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Duty Free- into Australia 09

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 14:55
by northernhenry
Either I'm having a bad day and unable to make my brian function properly, but the below is a direct cut/paste from VS site:
Australia
Any Duty Free purchases made at London Heathrow and Hong Kong airport, will not be allowed onboard your flight to Australia. Also, purchases made onboard your flight from London to Hong Kong, will not be allowed onboard your flight to Australia.
However, Duty Free purchases are allowed onboardyour flight from Hong Kong to Australia.- You would hope so if they are selling it..what should you do, buy it and throw it in the bin![?]
Basically, unless VS inflight duty free on the HKG-SYD leg has what we want, we can't buy anything, does this include Tobacco? as our hosts have asked to pick some up onroute...

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 15:53
by Decker
could be wrong but I thought this applied only to liquids...

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 15:55
by tontybear
Yes my reading is that only Duty Free bought on the HKG-SYD leg is allowed into Australia.
When I was last in World Duty Free in LHR T3 there were several signs mentioning thios fact (plus someone was told at the till)
But I did see something on wiki that at some airports they have duty free shops before customs on entry to Australia and that some would also do intwebnet orders for colelction. Is SYD one of those?

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 17:48
by mitchja
I do seem to remember seeing at least one duty free shop when you arrive at SYD before you reach immigration.
Regards

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 18:21
by Tinkerbelle
It is to do with liquids. So if you're going to Sydney, you won't be allowed to carry any liquids (including duty free) over 100ml into the aircraft cabin when boarding an aircraft flying into Australia. All bags are searched at the gate in HKG before boarding. You are however allowed to purchase liquids on the HKG-SYD sector.
It is one of those Australian rules that VS has no control over. You will also notice plastic cutlery in UC on the HKG-SYD-HKG flight due to another Australian rule - it is not as some people assume that VS forgot to load the metal cutlery!

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 19:23
by Decker
same goes for New Zealand and liquids/duty free. Well anywhere to be honest - that's why DF at LHR now ask if you're flying anywhere after this flight...

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 20:42
by northernhenry
quote:Originally posted by Tinkerbelle
It is to do with liquids. So if you're going to Sydney, you won't be allowed to carry any liquids (including duty free) over 100ml into the aircraft cabin when boarding an aircraft flying into Australia. All bags are searched at the gate in HKG before boarding. You are however allowed to purchase liquids on the HKG-SYD sector.
It is one of those Australian rules that VS has no control over. You will also notice plastic cutlery in UC on the HKG-SYD-HKG flight due to another Australian rule - it is not as some people assume that VS forgot to load the metal cutlery!
So tobacco will be o.k? Going back to the VS site, it doesn't say liquids just ALL duty free[?]

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 21:06
by Tinkerbelle
quote:Originally posted by northernhenry
quote:Originally posted by Tinkerbelle
It is to do with liquids. So if you're going to Sydney, you won't be allowed to carry any liquids (including duty free) over 100ml into the aircraft cabin when boarding an aircraft flying into Australia. All bags are searched at the gate in HKG before boarding. You are however allowed to purchase liquids on the HKG-SYD sector.
It is one of those Australian rules that VS has no control over. You will also notice plastic cutlery in UC on the HKG-SYD-HKG flight due to another Australian rule - it is not as some people assume that VS forgot to load the metal cutlery!
So tobacco will be o.k? Going back to the VS site, it doesn't say liquids just ALL duty free[?]
Tobacco is fine - it is just liquids that are the problem.

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 21:17
by slinky09
Is it to do with Australia or Hong Kong airport? Liquids over 100 ml are removed after disembarkation when transferring to any flight at HKG, as well as before embarkation if you are going straight on to Australia and it's obviously the case that you can BOB before landing in SYD?
Either way, no duty free bottles unless bought on the last leg and yes there is a large duty free shop before customs at SYD!
Oh, and it's 'reigns' ( [:I] ).

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 21:47
by Tinkerbelle
quote:Originally posted by slinky09
Is it to do with Australia or Hong Kong airport?
I always have believed it to be an Australian rule as a friend of mine flew to Sydney via Bangkok and the same rules applied from there.
Also you can buy alcohol from the duty free shop in Hong Kong and board the flight back to London with it with no restrictions.

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 21:58
by Tinkerbelle
Link to Australian Government WebsiteSo the reason why you cannot buy alcohol in Hong Kong duty free and take it onboard a flight to Australia is because they do not deliver duty free to the gate in Hong Kong.

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 22:59
by honey lamb
Just checked with a friend of mine who flies to SYD regularly. He says that it is almost impossible to get to Immigration in SYD without going through the Duty Free shop there.

Posted:
11 Sep 2009, 23:18
by Tinkerbelle
quote:Originally posted by honey lamb
Just checked with a friend of mine who flies to SYD regularly. He says that it is almost impossible to get to Immigration in SYD without going through the Duty Free shop there.
You definitely cannot miss the duty free shop!