Effects of changes to liquids on Domestic flights Regarding Duty free )

Hi, Just wondering what peoples thoughts are if there are any changes to carry on liquids on domestic flights.? With the way things have been lately and what is going on in the world with the terror threats etc. This would effect passengers that have to fly back to their homes in other states from Sydney so that would probably mean that we could no longer buy duty free drinks in Port Vila to bring home etc.

Regards Zanny

My view is sealed duty free will be OK, but they may stop taking liquids on domestic flights. At the moment it is just on international flights.

If you have checked luggage, pack your duty free in that. Take some bubble wrap and large zip lock bags with you. Wrap bubble wrap around the bottle, seal in one zip lock bag, then seal (reversed) in another. Pack between layers of clothing.

I've travelled all over the world with wine and spirits packed in my checked luggage.

This has been an issue for us in the past and as such we rarely get Duty free anymore and if we do we get it at the Aussie airport.

My view is sealed duty free will be OK, but they may stop taking liquids on domestic flights. At the moment it is just on international flights.

If they bring in the restriction on carrying liquids on domestic flights, do not count on sealed duty free being OK. It is not OK on international flights unless you buy it within the secure area of the airport. I remember a cruise that returned to Auckland. Many Aussies bought duty free alcohol on the ship, then went to board their flight to Australia, hand-carrying the duty free alcohol. It was all confiscated. There were a lot of unhappy people.

If they bring in the restriction on carrying liquids on domestic flights, do not count on sealed duty free being OK. It is not OK on international flights unless you buy it within the secure area of the airport. I remember a cruise that returned to Auckland. Many Aussies bought duty free alcohol on the ship, then went to board their flight to Australia, hand-carrying the duty free alcohol. It was all confiscated. There were a lot of unhappy people.

Best to check with point of entry, when in doubt. When I flew home from UK via Doha and Adelaide, it was OK to bring in duty free alcohol. However, duty free alcohol was banned in to Melbourne. No-one could tell me why.

Some international airports with flights to Australia have odd enforcement of rules. Often costly for the traveller. Perhaps it relates to flying into Melbourne.

I was connecting in HK coming back from Europe. Quite a few passengers bought duty free in the terminal shops, inside customs and immigration. Same happened in March when I was coming back from QM2 trip to HK.

So many bottles of expensive drinks confiscated at the boarding gate.

They hand searched all carry on luggage.

I have seen a you tube of a lady handing out shots to other travellers as she wouldn't hand over the alcohol to be confiscated, she ended up pouring one bottle into the bin.

Some international airports with flights to Australia have odd enforcement of rules. Often costly for the traveller. Perhaps it relates to flying into Melbourne.

 

I was connecting in HK coming back from Europe. Quite a few passengers bought duty free in the terminal shops, inside customs and immigration. Same happened in March when I was coming back from QM2 trip to HK.

 

So many bottles of expensive drinks confiscated at the boarding gate.

 

They hand searched all carry on luggage.

No, it's not just Melbourne, or Hong Kong. Bangkok is the same. My neighbour bought a bottle of champagne duty free when leaving Paris. The flight had a stop in Bangkok and the champagne was confiscated. Apparently they claimed it was an Australian customs requirement.

Could be a nice little money earner for the airport and the duty free stores. Sell expensive alcohol which then gets confiscated, recycled back into the duty free store, sold again, confiscated again, and so on. :confused: :eek: :rolleyes:

A few years ago, whilst in transit in Singapore, we went to buy a bottle of liquor from the duty free. We had to present a boarding pass and when the sales person saw it we were told we couldn't buy it if boarding a plane to Australia, which we were.

If you get off an International flight in the US you have to pack your Duty free as it's not allowed on a domestic flights, still in sealed bag or not. We got caught when the rules were new and the bags were checked through already, so we found a box, packed the booze and checked it in.

I would imagine if Australia went to the same rules as International travel, bottles of duty free won't be allowed in hand luggage.

Could be a nice little money earner for the airport and the duty free stores. Sell expensive alcohol which then gets confiscated, recycled back into the duty free store, sold again, confiscated again, and so on. :confused: :eek: :rolleyes:

More like the customs officers are taking them for themselves.

Possibly.

I wonder if any of our NZ forumites have had this problem, or does it only apply to flights to Australia?

Possibly.

 

I wonder if any of our NZ forumites have had this problem, or does it only apply to flights to Australia?

I have had more problems with NZ security officers than in any other country. Before a fairly recent flight from the USA, while we were putting all our moisturisers and creams in a clear zip-lock bag, a security officer came over and told us we no longer had to do that. They only wanted liquids in the bag.

On a very recent flight through Auckland, we had to put all the moisturisers, creams and make-up (even lipsticks) in the clear bags. On other flights, NZ officers have also queried various other items - make-up brush and a small hand mirror.

Ah, what I meant was people travelling to NZ from or transiting though Hong Kong, Singapore, or Bangkok, and not being able to take duty free onboard - in a similar manner to those travelling to Australia.

I generally purchase my duty free booze upon arrival in New Zealand. The shelf price is cheaper than Australia and it becomes even more so when one takes into account the exchange difference. On top of that if travelling through Auckland and one uses Aurelia on line one can get it even cheaper by becoming a regular customer and one picks it up airside on arrival.

A few years ago, whilst in transit in Singapore, we went to buy a bottle of liquor from the duty free. We had to present a boarding pass and when the sales person saw it we were told we couldn't buy it if boarding a plane to Australia, which we were.

The rule there is,you have to buy it within 1 hour of boarding,you pick it up at the gate

Cheers Carole

Ah, what I meant was people travelling to NZ from or transiting though Hong Kong, Singapore, or Bangkok, and not being able to take duty free onboard - in a similar manner to those travelling to Australia.

I realised that. Sorry if I went off on a tangent. :)

Going Phuket to Melb is even worse. Not only can't you bring any duty free onto the plane but they also confiscate water/drinks purchased/acquired in the departure area.

The same excuse is used, that it is the Aust gov that demands it and my guess if they do it is because of what they view as lax security measures at those particular airports. Jetstar make a hefty profit selling bottled water.

Going Phuket to Melb is even worse. Not only can't you bring any duty free onto the plane but they also confiscate water/drinks purchased/acquired in the departure area.

The same excuse is used, that it is the Aust gov that demands it and my guess if they do it is because of what they view as lax security measures at those particular airports. Jetstar make a hefty profit selling bottled water.

The only time we have had this queried is going through the security for an international flight. We drink the water then refill with safe water (if we know its is safe) on the other side of the security. I am sure it is not an Australian government requirement. We always have bottled water with us when arriving in Australia. Often that is a bottle we have been given on the plane and that isn't much different from buying a bottle of water in the terminal.

Hi, Just wondering what peoples thoughts are if there are any changes to carry on liquids on domestic flights.? With the way things have been lately and what is going on in the world with the terror threats etc. This would effect passengers that have to fly back to their homes in other states from Sydney so that would probably mean that we could no longer buy duty free drinks in Port Vila to bring home etc.

Regards Zanny

Just did exactly that on Saturday. Domestic flight from Syd to Bris with 1.7 litres of Duty Free alcohol from Vila in my carry on. No problems whatsoever. Hopefully they will give the passengers some pre-warning if this changes. Current laws are -

Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage – A maximum net total of 5L per person is permitted providing the alcohol is contained within retail packaging. The alcohol must not be more than 70% alcohol by volume and consumption of alcohol carried on board is not permitted on the aircraft.