Oversize Liquids Still Catching Out Passengers

[RCR]

I departed Bangkok on a TG flight early this week. The ground crew did their usual thing of setting up tables in front of the gate lounge entrance to check bags. A group of four Australian passport holders had oversized duty free alcohol. They were really upset to have the bottles confiscated. Apparently they were totally unaware of the liquids size requirement. Hasn't this procedure been in place for a couple of years now? I remember when it first started, the ground crew would end up confiscating a mountain of oversized booze and perfume and cologne, but it's rare for anyone to get caught out now.

An objection one of the passengers put up was: the duty free bags were sealed and therefore must be safe. But, it isn't so. From my previous working life, I recall finding sealed duty free bags that had been cleverly tampered with. The alcohol and cigarettes had been removed and replaced with coloured water and crumpled up newspaper. It would be just as easy to replace the alcohol and cigarettes with something more lethal.

Buy your too big duty free goodies when you arrive at your FINAL destination, people.

[doggie888888]

To be honest I was not aware that duty free can be confiscated as described above because I always buy at destination anyway (not from departure poiunt) to avoid carrying it around.

Besides, when one buys duty free, the staff usually asks for the boarding pass and see where you are going/arriving from...so in the case above, how awful to buy it and only to have it confiscated barely 50 meters further on. Surely the staff at duty free should tell you that your items are likely to be confiscated at the security check???? If it happened to me, I'd open the items immediately and pour it down the loo...otherwise it's another incentive for the staff to be unnecessarily "creative" or over zealous to collect lovely duty free items for own use!!! My loss should not be anyone else's gain, if I can help it !

[Farma]

These Liquids checks appear to be dependent on your destination. I've experienced the checks on the way to Australia but not to some other destinations.

There were no liquid checks in place at E terminal for destinations like Russia or the middle east last week for example.

[Crossy]

Duty free will only be confiscated if NOT bought at the current airport (i.e. brought in on a flight). The "buy it and then get it confiscated" scenario does should not occur (any first hand experiences?).

It's always wise to buy at your destination, or at your last transfer point.

[wpcoe]

Duty free will only be confiscated if NOT bought at the current airport (i.e. brought in on a flight). The "buy it and then get it confiscated" scenario does should not occur (any first hand experiences?).

It's always wise to buy at your destination, or at your last transfer point.

The US carriers (United and Delta) will not permit more than 100ml of liquids/gels/cremes to enter the gate room at Suvarnabhumi, even if purchased at the King Power shops in the terminal building and the liquids/gels/creams are in sealed bags. They conduct secondary security screening at the entrance to the gate room and confiscate anything over 100ml.

[Crossy]

Duty free will only be confiscated if NOT bought at the current airport (i.e. brought in on a flight). The "buy it and then get it confiscated" scenario does should not occur (any first hand experiences?).

It's always wise to buy at your destination, or at your last transfer point.

The US carriers (United and Delta) will not permit more than 100ml of liquids/gels/cremes to enter the gate room at Suvarnabhumi, even if purchased at the King Power shops in the terminal building and the liquids/gels/creams are in sealed bags. They conduct secondary security screening at the entrance to the gate room and confiscate anything over 100ml.

Nasty!! Thanks for the clarification. I have zero experience of this as the US is not a place I travel to. Certainly travellers to other destinations should have no problems with local duty free purchases.

I hope the check-in staff advise passengers that they will not be permitted to carry even duty-free bought at the airport.

[DefaultName]

Duty free will only be confiscated if NOT bought at the current airport (i.e. brought in on a flight). The "buy it and then get it confiscated" scenario does should not occur (any first hand experiences?).

It's always wise to buy at your destination, or at your last transfer point.

The US carriers (United and Delta) will not permit more than 100ml of liquids/gels/cremes to enter the gate room at Suvarnabhumi, even if purchased at the King Power shops in the terminal building and the liquids/gels/creams are in sealed bags. They conduct secondary security screening at the entrance to the gate room and confiscate anything over 100ml.

I hope the check-in staff advise passengers that they will not be permitted to carry even duty-free bought at the airport.

Oh come on! Have you BEEN to Thailand? All they see is a sale, once they have your money they have NO interest in what happens afterwards.

[moe666]

Always buy in Taiwan going to and from Thailand never a problem with taking sealed bottle on EVA. Good luck buying duty free on arrival at LAX no shops.

[electau]

In Australia when one checks in for an international flight liquids or gels are limited to 100ml each and must be placed in a clear plastic envelope. Security is directly after immigration control.

After one has checked in you can purchase duty free liquids and they will be placed in a plastic carry bag with the store logo on them.

However if you are in transit and have to connect to another flight eg at Hong Kong or Singapore you will have to surrender them as they are over 100ml each.

So that only applies for direct point to point flights.

　

Bangkok is different you check in and then one can buy duty free liquids THEN one has to clear security, and at this point the problem occurs.

Duty free liquid purchases should be made last of all.

However it is the passengers responsibility to be aware that liquids and gels over 100ml will be confiscated if the passenger is in transit at an international airport.

Buy DFif you have to at your final destination or do not buy at all.

　

　

　

[surangw]

does this equate to free booze for the inspectors?

[PhilHarries]

does this equate to free booze for the inspectors?

Come on now! These are honest hardworking servants of the people. The liquids will be disposed of in an approved manner.

[Eff1n2ret]

Buying at destination isn't necessarily the best advice. I tried that on arrival at Terminal 3 Heathrow last month, but the choice of booze was very limited, and the prices not that attractive. The trouble is, they know you're in the last chance saloon.

[Hawaiian]

Duty free will only be confiscated if NOT bought at the current airport (i.e. brought in on a flight). The "buy it and then get it confiscated" scenario does should not occur (any first hand experiences?).

It's always wise to buy at your destination, or at your last transfer point.

The only time that I bought liquor at duty free was at Honolulu Intl. The package was delivered to the JAL counter and given to me at check-in. Hand carried it all the way to Bangkok with out any problems. Of course this was before the U.S. ordered the liquid restrictions.

[electau]

For travellers from Thailand going to Australia here are regulations concerning liquids and gels as carry on baggage.

http://travelsecure.infrastructure.gov.au/international/index.aspx

[peter991]

I heard late last year that the 100ml rule for taking liquids, aerosols and gels on international flights was to be abolished some time this year. A Google search doesn't seem to back this up.

[tutsiwarrior]

anyone know what the rules are in Vietnam airports?...I can't remember my last outbound flight 4 years ago from HCMC; could be that I had some Vodka Hanoi previously purchased at the supermarket in me carry on bag to take home or that I drank it all at the airport before I got on the flight to BKK...(USD2.50 per 70cl boddle)...

during the past 3 years in the middle east I always bought duty free booze when in transit at airports in the Gulf en route to BKK...before that I'd buy booze locally in Bahrain or in Abu Dhabi and stuff it in the luggage as it was cheaper than at BKK duty free...

anyone?

[NanLaew]

Duty free will only be confiscated if NOT bought at the current airport (i.e. brought in on a flight). The "buy it and then get it confiscated" scenario does should not occur (any first hand experiences?).

It's always wise to buy at your destination, or at your last transfer point.

The US carriers (United and Delta) will not permit more than 100ml of liquids/gels/cremes to enter the gate room at Suvarnabhumi, even if purchased at the King Power shops in the terminal building and the liquids/gels/creams are in sealed bags. They conduct secondary security screening at the entrance to the gate room and confiscate anything over 100ml.

I hope the check-in staff advise passengers that they will not be permitted to carry even duty-free bought at the airport.

Oh come on! Have you BEEN to Thailand? All they see is a sale, once they have your money they have NO interest in what happens afterwards.

Aha! A cynical long-time 'resident' speaks?

As pointed out earlier, US carriers do not permit duty-free liquor purchases to get on the plane and in my personal experience, the King Power staff specifically ask what flight you are on and will not sell to you if you are on United or airlines headed to the US. United ground staff at Narita did permit a duty-free booze purchase to be reconsigned as checked baggage when I had a last minute itinerary change. I thought it would be confiscated but it turned up intact in it's original sealed bag, inside a baggage bin on the carousel.

The OP only stated it was a TG flight. As pointed out earlier, destination is important before one starts generalising and castigating sales or airline staff.

[lomatopo]

Quote: I departed Bangkok on a TG flight early this week.

Can you tell us the destination of your flight? If Australia then passengers should not have been allowed to purchase duty-free at BKK. For direct, non-stop flights to Australia excess (>100 ml) duty-free purchase are only allowed if the items are delivered to the jetway. This service is not offered at BKK AFAIK.

[RCR]

Quote: I departed Bangkok on a TG flight early this week.

Can you tell us the destination of your flight? If Australia then passengers should not have been allowed to purchase duty-free at BKK. For direct, non-stop flights to Australia excess (>100 ml) duty-free purchase are only allowed if the items are delivered to the jetway. This service is not offered at BKK AFAIK.

I was headed back to Australia on a direct flight.

I take this flight every few months so I was aware of the situation. But I wanted to give a heads-up to other Aussies.

The rules seem to be an inconsistent mess.

There's an article in the online Melbourne AGE for 9 July by another tourist caught out in this manner. His article and the following comments by other readers show the confusion on this subject.

[buddy]

It's always wise to buy at your destination, or at your last transfer point.

The US carriers (United and Delta) will not permit more than 100ml of liquids/gels/cremes to enter the gate room at Suvarnabhumi, even if purchased at the King Power shops in the terminal building and the liquids/gels/creams are in sealed bags. They conduct secondary security screening at the entrance to the gate room and confiscate anything over 100ml.

I have been travelling all over Asia and the Middle East through work using Suvarnabhumi Airport and never had a problem with liquids till this weekend.

Maybe I got the wrong crew on security but they insisted I throw away some expensive aftershave that you cannot buy in Thailand (except for copies).

The sign they kept pointing to was "only 100 ml liquid allowed".

This aftershave bottle was marked on the bottom at 125 ml, it was one quarter full, so approx 30 ml ish was actually in the bottle.

No, had to throw it away they insisted, but I pointed to the sign and said that there is only about 30 ml in the bottle (by now the security group is growing around me like rugby scrum) and other passengers are starting to gawp.

My answer had them stumped, then one said 100 mm (Millimeter) only allowed, then I asked for pen and paper and explained ml is a measurement of volume of liquid and mm is a measure of length, now they are standing there looking like they have all been hit on the back of the head with a cricket bat.

After a moments silence they go into a group discussion in Thai and then ask me to write it in English so that I would understand a new sign, which I did....they did admit the sign was misleading but still insisted I dump the aftershave.

Why a 30 mm liquid can get conficated, yet a 100 ml liquid gets through is illogical.

So the advise is make sure your bottle or container is marked at 100 mm or less.

And a bet a million dollars the old sign will still be up next time I pass through.

Oh the joys!

[wpcoe]

Why a 30 mm liquid can get conficated, yet a 100 ml liquid gets through is illogical.

Caveat: I'm not defending, just explaining!

I believe the 100ml rule refers to the size of the container, not the amount of contents. The rule is a result of the plot a few years back to combine components of liquid explosives on multiple aircraft departing the UK. The rule to set the maximum container size to 100ml was intended to not permit on board a container large enough to mix said components on the aircraft.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Plenty ways around that ... how about asking the crew for an empty bottled-water bottle? But, the rules initially were drawn up in haste to prevent that imminent threat, and largely have not been changed since.