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Old Dec 7, 2012, 9:15 am
  #1  
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Duty free liquor policy to the us

Can someone please clarify the policy about bringing on liquor purchased at the duty free store on board a US bound flight??

Asking because i bought a bottle in duty free (my boarding pass was checked) and it was confiscated during the pre-boarding security inspection with the security supervisor insisting that this was "US POLICY" which it isn't!!

is this a special situation with US flights?? Was the security personnel mis-informed?? Is there a scam going on between duty free and the security people??

Not a big deal but just one of those travel annoyances that can be prevented.
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Old Dec 7, 2012, 10:05 am
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I heard that US and certain countries asked for the secondary security check. The secondary check, of course, follows the same LAG rule as the primary check.

I feel that they should have warned you before the purchase. I also think that they should put the item in a sealed duty-free bag. Perhaps that would be acceptable by the secondary security (but I have not personally done that).

In any event, as this is not CX-related, I am moving this thread to the HKG forum.

cxfan1960
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Old Dec 7, 2012, 11:32 am
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and also rather annoying when flying on CX888, especially if getting off in YVR only...

ahh...why some airlines like JAL, perhaps just for domestic flights, let you just bring your booze with you in carry on...

i mean really, are they worried about the contents or the glass as a weapon?
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Old Dec 7, 2012, 11:43 am
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Originally Posted by cxfan1960
I heard that US and certain countries asked for the secondary security check. The secondary check, of course, follows the same LAG rule as the primary check.

I feel that they should have warned you before the purchase. I also think that they should put the item in a sealed duty-free bag. Perhaps that would be acceptable by the secondary security (but I have not personally done that).

In any event, as this is not CX-related, I am moving this thread to the HKG forum.

cxfan1960
CX Mod
Where is the HKG forum?? Also, i put it on this forum as i was told that this was SPECIFIC to CX??

Also, if the rules for the second check are the same as for the first check are the same, they should have allowed this....
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Old Dec 7, 2012, 1:55 pm
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Originally Posted by mkjr
i mean really, are they worried about the contents or the glass as a weapon?
Yes.
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Old Dec 7, 2012, 8:55 pm
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Originally Posted by Steve M
Yes.
Which one? Glass as a weapon?
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Old Dec 7, 2012, 10:05 pm
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Originally Posted by mkjr
Which one? Glass as a weapon?
No - the contents. The worry is that the contents is not as labeled but has been replaced with something else.
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Old Dec 8, 2012, 2:36 am
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is this a scam??

Originally Posted by Steve M
No - the contents. The worry is that the contents is not as labeled but has been replaced with something else.
this was in a sealed duty free shop bag-

the issue is that this is allowed in almost every airport in the world INCLUDING HKG in he past

in retrospect, i am wondering if this is a security scam!! Very easy - "security" guards in cohoots with duty free employees - take the confiscated bottles that they do not give a receipt for (there were a about 6-10 that flight) and then return them to duty free for cash!!
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Old Dec 8, 2012, 9:58 am
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Originally Posted by wdchuck1
Where is the HKG forum?? Also, i put it on this forum as i was told that this was SPECIFIC to CX??

Also, if the rules for the second check are the same as for the first check are the same, they should have allowed this....
The secondary check is not CX-specific. It applies to all US- and Australia-bound flights and flights to some other countries. IIRC, it also applies for all US carriers departing from Hong Kong. LAG rules at the primary check also disallows liquor unless it follows the packaging requirements.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_...agrestrictions

However, I thought it would be okay if it is already in sealed tamper proof duty-free bag:
"All duty free items of LAG must be accompanied with proof of purchase, and packed in a sealed tamper evident bag (Please note that some Duty Free Stores DO NOT provide sealed tamper evident bags to customers)".
Is your proof of purchase attached in the bag?
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Old Dec 8, 2012, 11:03 am
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Originally Posted by cxfan1960
The secondary check is not CX-specific. It applies to all US- and Australia-bound flights and flights to some other countries. IIRC, it also applies for all US carriers departing from Hong Kong. LAG rules at the primary check also disallows liquor unless it follows the packaging requirements.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_...agrestrictions

However, I thought it would be okay if it is already in sealed tamper proof duty-free bag:
"All duty free items of LAG must be accompanied with proof of purchase, and packed in a sealed tamper evident bag (Please note that some Duty Free Stores DO NOT provide sealed tamper evident bags to customers)".
Is your proof of purchase attached in the bag?
YES - he opened the seal to see what was inside the bag - which is why i think that there is something suspicious going on - or the security guy just was misinformed..

Trust me, i have done this enough to what i can't bring or not bring on board a plane - and, if there were "special restrictions" on US flights (which there may indeed have been), i should have been prevented from buying is - the same way as they will not let you buy if your final destination is an on-line connection!!

According to the IFM, there were "many" bottles confiscated at the gate...

Waiting to hear from CX to see what they say..
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Old Dec 8, 2012, 12:54 pm
  #11  
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All US bound flights, even with stopover at NRT are subjected to at gate US DHS?TSA level security screening and the 311/100ml rule strictly enforced.
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Old Dec 8, 2012, 1:21 pm
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I'm used to the liquids search at boarding in HKG, PEK, PCG, etc

I didn't realize it extended to duty free.

None of the duty free stores at HKG have an airbridge deliver service?

I thought some airports have an arrangement where your duty free purchases are delivered as you are boarding the airplane.
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Old Dec 11, 2012, 10:35 pm
  #13  
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Not in HKG. It's quite specific, per the link from cxfan1960- you want duty free to take home to the USA, buy it on the plane.

Similar to the Australia security requirements, the US government also requires a secondary LAG screening at the boarding gate of Hong Kong International Airport to ensure no excessive LAGs to be carried onboard CX US bound flights. Passengers to the US can purchase duty free LAGs in-flight on the last sector of their journey e.g. JFK bound passengers travelling on a HKG-YVR-JFK flight can purchase duty free on the YVR-JFK sector. Likewise, arrival passengers to Canada, such as YYZ bound passengers travelling on a HKG-ANC-YYZ flight, can purchase duty free on the ANC-YYZ sector.
(emphasis added)

This covers duty-free.
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Old Dec 14, 2012, 3:41 pm
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by cxfan1960
The secondary check is not CX-specific. It applies to all US- and Australia-bound flights and flights to some other countries. IIRC, it also applies for all US carriers departing from Hong Kong. LAG rules at the primary check also disallows liquor unless it follows the packaging requirements.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_...agrestrictions

However, I thought it would be okay if it is already in sealed tamper proof duty-free bag:
"All duty free items of LAG must be accompanied with proof of purchase, and packed in a sealed tamper evident bag (Please note that some Duty Free Stores DO NOT provide sealed tamper evident bags to customers)".
Is your proof of purchase attached in the bag?
I thought this was usually handled by having the duty free shop deliver the items to the gate, after the secondary/supplemental screen, where you can pick up the items.
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Old Dec 14, 2012, 4:15 pm
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I've gotten duty free in the tamper evident bags at several airports. It looks like a very secure way of packaging items so it is obvious if you even try to open the bag.

Has anyone had a tamper evident bag confiscated at the secondary US screening?
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