New Duty Free Liquid Allowance flying into Australia & U.S

[markh]

Hi all, have just returned HKG-CNS on CX103 and at the Hong Kong airport was advised that recently the Australian & US Governments have banned any liquids over 100ml being taken aboard the aircraft returning to the US or Australia.

The implications of this means that you cannot buy duty free alcohol from any airport when flying to Australia.

The new rule meant at Hong Kong Airport, having cleared security and immigration all passengers bags were then re-searched at the entrance to the aircraft in the middle of the airbridge !

Because of the extra delay our aircraft missed our scheduled departure window and was 40 minutes late taking off.

We were still able to buy duty free alcohol onboard the flight and also at our destination before we cleared customs.

The problem with this rule when flying into Cairns is that there was not the selection available as we had at the Hong Kong airport - this might not be such a problem when flying into Sydney or Melbourne, for example.

Has any one else had a similar experience?

 

[NM]

hi markh and welcome to AFF.

Yes, these rules have been steadily applied to most countries over the last few years. Some countries allow some exceptions for duty-free liquids purchased at the airport, but not for entry to Australia or the USA as you have noted.

Some airports, such as SIN, have made special arrangements to allow people travelling to Australia to purchase duty-free liquids and the shop will deliver them to the gate in an approved sealed bag. You need to make the purchase at least 30 mins prior to scheduled boarding time so the shop has time to get the purchase to the gate for collection. I have used this several times. However, if you are transiting at the Australian arrival point, then you cannot carry the liquids through the security checkpoint.

Some cynics would suggest the regulations are especially strict to ensure you purchase ypur duty-free products on arrival at the Australian airport. This being enforced to provide the DF shops with business to compensate for the loss of sales on outbound flights.

 

[Evan]

Has the rule changed again in the last month or 2 ? normaly you can purchase and have delivered at the gate to you or specially sealed.

Of course if your flying LHR-HKG-MEL-SYD for example and the MEL-SYD is QF400 or above you can buy in HKG, what you do need to know if for domestic legs of an internaitonal flight you cannot take liquids... eg HKG-ADL-MEL, the ADL-MEL on CX is an international segment so its no go there.

E

 

[serfty]

This has been the case into Oz for about a year now - somewhat longer for the USA.

There's a few good threads on this here:

• http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...new-security-measures-for-australia-9031.html
• http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/sin-and-new-liquid-rules-9545.html
• http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/travel-articles/dont-forget-100ml-liquid-11862.html

 

[Febs]

Some countries allow some exceptions for duty-free liquids purchased at the airport, but not for entry to Australia

...but you've always been able to buy Duty-Free liquid >100mL @ airports in the US prior to boarding a plane to Australia. I've done this several times LAX-SYD (the most recent being Dec 07).

Is that no longer the case?

 

[markh]

...but you've always been able to buy Duty-Free liquid >100mL @ airports in the US prior to boarding a plane to Australia. I've done this several times LAX-SYD (the most recent being Dec 07).

Is that no longer the case?

The information we got at Hong Kong airport is that this rule was only introduced on 7th March 2008.

 

[NM]

...but you've always been able to buy Duty-Free liquid >100mL @ airports in the US prior to boarding a plane to Australia. I've done this several times LAX-SYD (the most recent being Dec 07).

Is that no longer the case?

I think you can because all passengers that get past security at the USA airports are subject to liquids restrictions, whether they have arrived via the terminao security screening point of an inbound flight.

However, some airports like SIN still have inbound passengers in the main terminal area that may have arrived from airports where the liquid screening is not trusted. So they do the liquid screening at the gate.

This should not be a problem at HKG since all inbound transit passengers are subject to security and liquids screening. However, as mentioned previously, I think there is a some politics and protectionism being played out to ensure the Australian DF shops get some extra business that they have lost from the outbound passengers. And I think SIN airport duty-ree shops probably came up with their own plan to comply with the Australian regulations and retain their outbound DF business.

I have not seen any restrictions with buying DF liquids at HKG for departure to Australia, but its been a while since I departed HKG for Australia. I have not seen any gate security screening facilities at HKG. But all my HK departures this year have been to non-Australian ports like KUL, PVG, and NRT.

 

[JohnK]

Some cynics would suggest the regulations are especially strict to ensure you purchase ypur duty-free products on arrival at the Australian airport. This being enforced to provide the DF shops with business to compensate for the loss of sales on outbound flights.

What ever gave you that idea?

Surely the governments are more concerned for our security and safety....

 

[straitman]

What ever gave you that idea?

Surely the governments are more concerned for our security and safety....

JohnK,

The last few words dropped off your post

 

[JohnK]

The last few words dropped off your post

Yes. I pressed the "Submit reply" button before I got a chance to finish the statement as I was falling asleep. :mrgreen:

I have now forgotten what I wanted to say....

 

[straitman]

Yes. I pressed the "Submit reply" button before I got a chance to finish the statement as I was falling asleep. :mrgreen:

I have now forgotten what I wanted to say....

say what...... :?:

 

[NM]

What ever gave you that idea?

A healthy dose of scepticism and reality rolled into one.

Surely the governments are more concerned for our security and safety....

Oh, you fell for the marketing campaign as well

 

[N860CR]

Yep found it out the hard way last night. Went to buy booze in HK and was told No. "Can't you seal it and deliver it to the plane like everywhere else" "No, new rules, can't do it anymore".

A real pain.... 2 Absoluts set me back $47 instead of about $30.

I guess the only way around it is to buy it on arrival into the foreign port, and then check it in on return to Aust.

 

[NM]

I guess the only way around it is to buy it on arrival into the foreign port, and then check it in on return to Aust.

Just be sure to buy 3 bottle - 1 for foreign consumption and 2 to pack for the return trip .

 

[markh]

I have not seen any restrictions with buying DF liquids at HKG for departure to Australia, but its been a while since I departed HKG for Australia. I have not seen any gate security screening facilities at HKG.

After we had our boarding passes checked at the gate and were on the airbridge there were three security personnel going through everyone's carry on baggage and searching for any bottles bigger than 100ml.

 

[oz_mark]

This page on the Cathay Pacific site is as follows. The bit about the secondary screening is fairly new

Cathay Pacific - Helping You Travel : Baggage Information > Liquids / Gels / Aerosols Restrictions____


On the Qantas page there is some information regarding changes from March 4

Flying with Us - Before You Travel - Baggage - Carry on - Country Specific

These all suggest that the DF purchases should be able to be delivered to the gate, but seems that this is not the case in practice.

 

[NM]

After we had our boarding passes checked at the gate and were on the airbridge there were three security personnel going through everyone's carry on baggage and searching for any bottles bigger than 100ml.

As noted above, this is a new process. And since they only way to get into the departures area of HKG is to have already been through liquid screening, I cannot see how a subsequent search on the jetbridge does anything to enhance security, except to enhance the job security of the Australian Duty-Free shop staff.

 

[markh]

On the Qantas page there is some information regarding changes from March 4

Flying with Us - Before You Travel - Baggage - Carry on - Country Specific

These all suggest that the DF purchases should be able to be delivered to the gate, but seems that this is not the case in practice.

We went to three different duty free shops at Hong Kong airport and all the staff did was point to a sign that said "No Alcohol to US or Australia" - they did not give us the option of delivering to the airbridge.

 

[JohnK]

Just be sure to buy 3 bottle - 1 for foreign consumption and 2 to pack for the return trip .

Some countries are very strict on duty free. I think you can bring 3 bottles into SIN but only 1 bottle into Thailand. And if you do get caught in Thailand, yes I know the customs officers just sit there most times, the fines can be very severe.

 

[serfty]

Hmmm, how many 100ml bottles can one fit in a Litre bag?