Onboard Duty Free (BA) + connecting flight in USA

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Viewing 11 posts - 16 through 26 (of 26 total)

  • MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Ian – crew were aware I had no checked in luggage.

    “You CAN take duty-free through onto connecting flights” infers, on person. I do not believe any airline would accept a bottle of duty free in a polythene sealed bag as a checked bag…


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Just to update:

    On my flight home yesterday, I spoke to the CSD, charming chap called Tim, who worryingly confirmed he would give the same advice as his colleague did to me about buying duty free on board and going through a TSA check for a connection (in the USA).. UNLESS of course, the TSA check at Miami was incorrectly carried out..

    I have also chased BA for a response (as BAEC are usually quite quick) – and I received a holding mail “its with Customer Relations”..


    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    Martyn, there is quite an intuitive tool on the TSA website where you can query whether anything can be taken in hand luggage. Rather counter-intuitively, to see whether it is permitted, you have to go to the section on prohibited items http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/prohibited-items. There is a box in the page with a mottled blue background and the legend “When I Fly, Can I Bring My…?”. Put in what you are concerned about in plain language and it will give you an answer. For duty free alcohol, the answer starts:

    QUOTE
    Alcohol or alcoholic beverages in amounts greater than 3.4 oz. must be transported in checked baggage.
    Bottles of alcohol 3.4 ounces or less must adhere to the 3-1-1 rule for liquids: containers must be 3.4 ounces or less; stored in a 1 quart/liter zip-top bag; 1 zip-top bag per person, placed in the screening bin. Larger amounts of liquids, gels, and aerosols must be placed in checked baggage.
    UNQUOTE

    Rather more pertinently, the TSA blog features this article – http://blog.tsa.gov/2008/05/duty-free-debunked.html – talking about duty-free shops in the US being permitted to use tamperproof bags so that duty-free purchased in the US can be taken through foreign checkpoints. The part here which is very directly on point for your situation is near the bottom, and reads:

    QUOTE
    One thing to note – because travelers coming into the U.S. do have the opportunity to place any liquid items that exceed 3-1-1 rules in their checked bag before going through customs, the international duty-free bag will not be allowed through U.S. checkpoints.
    UNQUOTE

    Now, that article is from 2008, but it does seem pretty clear. I couldn’t find anything updating it or indicating that the situation has changed.

    Hope that’s helpful (at least in terms of settling the issue, even if it doesn’t help you get booze through checkpoints!)


    FormerlyDoS
    Participant

    I can confirm that the info posted by Ian is current, as I went to the USA a few times last year and had to pack boozo the wonder drug in my checked luggage, before connecting.

    It’s a concern that BA CSDs are so poorly trained in something that could cause a lot of customer annoyance – the rules have been this way for years.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Thanks Ian and I now accept and understand the rules 100%.

    The fact still remains that it must be considered as reasonable to assume information given on board by a crew member selling duty free is deemed to be correct. They could have said they don’t know, but they were adamant they were correct.

    Hindsight is easy, but BA’s error was my cost. This should not happen.

    Another poster suggested I consider the cost of BA investigating, my thought is BA need to find the cost to make their crew’s aware rather than misleading……


    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    The TSA must be monitoring the board, Martyn, they changed the rules just for you…

    http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/3-1-1-carry-ons


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Thanks Ian… I am sure BA will be in touch soon to offer me an explanation. I will print it out and carry it with me next time I have a connection in the States… (along with my paper ESTA, Global Pass confirmation)…A walking filing cabinet 🙂 – enjoy your weekend in BKK..


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Full refund + apology now received. Verbal and written!


    nmh1204
    Participant

    That’s fantastic Martyn.

    Will they be making sure the staff know of the restrictions in US transit ?


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    according to the guy who called me, TSA should have allowed the duty free – however, the rules have become clearer.

    I said I would try again in April when I will be clearing in New York and then onwards. He said any problems, I should let him know…


    Papillion53
    Participant

    MS – even better result! :-))

Viewing 11 posts - 16 through 26 (of 26 total)
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