New scam at Suvarnabhumi

[boonchu]

This happened to me when these rules were first brought in. Instead of handing over the items I had, I took them and emptied the bottles in toilet, I then took the empty bottles back to the boarding gate and gave them to the unimpressed security staff.

[Taffyfromflint]

Where is the duty of care of the duty free shop? I presume a big one like King power, they have to scan your boarding pass.

They once did refuse to sell me cigarettes because I was going to Singapore (where you cant import any)

Why did you not return to the duty free store?

Personally, I would have turned around and tipped the contents down a drain rather than hand them over like that.

It is a scam in a way, I bet one that only the most senior were enforcing..

This happened to me. CM via BKK from Brisbane. Brisbane duty free placed my liquor in a DF carry bag ( not the sealed security type ) which i then took on the plane as the DF shop is in the departure lounge of BNE airport. Transited at BKK to connect to CM only to have my DF goods confiscated. Next time I will ensure the DF shop puts the goods in a sealed bag with the receipt clearly visible.

[SoiBiker]

This happened to me when these rules were first brought in. Instead of handing over the items I had, I took them and emptied the bottles in toilet, I then took the empty bottles back to the boarding gate and gave them to the unimpressed security staff.

Why would you do something that was both wasteful and more hassle to you? Pure spite?

[georgemandm]

duty free or not has nothing to do with it.

you can't board an aircraft with liquid over the stated regulations. it does not matter if you have already been searched or not. if they are found on the plane you also forfeit.

same goes for any other prohibited items you may be carrying.

Very true he should have been told when buying them he could not get on the plane I was so I didn't not buy

[brewsterbudgen]

The "smirking" referred to in the OP was most likely smiling. This is the Land of ...☺

[cesarm001]

Wowowowow You are over 70 and should know the rules ...I do not believe that an Aussie person is that stupid ....... Mate stay home under your bed .... do not go anywhere ..is dangerous for you

These rules has been enforced for many years now ....where have you been ?????

Is not scam ..... is You

[rapom]

duty free or not has nothing to do with it.

you can't board an aircraft with liquid over the stated regulations. it does not matter if you have already been searched or not. if they are found on the plane you also forfeit.

same goes for any other prohibited items you may be carrying.

This is somewhat not correct. I have flown to Bangkok from Los Angeles numerous times over last 2 years. You cannot pass US TSA checkpoints with liquids over the allowed amounts. But food or drinks you purchase prior to boarding can be taken on the plane. Also in LAX the Chinese passengers buy a lot of expensive liquor at duty free. Prior to boarding, the sealed packages are brought to the boarding area and handed out. All this liquor in taken onto the plane.

[SoiBiker]

duty free or not has nothing to do with it.

you can't board an aircraft with liquid over the stated regulations. it does not matter if you have already been searched or not. if they are found on the plane you also forfeit.

same goes for any other prohibited items you may be carrying.

This is somewhat not correct. I have flown to Bangkok from Los Angeles numerous times over last 2 years. You cannot pass US TSA checkpoints with liquids over the allowed amounts. But food or drinks you purchase prior to boarding can be taken on the plane. Also in LAX the Chinese passengers buy a lot of expensive liquor at duty free. Prior to boarding, the sealed packages are brought to the boarding area and handed out. All this liquor in taken onto the plane.

The last time I checked, Los Angeles was not in Australia.

[richard_smith237]

You were unlucky. Your behaviour was more than reasonable. Most people would have expected that they were within the regulations by doing what you did. Thanks for letting others know.

The real problem is that Australia is developing these very complex safety measures but does very little in making passengers aware of what they need to do to comply. Passengers can hardly be expected to consult an Australian government website at the airport.

The government has a duty to inform duty free shops who should be made to be ask questions and inform passengers and to comply with the regulations. The sales people in these shops are usually very hungry for a sale and know they have no responsibility to their customers.

Quoted above is a well balanced reply.....

The Op was not Scammed. The Op unknowingly made a mistake and was naturally upset that his purchases were confiscated.

The Duty Free Sales 'should' be checking the destination before selling any liquids.

The Op 'should' be double checking his permissions instead of making an assumption.

The Aus Regulations are a little excessive and prohibitive when compared to 'most' global destinations.

[ThaiKneeTim]

What is the point of having duty free shops if you can't take duty free goods on aircraft to most destinations?

Personally I don't waste my money buying at duty free anymore as there isn't that much of a saving to be made these days!

When European borders opened up it meant the end of a very lucrative time of stocking up for Christmas drinks on my regular trips around Europe with the RAF.

Air travel isn't the exciting, and enjoyable, prospect that it once was!

[Monkeyrobot]

duty free or not has nothing to do with it.

you can't board an aircraft with liquid over the stated regulations. it does not matter if you have already been searched or not. if they are found on the plane you also forfeit.

same goes for any other prohibited items you may be carrying.

If that's the case why do they have duty free shops at the airport and why do they sell if you can't board with it?

[neverdie]

This has been the rule and is clearly stated with a 2 minute Google search.

http://travelsecure.infrastructure.gov.au/international/lags/dutyfree_to.aspx

Don't have liquids, aerosols or gels in containers larger than 100 millilitres in your possession. You will have to surrender these at the security screening point in order to board your aircraft.

Purchase duty free at your last airport before Australia, but make sure it is delivered to the boarding gate. Alternatively, purchase duty free items onboard the last leg of the flight to Australia. Have your duty free items in their sealed plastic bag ready for screening upon arrival at the Australian international gateway airport transit screening point. Don't carry duty free purchased at another airport through the screening point, as it will not be allowed on flights to Australia. You risk having to surrender these items. Only duty free delivered to the boarding gate will be allowed onboard flights to Australia.

So the OP was wrong and the Thai security officials were right. There was no scam. The title of this thread then is also false.

But a 'Scam' started these procedures in the first place. After all, if it weren't for the 9/11 scam of 2001, then none of these silly laws would be in effect in the first place.

[ozyjon]

My experience,,,

Do never enter King Duty Free

Do never buy anything

get out as quickly as possible

[rapom]

duty free or not has nothing to do with it.

you can't board an aircraft with liquid over the stated regulations. it does not matter if you have already been searched or not. if they are found on the plane you also forfeit.

same goes for any other prohibited items you may be carrying.

This is somewhat not correct. I have flown to Bangkok from Los Angeles numerous times over last 2 years. You cannot pass US TSA checkpoints with liquids over the allowed amounts. But food or drinks you purchase prior to boarding can be taken on the plane. Also in LAX the Chinese passengers buy a lot of expensive liquor at duty free. Prior to boarding, the sealed packages are brought to the boarding area and handed out. All this liquor in taken onto the plane.

The last time I checked, Los Angeles was not in Australia.

My reply was to the post made by "fey". I see nowhere in his post that he is only referring only to Australia. There are a lot of items that are not allow thru airport security checkpoints in carry-on luggage or on your person. But most items you can buy in the preboarding area including liquids, can be taken on the plane, unless the specific airline prohibits it. Also if you read Australia in his post, maybe better reading comprehension or corrected vision is required on your part.

[moto77]

Stupid thread.

[rws85]

This is nothing new and I don't blame Thailand for this. The ones scamming you is Australia. Making you buy the duty free products in Aus instead of buying abroad.

Perfectly fine to travel from Australia with a bottle of booze or perfume but not into Australia? Hmmmmm

[Bench499d]

In this case the OP was Australian so I suppose it is reasonable that he should know the rules of his own country. However, I can still smell a rat with this. The duty free shop should either not have sold the goods based on a scan of his boarding pass, or the goods should have been delivered to the gate for him as per the rule. Clearly this is the duty free shop which has made the "mistake". I have read many posts regarding this particular duty free shop allegedly participating in scams (who says they didn't collude with the security guys) so I have to say on balance I have to sympathize with the OP. If the duty free shop had done their job properly then there would be no need for security officials to confiscate any goods prior to boarding.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Bench499d

[fishbrando]

Personally I don't waste my money buying at duty free anymore as there isn't that much of a saving to be made these days!

Agreed. Duty free != profit free.

[arunsakda]

They did the right thing and the duty free shop should not have sold it to you based on scan of boarding pass. What fate of these confiscated bottles of expensive foreign liquors is anyones' guess. The proper thing to do would be to dump it right? Riiight...555 TIT.

I am an airline pilot and US destinations follow the same rules. Announcements are made on board and at check-in counters but people do not listen. Problem arises when making connecting flights as secondary checks at the gate are done based on particular segments only. Recently I saw a connecting security area in Nagoya where pax from MNL were getting screened for a US bound flight. A huge plastic tub with DOZENS of bottles confiscated. Sealed duty free bag or not!

By the way last year I was asked by a friend to buy some pricey hard to find "Frank Sinatra Edition Jack Daniels" available at the duty free shops airside at Hong Kong. He had seen it at the shop the week before and denied sale based in his destination. So next time I'm there on a trip I go to buy it and they refused me too! Captain of flight in uniform. I explained the situation and they relented after I agreed there would be no refund under any circumstance

By the way crew are not subject to the 100ml restriction except upon secuity check at certain countries as far as I know, UK for example. Nobody in our mob checks crew bags at the counter, carry-ons only and so we all know to prepare the tiny bottles of LAGs in a zippy like anyone else.

And yes, our FCOM specifically permits purchase of alcohol in uniform at Duty Free Shops only.

Edited February 4, 2016 by arunsakda

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Wasn't there something about the duty free shops staff at Swampy some time ago?A person or persons purchased some goods,i think cigarettes were among the items.A girl/guy on the shop floor or at the check out till gave them a free (or so they said) lighter/lighters to go with the items bought.Out side the shop,they were asked by an airport official to show him the reciept.of course,no lighters were shown on it,and they were arrested for shop lifting! Does anyone remember this? I believe they were an elderly couple.

KKD

[jacko45k]

I would have picked them up, turned back and taken them to the nearest toilet and poured them down the sink, returning with the empty bottles.

[SoiBiker]

duty free or not has nothing to do with it.

you can't board an aircraft with liquid over the stated regulations. it does not matter if you have already been searched or not. if they are found on the plane you also forfeit.

same goes for any other prohibited items you may be carrying.

This is somewhat not correct. I have flown to Bangkok from Los Angeles numerous times over last 2 years. You cannot pass US TSA checkpoints with liquids over the allowed amounts. But food or drinks you purchase prior to boarding can be taken on the plane. Also in LAX the Chinese passengers buy a lot of expensive liquor at duty free. Prior to boarding, the sealed packages are brought to the boarding area and handed out. All this liquor in taken onto the plane.

The last time I checked, Los Angeles was not in Australia.

My reply was to the post made by "fey". I see nowhere in his post that he is only referring only to Australia. There are a lot of items that are not allow thru airport security checkpoints in carry-on luggage or on your person. But most items you can buy in the preboarding area including liquids, can be taken on the plane, unless the specific airline prohibits it. Also if you read Australia in his post, maybe better reading comprehension or corrected vision is required on your part.

May I suggest that in future you read the whole thread before responding so that you understand the context? Several posts had already established that the regulations referred to were Australian, including the OP.

[jagfx]

Okay, I must be missing something here. I've been flying in and out of Oz fairly regularly over the last few years from Thailand, Indonesia and PNG, and have taken duty free alcohol on board with me in both directions. I have never had an issue at either a foreign check point, and definitely no issue at Oz airports. I may have been lucky to date, but man it seems like a strange rule considering how it is not an issue at all taking duty free alcohol out of Oz as a part of your carry on. Well, at least I know now and will change my way of purchasing duty free from now on.

[watcharacters]

There is a store in BKK where they only sell items confiscated from passengers at either of the airports in BKK. Mostly perfume and booze....

For the benefit of he boys in the band you might consider posting that useful information on this board which has a purpose of sharing useful information.

[cbc]

No scam.It's always been the rule .I agree though the cashier should have informed him about the rule..If one travels a lot one should familiarize his self with the flight regulation's and rule's regarding carry on liquids etc etc.

[Roomuck]

duty free or not has nothing to do with it.

you can't board an aircraft with liquid over the stated regulations. it does not matter if you have already been searched or not. if they are found on the plane you also forfeit.

same goes for any other prohibited items you may be carrying.

If that's the case why do they have duty free shops at the airport and why do they sell if you can't board with it?

So you are saying that because the Australian nanny state brings in a rule for Australia the rest of the world should be disadvantaged? Other countries allow it, not just Oz. Get it yet? Aussieness!!!

[Roomuck]

This bloke claims to travel a lot but doesn't know the rules. He must have a lot problems in his travels. I wonder how often he accuses people of scamming him. How many people he has offended that are just doing there jobs. Ugly!

[hatewaitin]

Hi guys, been watching for a while but Im new here.. The OP by all accounts has been scammed. Says he purchased his items from duty free in BKK. before flights to Melbourne.

As per the advice given in this document http://travelsecure....utyfree_to.aspx

It clearly says that you can only have fluids of up to 100ml in a bag etc and duty free items collected at the gate.. If the OP had purchased items in Hanoi and tried to board this plane the goods would be taken from him then. But any duty free item collected at the gate is OK.

[flyingdoc]

Maybe not a scam, but certainly unethical ! Why not drink 100 ml so it could not be resold ?

[arunsakda]

He says he went to Duty Free, purchased items and then went to gate, as if to indicate he carred the items to the gate himself. A close reading of the travel secure link presented clearly indicates that only brought to the gate are allowed. Quite different. Some ports have this facility, some don't.

Edited February 4, 2016 by arunsakda