and not buy anything at airports now, unless it is cheap and I don't have any onward travel. Airport goods are a total rip off anyway, with regard to the so called saving of VAT or whatever they call it in the respective country.
Im sorry but that total crap DUTY FREE on alcohol is a big saving. i buy a bottle of something for my room and it a huge saving. i understand why Liquids are to be controled aboard a flight but when it duty free your buy it past all sercurity points. i never have trouble in any other country not even Syd to Bkk but without leaving the airport to my flight to phuket i was stopped ..i do believe now i take some of the advice here but WD duty free is a huge saving

i have never had a problem but i usuly buy my duty free at the point of destination. maybe thats what you should do next time to be safe.

[lo-so]

Virgin had difficulties with the BAA at Heathrow regarding pricing of "Duty Free" items. They initially advertised, at their check in desks, that travelers would save more by buying on board rather than at the outlets operated by BAA at the terminal. BAA won the argument such that Virgin could not promote their cheaper prices on the premises - however they resolved this, in part, by showing their prices relative to those of the BAA official concessions on their flight coupons.

The differences in prices can be quite substantial and perhaps it is the relative ignorance of the traveling public that some self styled duty free shops exploit. The rather horrendous conditions at the arrivals gate at Suvarnabhumi bears some witness to the greed of those influential people (at the time)who wanted to screw every sq. inch into further retail space. Waiting to greet friends arriving here is really rather difficult due to the overcrowding of those coming through gates A-C due to such outlets and the planning, or the lack thereof, involved....

In vino veritas.