[canucklad]

Thanks to LIS…..seems a logical answer, I wonder if commision is based on taxation costs…

Since this thread started has anyone noticed if WHS has become more transparent at the tills….???.

If they havn’t , i would be very disappointed….. because they still are not acting with transparency !! and as such not complying with one of the key principles of the act, when dealing with their UK resident customers.

[RHMAngel]

Witnessed another annoyed customer, so it was timely to see yet another explanation in the Sunday Times over the reason, which contradicts some of the answers folks have posted here.

BAA says…

“When tax and duty-free pricing for EU passengers was abolished in the UK, Heathrow decided to run a one price for all passengers regardless of destination. At the point of paying, passengers are asked for their boarding card (no matter how small the price of the purchase) so that retailers can record the destination, allowing them to reconcile those items sold on which they need to pay back the VAT later….”

Seems at odds they don’t need the information, as they clearly do. Albeit not saving passenger’s personal details.

Lack of transparency over the real reason and dealing with cheesed-off passengers at the point of sale, is just a saga that drags on.

Breathe folks, breathe…

[capetonianm]

What about a little notice on each till explaining that simple fact? It would avoid arguments and unpleasantness all round. Too simple I suppose.

[judynagy]

Or even more simple … just ASK the customer for his final destination or next destination or whatever the bureaucrats want to know. If queried, the clerk can respond that they need to deal with VAT. I just went through this about 5 times buying little things at LHR and it was beyond annoying.

[capetonianm]

Because some would lie for the sake of it, others would start a discussion, and some would be smart and say : “Sverdlovsk”, or “Mufulira” and the staff wouldn’t know where those places were, and it would become even more of a time wasting farce than it already is.

Simpler would perhaps to be ask : Is your destination EU, domestic, or other? Then you’d get people the place like the Channel Islands and IOM, most people don’t know they’re non-EU, and so it goes on.

If you are going to JNB via AMS, which boarding card to do you show and which determines the VAT?

[TominScotland]

A few days ago, I was led around Gatwick North Terminal by my better half, buying a range of small things from different outlets. At each, we were asked for our boarding cards. The world did not stop and the inconvenience was minimal. Is this really “An Issue”??????

[OliverOwen1]

I find it really annoying , travelling twice per week (both internal flights) that I have to produce my boarding card in Boots the chemist in order to purchase a meal deal. Boots used to only take your flight number and the cashiers would manually type it in. It saved time. I now find when I travel that the queues are longer because people have to dig out their cards.

It just seems abit strange to me that Boots have gone from asking where you’re flying to, to demanding a scan of your boarding card. What do they do with my information?

I emailed them, and basically , they claim VAT back on their customers behalf for those leaving the EU. BUT, they don’t pass the saving on to said customers. I don’t know if this is standard practice but it’s pretty bad coming from a company who has defended itself to the hill, claiming it pays the correct tax in the UK.

I would urge you to email them, to revert back to simply getting their cashiers to ask travellers where they’re going. Another company lost to corporate greed I suppose. I wont hand over my boarding card to them any time soon. i now avoid them at the airport

[SimonS1]

I thought we established some pages back that producing a boarding card is not obligatory? So why not say ‘I haven’t got it with me’.

[OliverOwen1]

It just frustrates me, If the cashier says it’s not obligatory, then WHY do they ask for it. Won’t shop in either shop at the airport now.

[capetonianm]

Shortly before boarding an international flight earlier today from Liverpool Airport, I made a few small purchases at the airside W H Smith outlet. I was not asked for my boarding pass, destination, or flight number, so maybe common sense has prevailed.

[judynagy]

Alex, we are not talking about duty-free shops, where producing all your papers is expected. We’re talking about a bottle of aspirin at Boots.

[MarcusUK]

Buying a newspaper in Schiphol I asked why, wa sit Duty Free or just for research?
the very polite Dutch lady said “I asked if i could see your Boarding pass…you can say No”!
So i politely declined.

At LCY I was asked the same, was told “it is compulsory” and as it was not Duty Free, i gave the newspaper back. I bought it from the next shop, and no one asked me for anything!

So just decline and say it is not a legal requirement, only for marketing tracing. You do not want to participate.

For more valuable items or those needing bagging like alcohol, scents etc, I can understand as this needs to go into the bag documented.
Not for a newspaper or news shop items.

[Lizzy1982]

I bought some things in Boots the other day at Heathrow I asked why I had to always show it – was it because some medications were illegal in certain countries? She said (quietly):

“no, it’s so Boots can claim back the tax’

So if she is right it is all to line the pockets of the shareholders!!!

[GudFella]

I think the reason to show boarding passes is that not everyone at the airport is actually travelling. I am sure there are other reasons too..

[capetonianm]

Gudfella : I think this practice only applies airside, so unless the purchaser is airport staff, one can assume they are travelling. Does it matter?

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