[millionsofmiles]

Having a few allergies and illnesses yself…i still cant find any reason why everyone, especially in public places, should restrict his business or behaviour for me?
The shops are rented by the retailers and I have absolutely no problem that they use perfume to attract customers. like a bakery with the smell of baked bread.
If I had such strong allergies i would try a breathing filter.

[EdinburghIrish]

It’s the usual argument – airports are with us to make money – while getting us from A to B at the same time. A typical ‘commercial’ airport will generate about 60% of it’s revenues from commercial ‘retail’ activity – with aero accounting for an ever diminishing slice of the ‘profit pie’. Suits me down to the ground as the profits from commercial subsidise my many cheap flights across Europe & beyond.

Personally – I’ve no problem with this – no one is holding a gun to my head & making me shop.

In answer to the threat of an asthmatic attack – most if not all walk through Duty Free stores have a good 12 foot walkway (minimum) through the store. On one side you’ll find the perfume dept – on the other, a far more enticing liquor / whisky section (IMO)- where I’m sure even the most sensitive of noses could make a credible claim to being offended by the aromas – not to mention the samples !

[DavidGordon10]

Fair enough, “no one is holding a gun to my head & making me shop” but they are making me walk past the smell. For those who suggested I need a gas mask, I do actually hold my coat or some other garment firmly over nose and mouth until I am through, and that usually works, but this morning I let that guard down to ask why my usual escape route through the “need of assistance” waiting area was closed. Serves me right, never let your guard down.

I know revenue from retail activity subsidises airports, but for me, shops damage the experience – all I need is a newsagent and bookshop, and (occasionally) a pharmacy, and somewhere to eat and drink if need be.

[millionsofmiles]

David:

I feel with you in that. Still, I dont feel that every minority problem can be tended for, unfortunately. In asian airports, I often see people with breathing masks..
Closing th shops or disallowing the sale of perfume, or any other items with a smell for that, is unthinkable and inappropriate, in my opinion.
I am unable to do certan things in certain environments..but I cant expect to buildings or envrionments being changed for me.

[Papillion53]

DavidGordon@17:36

Hhmmmmm …. LOL!

[LuganoPirate]

Beware if you buy say an iPad at duty free. Yes, it’s 3% cheaper but you’ll be hit with 20% vat when you return. Unless you smuggle it in! So it will actually cost you 17% more. Better to buy it in the high street.

[GLAFlyer]

I cannot stand going by the perfume displays at airports where there are female employees constantly squirting perfume trying to entice people to buy whatever it is. It gives me a headache. I hold my breath and go by as quickly as I can. There is no escape at Glasgow Airport where all departing passengers are routed through the “duty free” area.

[IanFromHKG]

SergeantMajor – 04/02/2014 15:27 GMT : I rather like the pleasant waft of perfume, and it’s nice to browse through the various wares on offer. Certainly not a hardship!

I thnk you have missed the OP’s point, which is that for some people it truly is a hardship. I am not overly susceptible, thankfully, but the memsahib can have migraines triggered by certain perfumes and the like. Even I, on one occasion, was forced to ask a fellow passenger on a longhaul flight to swab off whatever cologne he had been wallowing in because of an incipient migraine attack. I am fortunate enough never to have suffered from asthma but have considerable sympathy for the OP, and I think it is a shame that you apparently don’t.

[stevescoots]

I agree Re the pricing in UK duty free. i can buy some booze cheaper in Tesco than in Duty free, and smokes…dont even get me started!

as for the original point, its never bothered me, sometimes handy for a freshen up during transit 🙂

[Pierre]

For cheese lovers:
At French airports, the cheese outlet stinks at miles !
Combined to the Vuitton Family and Ladurée Sweets, it must be done on purpose to attract foreign visitors. I never felt that smell to that extent in supermarkets or market places anywhere in France.
Part of the image ??

[PeterCoultas]

luckily I’ve lost my sense of smell – sadlly my wife likes these wafted goodies – quite honestly the big problem is the unnecessary array of sales outlets at major airports – get rid of them!

[LuganoPirate]

Pierre, I love the smell of cheese, no matter how smelly. Give me a ripe Camembert over a waft of Chanel any day 😉

Peter, + 1

[TerryMcManus24]

Amsterdam is good for cheese/s.

In fact if you have an hour or so just wander round all the airports outlets trying their samples including those small biscuit things and you can forget about lunch.

Next time might get myself a bagette and a couple of toms and maybe an onion and really go for it.

[LuganoPirate]

Yellow Amsterdam Uitjes of course Terry 😉

[Author]

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