Duty Free Alcohol into Australia

[JohnK]

At SIN, there is a security screening point at each gate lounge where all liquids are screened and will be confiscated. If you purchase from the air-side duty-free shops at SIN at least 1 hour before scheduled departure, the store will package the purchase into an approved sealed bag and will deliver the package to the boarding gate on the other side of the security screening point.

Did this change back again recently? The last 2 times I bought duty free alcohol in SIN it was put into a sealed bag and given to me at the duty free check out. I did not have to pick it up from the departure gate.

Does it make a difference if travelling from SIN to BKK and not Australia?

 

[Mal]

Did this change back again recently?

...

Does it make a difference if travelling from SIN to BKK and not Australia?

Was in SIN last month, and the buy in DF store, get it bagged and collect at gate was in operation (to Australia).

Flights to BKK etc probably have a different policy.

 

[Evan]

Was in SIN last month, and the buy in DF store, get it bagged and collect at gate was in operation (to Australia).

Flights to BKK etc probably have a different policy.

I think thats right, for some destinations they just give you the bag then and there, for others they deliver it to the gate, silly really that there is a difference but i can ask Saturday if anybody really wants to know.

 

[NM]

Did this change back again recently? The last 2 times I bought duty free alcohol in SIN it was put into a sealed bag and given to me at the duty free check out. I did not have to pick it up from the departure gate.

Does it make a difference if travelling from SIN to BKK and not Australia?

Yes, it does make a difference. As far as I know, the delivery to the gate is still in affect for all SIN departures to Australia.

The cynic in me suggests the requirement is imposed by the Australian authorities partly to protect Australian airport duty-free stores who stand to gain from passengers unable to purchase at the departure airport and hence will purchase upon arrival into Australia. Passengers with short connection times in SIN may miss the 1-hour pre-purchase cut-off time for gate delivery for an Australian departure and hence not be able to purchase in SIN.

 

[sadlier]

Was in SIN last month, and the buy in DF store, get it bagged and collect at gate was in operation (to Australia).

Flights to BKK etc probably have a different policy.

At Terminal 3 the one hour before deliver to gate deal is in operation. At Terminal 2 you carry the sealed bag yourself.

To me this is one of the great drawbacks of T3 - all because it is a huge barn!

 

[NM]

At Terminal 2 you carry the sealed bag yourself.

Is that the case for departures from T2 direct to Australia? As far as I can see, EY is the only airline operating direct from SIN to Australia. Do EY pax destined for Australia get to carry their own bag through to the gate at T2? Or is that just for flights to places other than Australia?

 

[sadlier]

Is that the case for departures from T2 direct to Australia? As far as I can see, EY is the only airline operating direct from SIN to Australia. Do EY pax destined for Australia get to carry their own bag through to the gate at T2? Or is that just for flights to places other than Australia?

I think it is a Terminal practise but I have only used SQ out of T2. You would be wise to check with Etihad or take a look at the Changi site and contact the DF store in T2.

 

[NM]

I think it is a Terminal practise but I have only used SQ out of T2. You would be wise to check with Etihad or take a look at the Changi site and contact the DF store in T2.

According to all info I can find, there has been no change to the Australian Government policy defined in March 2007 that is summarised here:

Inbound duty free: For flights to Australia, all LAGs will be restricted to 100ml containers contained within in a one litre bag. Duty free items may enter the country ONLY if they are delivered to the gate in a sealed bag with proof of purchase and only collected by the passenger after proceeding through LAGs screening at the last port of departure. Singapore is introducing gate delivery for Australian flights, for example. No LAGs outside the 1 litre bag can transit through Australia.

Outbound duty free: Passengers may take all LAGs purchased or collected in the sterile area of an Australian international airport on board an aircraft, including duty free items, unless other jurisdictional measures apply.

Acceptable / Harmonised Countries:The Australian Government has said it will have a list of States that have acceptable gate delivery in place for flights to Australia. New Zealand is the one country that currently has an agreement with Australia to allow inbound passengers to purchase travel retail items without gate delivery.

So unless the Australian Government has changed their requirements for gate delivery of duty-free items for all flights destined to Australia, or they have updated their list of approved countries to include Singapore T2, I believe this policy remains current and gate delivery of airport purchased duty-free liquids is required for all departures from SIN to Australia. This is also the reason for manual carry-on bag checks at HGK and other airports for departures to Australia.

 

[sadlier]

So if it is an Oz govt requirement does the 1 hour before deal apply only at T3 or at T2 as well?

Now that I am reminded I do recall (from before T3) the DFS staff walking with me to the gate - service you don't look like getting in T3.

 

[sadlier]

Yes, it does make a difference. As far as I know, the delivery to the gate is still in affect for all SIN departures to Australia.

The cynic in me suggests the requirement is imposed by the Australian authorities partly to protect Australian airport duty-free stores who stand to gain from passengers unable to purchase at the departure airport and hence will purchase upon arrival into Australia. Passengers with short connection times in SIN may miss the 1-hour pre-purchase cut-off time for gate delivery for an Australian departure and hence not be able to purchase in SIN.

And I am inclined to think that the cynic in you is correct!

 

[NM]

So if it is an Oz govt requirement does the 1 hour before deal apply only at T3 or at T2 as well?

The 1-hour pre-purchase is so the duty free shop can make the arrangements to have the sealed package delivered to the correct departure gate. Some shops are more lenient than others with the cut-off time for deliveries.

 

[Flashback]

Yes, it does make a difference. As far as I know, the delivery to the gate is still in affect for all SIN departures to Australia.

The cynic in me suggests the requirement is imposed by the Australian authorities partly to protect Australian airport duty-free stores who stand to gain from passengers unable to purchase at the departure airport and hence will purchase upon arrival into Australia. Passengers with short connection times in SIN may miss the 1-hour pre-purchase cut-off time for gate delivery for an Australian departure and hence not be able to purchase in SIN.

My last JQi SIN-PER I was given the bag at the DF store and carried it through the gate security check by myself, as did my parents.

 

[Evan]

My last JQi SIN-PER I was given the bag at the DF store and carried it through the gate security check by myself, as did my parents.

Interesting,,, in T1 gate delivery is still the order of the day ! just purchased my about 20 mins ago and collect at gate.

 

[NM]

My last JQi SIN-PER I was given the bag at the DF store and carried it through the gate security check by myself, as did my parents.

Perhaps Western Australia has finally succeeded in being removed from the United States if Australia and has declared its own rules independent of those defined by the Australian government.

 

[Spizz]

Quick question. I am going to the US later this year and my first stop is New York where I want to buy a bottel of rare Whiskey.

I will be flying internally with the US to another 3 states and then back home. Would the only successfully way of getting it back here would be to, after leaving New York, have it always in my luggage, as carry on would be confiscated?

 

[serfty]

...
I will be flying internally with the US to another 3 states and then back home. Would the only successfully way of getting it back here would be to, after leaving New York, have it always in my luggage, as carry on would be confiscated?

Once purchased, then throughout you remaining USA flights and on departure the bottle needs to be in your checked luggage.

 

[Febs]

Quick question. I am going to the US later this year and my first stop is New York where I want to buy a bottel of rare Whiskey.

I will be flying internally with the US to another 3 states and then back home. Would the only successfully way of getting it back here would be to, after leaving New York, have it always in my luggage, as carry on would be confiscated?

Yep. Also, in my experience JFK's duty-free shops don't have a fantastic selection of whisky. Pretty much the basic whiskies you'd find in an average int'l terminal, IMO.

If you're after a specific bottle, you may have more luck finding it in a bottle shop in NYC itself. I've found the prices to be pretty reasonable.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[browski]

Don't go over the limit though because you loose your duty free allowance and they charge you duty on the whole lot. eg one person brings in 6 bottles of wine they charge you duty on all 6 not just on 3 with 3 free of duty. I the bill to prove it
Cheers Danger UXB

I disagree here, with regards to wine. I always go over the duty limit on purpose.

On trips to Argentina and South Africa, I frequently bring in 12 bottles at a time of their fine red.

If you have the purchase receipt customs might charge you (I think it was 10%). So on 12 bottles of wine at AU $20 per bottles, you are looking at $24 - no biggy, just pay, it's nothing compared to what it would cost to buy that product from within Oz. More often than not they just wave me through because they cannot be bothered with the hassle.

 

[footbum]

Does the limits apply to bottles bought at retail? I mean, if you bought a nice bottle of booze at a liquor store and had opened it and consumed some, does the portion remaining get included in the limit?

I don't think you'd get away with filling your bags with bottles that have had a nip or two taken out first, nor do I think that you'd be saving any money either.
And I don't think you could do the same with anything bought DF and then opened before you declared at Customs either - I think you'd get charged the full duty amount wouldn't you?

But if you had spent some money on getting something that was hard to find and you had opened it, it would be a shame to have to throw it away.....if you can show the receipt to prove you had bought it legitimately....would there be a problem with 1 extra bottle?

Am interested to hear if someone has experienced this situation?

 

[serfty]

For Wine the following is applicable:

WET* is 29% of "the Wholesale Price" and GST is 10% of the retail price. Both would be assessed.

*Wine Equalisation Tax