You'll probably get them cheaper at the airport but it probably won't be much different then your local shops, especially if they have any special offers / sales. I normally get Ray-Ban and they were about £20 cheaper in the duty free than in the high street (if you can find them!). Last time I bought some at T1, they were just as cheep at Sunglasses Hut (which is before you clear security) than in duty free.

Darren

Thanks Darren,

It might be worth him getting some on the net then, there seems to be some sites that sell cheaper than the high street.

All the best
gc

On a recent flight from India with First Choice, a passenger spent £158.00 on duty free alcohol and cigarettes, well above the duty free allowance. Guess who I saw being stopped and searched in the Nothing to Declare lane at Gatwick? Yes the same passenger. Who Told?? Are the cabin crew obliged to let Customs know? Should the crew memeber not have told the passenger that she was well over the allowance?

I would say that the onus is on the passenger to ensure that they are familiar with duty free limits in advance, to ensure that they do not exceed those limits unless prepared to accept the possible consequences of duty payment, confiscation of goods or prosecution, and to ensure that they use the correct channel to declare any excess purchases to Customs & Excise on arrival.

Travellers have ample opportunity to check duty free allowances before or during their holiday, or they can do so at airports, or with most in-flight magazines. I don't believe there is any obligation on cabin staff to highlight allowances to passengers over and above that, and considering that commission from the sale of such goods may top up their earnings, I think that the chances of them doing so are pretty slim.

In most cases where travellers exceed duty free allowances, it is done through choice rather than ignorance, and so I think they must be prepared to accept full responsibilty for their own actions.

David

Could it have been as simple as the officer saw all his duty free bags ! I know it would make me think that they had more than their allowed limit if i saw someone with 3 or 4 bags worth of duty free.

Sorry dont think it would be the crew they want to sell as much as possible bonus for them.

hi anyone know if duty free sells mobile phones if so are they much cheaper

I haven't bought a mobile but I have purchased cameras saving between 10-20% on high street prices.

Dave

Don't forget that when travelling within the EU there is no such thing as 'Duty Free' anymore.

My cousin just bought a camera from Amazon and it was much cheaper there than at the shops at the airport.

luci

thanks a lot thats made up my mind now

Anyone returning today perhaps could give a security update on return flights. In particular are duty free purchased in the airport allowed ?

Balkan Holidays Air imposed the hand luggage ban on friday afternoon.

At Varna on Friday night/Saturday morning we were able to buy duty free once through security checks.

HTH

John

is duty free cheaper than the high street prices(aftershave perfume)

yes, by a couple of pounds only...cigs on non eu routes are the cheapest things.

The "Duty Free" shops in UK airports are a total joke. You may pay a pound or two less on some headline items, but for everything else you will get it for the same price or cheaper either in the high street or online. For example, for those who still use 35mm cameras, the price of film in the duty free is roughly double what you will pay from online retailers (7dayshop and MX2 for example). Likewise, the Dixons "Duty Free" prices are easily beaten online in the UK.
I used to buy the "not available in the UK" paperbacks in the airport WH Smith a couple of months before they were available in the high street - they got wise and started producing oversized "travellers editions" instead charging £10-12 for them - no thanks!

All I buy in the airport shops now-a-days is a cup of coffee and a newspaper!

For cheap booze & perfume, go to Gibraltar and buy it in the high street there!

Cheers,
Jet

Jetnoise

Sorry to inform you but there are no longer duty free shops in the UK airports and have not been for some time.

Rgds Jackie

Jackie......of course there are still UK Duty Free Shops. (I hope so anyway as my brother manages the one at Newcastle Airport ! ) Duty Free is still available for travellers from the UK to non EU countries, of which there are many.

You can still buy from them if travelling within the EU from UK airports (excluding tobacco products) but all you save is the VAT and as said by Jetnoise you can buy these items cheaper from web shops. Hence why the UK Duty Free shops have two prices - Non EU and EU

Another example of Duty Free still being available are goods on Thomson flights to the Canaries/Long Haul - You can buy 400 Cigs for £20 or 200 for £15 Duty Free

I didn't literally mean that there are no duty free shops at airports.
My point was, as you are only saving the VAT. Unless you are spending a fortune a saving of 17.5pence in the pound is not what I call duty free. As stated by Jetnoise you can buy cheaper on the internet or in EU countries that you are visiting. Why would I want to pay £20 for 400 cigarettes on a flight to the Canaries when I can buy 400 there even cheaper?

That is what I meant when I said there are no duty free shops in the UK airports. It's cheaper to buy while you are abroad

You save a pittance on your 'Duty Frees' at the airport then they take it back off you when you buy food or drink.

Like you Jetnoise we only buy a drink and snack at the airport all our shopping is done at our destination.

Rgds Jackie