duty free perfume

[chip n dale fans]

has anyone recently been on a usa flight from uk and been allowed duty free perfume on board with hand luggage?
just wondering what the policy is with duty free

 

[Deedee]

No liquid at all is allowed on board no drink or perfume. That was thursday don't know if things have changed since then

 

[kristieuk]

The answer is no - it's only possible to do this on non-USA flights. The only option you have is to buy duty free when you land in the UK - most airports now have a 'last option to buy' duty free shop when you land. HTH

 

[shellbell]

I know a lady who works in the duty free in terminal 2 at manchester airport. She said that Virgin Atlantic have been letting you buy your duty frees and then giving thme to you as you board the plane like they do at Orlando. Will see if this is true next friday

 

[musketeer]

I thought that if you buy duty free theythen seal it and give it back to you when boarding starts.

 

[chip n dale fans]

hi everyone i am hoping that this is the case,i am hoping to buy some duty free stuff but only if i get to take it with me to orlando.
i want to use my perfume when i am on holiday!

 

[CustardTart]

I bought perfume on our Virgin flight to Orlando back in August, 2 days after the terrorist scare. Once we had landed and gone through immigration, we collected our luggage and stuffed our on-board purchases into one of the cases before they disappeared again for security. Absolutely no problem. HTH...

 

[AlanUK]

I bought perfume on our Virgin flight to Orlando back in August, 2 days after the terrorist scare. Once we had landed and gone through immigration, we collected our luggage and stuffed our on-board purchases into one of the cases before they disappeared again for security. Absolutely no problem. HTH...

I'm not sure this is what the poster had in mind. As I saw it the question was trying to find out if you could buy Duty Free perfume in the UK and take it on holiday with you. Once you are on the flight there is no problem buying the duty free offered and carrying it through security on the US side, you may just need to repack it if you are getting a connecting flight onto somewhere else.

I'd be interested to know if there is a system in place similar to that in Orlando where you can buy the Duty Free and collect it before you board the plane in a sealed bag as was hinted at by Shellbell, although we will be travelling from Gatwick and not Manchester.

 

[UKDEB]

I'd be interested to know if there is a system in place similar to that in Orlando where you can buy the Duty Free and collect it before you board the plane in a sealed bag as was hinted at by Shellbell, although we will be travelling from Gatwick and not Manchester

According to posts on the V-Flyer forums, it seems that Virgin did introduce such a scheme, but that it has since been withdrawn. I've sent them an email in an attempt to get it straight from the horse's mouth.

 

[AlanUK]

Thanks Deb.

Let us know what they say.

 

[UKDEB]

Here's the response I've received from Virgin:

Thank you for your email.

Passengers travelling to the US will be unable to purchase liquid duty free items from the Airport's departure lounge. They can purchase liquid duty free goods only onboard our aircraft. They must keep their receipt as proof of purchase onboard.

For details please see our website.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passengerinformation/latestnews/index.jsp

For updates regarding this matter, please keep a regular check on our website.

If you have any further queries, you may prefer to contact our Reservations department.

UK Contact Centre
Inside the UK 0870 380 2007
Outside the UK +44 870 380 2007
Lines are available daily 7am - 10pm local time

US Call Center
Inside the US 800 821 5438
Outside the US +1 800 821 5438 or +1 203 750 8000
Lines are available daily 7.30am - 11.30pm EST

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/customerrelations/contact_us/phone.jsp

Any of our advisors will be pleased to help.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard.

 

[UKDEB]

I've picked this up from this week's AllEars newsletter:

As of today, September 26, TSA has modified the ban on liquids, aerosols and gels taken aboard aircraft. There are two major changes:

1. Travelers may now carry travel-size toiletries (3 ounces or less) that fit comfortably in ONE, QUART-SIZE, clear plastic, zip-top bag through security checkpoints.

2. After clearing security, travelers can now bring beverages and other items purchased in the secure boarding area on-board aircraft.

At the checkpoint travelers will be asked to remove the zip-top bag of liquids and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt. X-raying these items separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine them. For the full announcement visit the TSA website at: http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/9-25_updated_passenger_guidance.shtm

I wonder whether these regulations will also apply to flights going in to the US?

 

[Boo Boo Too]

I wonder whether these regulations will also apply to flights going in to the US?

No, not at the moment....

The security of your flight in primarily controlled by where you are leaving from - so ex-UK are controlled by the BAA (which doesn't use these modified regulations... yet).

If you have an internal flight (i.e. within the US), then these modified TSA regulations will apply. They should also apply on US-UK flights (so when you return from Orlando to London).

Boo

 

[UKDEB]

The security of your flight in primarily controlled by where you are leaving from - so ex-UK are controlled by the BAA (which doesn't use these modified regulations... yet)

That doesn't explain why it's only flights bound for the US which still have these restrictions.

 

[AlanUK]

That doesn't explain why it's only flights bound for the US which still have these restrictions.

I suppose it's down to the details of the intelligence that led to the heightened security measures being introduced in the first place. I think the recent threat related to US carriers flying out of the UK so it makes sense that security on these flights is being monitored more closely than other carriers flying to other destinations for which there is no intelligence pointing towards a possible problem.

We'll probably never know the full details of the threat as that might compromise continuing operations but no doubt more information will be revealed once the cases come to court.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

That doesn't explain why it's only flights bound for the US which still have these restrictions.

As AlanUK said, it is because the perceived thread is much greater on flights to the US... Ok I doubt that the terrorists like the UK much, but the political motive behind attacking UK-US flights is to get at the Americans more so than at us.

Ok, it is maybe odd that the US/TSA regulations are more relaxed the the GB/BAA regulations in that case (as you point out), but I guess that the two different authorities see fit to act differently. To be honest, although I have no idea why I feel this way, I actually have more trust in the British authorities... ok they tend to be a bit "belt and braces" sometimes, but they seem more professional than the TSA to me...

Ok, those comments have probably now put me in-line for a full body cavity search when I land at MCO next week ...

Boo