Alcohol confiscated at Bangkok Airport in transit - isn't it a scam?

[Nicholas Bignell]

Well, except you can get very competitively priced DF at Singapore, delivered to the gate. So in that sense it doesn’t appear to be for commercial purposes.

So this is still the case? I am travelling from Singapore to Melbourne in June, and as the Duty Free at Melbourne Airport no longer stocks what I want, I would like to buy it in Singapore. As long as they deliver it to the gate and there is no risk of confiscation, I presume I should be OK.

 

[Deleted member]

Australia has rubbish DF allowances, so I rarely even bother , however as above, it's the transit issue,

 

[MEL_Traveller]

As long as they deliver it to the gate and there is no risk of confiscation, I presume I should be OK.

All fine. But there is a cut off time before departure - 60 or 90 mins. You need to meet the cut off to have purchased the alcohol so they can arrnage to deliver it to the gate. (Unless that's changed recently?)

 

[leadman]

All fine. But there is a cut off time before departure - 60 or 90 mins. You need to meet the cut off to have purchased the alcohol so they can arrnage to deliver it to the gate. (Unless that's changed recently?)

No still around 90 minutes. they don't like pushing it and i think they have to be in place at a certain time. Still think this is an insult to the limited number of airports they do it at. AusGov is saying your security is not good enough (or my alternate view > supporting duty free shops in Australia)

 

[PDog]

All fine. But there is a cut off time before departure - 60 or 90 mins. You need to meet the cut off to have purchased the alcohol so they can arrnage to deliver it to the gate. (Unless that's changed recently?)

You might be able to purchase online in advance to get around this? In my experience, Changi was significantly cheaper than Melbourne

 

[laffer]

It's a scam. And not a local o/s one. An Aus Govt one.

 

[Faceplant]

Does anyone have any experience buying at Changi for onward travel to India DEL? I only have an hour transit time. What is the Duty Free at DEL like? I'm just after a bottle of bourbon for nitecaps while on a trip.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

SIN DF window is indeed 90 mins pre dep - all DF must be collected at Gate prior to boarding.

If you are transiting SIN and do not have a 90 min window to purchase you can shop online at iShop Changi and input flt details and they will deliver to Gate for you. Obviously works seamlessly if flts on time - if not well just say a couple of Hail Marys. I have done this a number of times where transit times short and it works fine - even when you forget to collect it and just board instead gate staff will come seek you out.

 

[Ausbt]

Seven when you forget to collect it and just board instead gate staff will come seek you out.

That's good to know. Last time I came through SIN, I showed my receipt to the trolley crew and they handed me a bag with 2 x Tanquery. Was all the way at the plane door when I realised, oh hell I actually paid for 2 x Laphroaig. Lots of confusion as I attempted to get back out of the gates to the trolley, but sorted in the end.

 

[kermatu]

Not a whole lot of experience but from SIN to India I'd bank on better deals on arrival in India. Only arrived in BOM but if it is similar to DEL then great range, excellent prices. Better and more reliable than Changi (which I try to avoid for DF as there's a lot better if you do basic research before travel).

 

[PDog]

Not a whole lot of experience but from SIN to India I'd bank on better deals on arrival in India. Only arrived in BOM but if it is similar to DEL then great range, excellent prices. Better and more reliable than Changi (which I try to avoid for DF as there's a lot better if you do basic research before travel).

Really? I thought Changi was pretty decent

 

[nickfromeastryde]

Does anyone have any experience buying at Changi for onward travel to India DEL? I only have an hour transit time. What is the Duty Free at DEL like? I'm just after a bottle of bourbon for nitecaps while on a trip.

Never been to Delhi but have flown into Chennai a few times though not for a few years

Prices were pretty good, usually bought what I wanted to take home as well on arrival so could pack into my check in luggage/

 

[DC3]

I travelled from Delhi to Sydney yesterday, during transit at Bangkok Airport they confiscated my ....

Yes, this has been in place for some years. Not a scam. Most passengers do not do it twice. We all “live and learn”.

 

[Ade]

Never been to Delhi but have flown into Chennai a few times though not for a few years

Prices were pretty good, usually bought what I wanted to take home as well on arrival so could pack into my check in luggage/

I was born and raised in Chennai so my judgement might be skewed

But, one will find good Duty Free stuff in Chennai airport. Every time I land in Chennai, I make sure that I buy a sweet delicacy called "Mysur Pa" from "Sri Krishna Sweets & Snacks", worth every cent

I've also found some good DF liquor in Colombo airport. Especially, coconut arrack distilled in Sri Lanka. Only problem was that liquor was confiscated at BKK airport just before stepping foot onto a Qantas service to SYD, stating AUS govt restriction on LAGS over 100ml in carry on

 

[kermatu]

Really? I thought Changi was pretty decent

Just my opinion. As mentioned above, I do my best to research prices in all my airport transits beforehand and purchase accordingly, with a slight bias toward online purchases at the last possible port (so as to minimise carrying). I've just never found Changi competitive for my preferences of whiskey (from cheap to top-shelf). Even worse is seeing advertised online prices not honoured or available when actually in-store. That's happened twice so I'm just not a Changi fan (for DF).