Originally Posted by
eddibabyyeah
I wonder if it had anything to do with purchases from the US?
I think that EU airports will allow liquids through if still in the sealed bag with the same-day purchase receipt visible, and they were purchased in the EU/EEA [hence not necessarily duty free - as in your example. Most such examples would be duty-paid]. But if the purchase is from outside the EU, even if sealed, then it may not be allowed through.
EDIT: it seems that the non-EU purchases thing was relaxed last January:
As of 31st January 2014, new rules will enter into force allowing passengers to carry certain liquids onto connecting flights at EU airports. Up until now, duty-free liquids purchased at non-EU airports or on board a non-EU carrier were confiscated when the passenger connected onto another flight within the EU. Today’s rule change means that such liquids – provided they are packed in the security bag issued at the time of purchase – can be screened at passenger security checkpoints and brought onto a connecting flight.
For example, under previous rules, a passenger travelling from Hong Kong to Dublin via London would have had any duty-free liquids purchased in Hong Kong airport confiscated upon landing in London. These measures were originally put in place as the EU could not verify that the liquids had come from a secure source.
Still - it is advisable to buy your duty-free purchases at the last available moment (at the very last airport of departure; on board the final flight of the day; or, when flying to Australia, on arrival at your destination). That way, you have none of the worry of whether the item will be confiscated, you won't need to go to any passenger liquids screening points (some airports have dedicated stations for this, it's not enough just to rock up at the normal gate/transfer security point), and you won't have to carry the items around from flight to flight all day.
Just saw the following on Schiphol's website - which sounds a bit worrying:
Conditions that apply outside the European Union
Liquid items purchased duty-free at an airport outside the European Union will be confiscated at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, even if these have been sealed. This applies equally to purchases bought on board a non-European airline.
Flying from Schiphol and transferring to Australia?
You are not permitted to carry liquids, gels or spray containers that you have purchased outside Australia in your hand luggage.
Especially based on that last line, I would advise the OP
NOT to buy any duty free liquids in the UK, in Abu Dhabi, or on board any of the flights, but instead wait until arrival in Australia. In Sydney and Melbourne, you will walk right buy the on-arrival duty free shops - you can't miss them - and as stated above, you can buy online and they have them ready for collection. I always just walk in and buy them as I am on the way to immigration, but I always arrive late in the evening when neither the duty free nor immigration is busy. If arriving in the early morning, it might be better to pre-order.