Onboard Duty Free (BA) + connecting flight in USA
Back to Forum- This topic has 25 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 17 Feb 2014
at 17:20 by Papillion53.
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MartynSinclairParticipantIan – 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…
14 Jan 2014
at 02:39
MartynSinclairParticipantJust 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”..
22 Jan 2014
at 10:27
IanFromHKGParticipantMartyn, 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.
UNQUOTERather 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:
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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.
UNQUOTENow, 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!)
23 Jan 2014
at 02:26
FormerlyDoSParticipantI 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.
23 Jan 2014
at 07:12
MartynSinclairParticipantThanks 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……
23 Jan 2014
at 09:03
IanFromHKGParticipantThe TSA must be monitoring the board, Martyn, they changed the rules just for you…
31 Jan 2014
at 09:17
MartynSinclairParticipantThanks 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..
31 Jan 2014
at 11:54
MartynSinclairParticipantFull refund + apology now received. Verbal and written!
17 Feb 2014
at 12:25
MartynSinclairParticipantaccording 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…
17 Feb 2014
at 13:53 -
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