Originally Posted by infoworks
A little bit OT, but in AKL, that is a good trick...buy inbound duty free (I usually take a bottle in for a fried anyway) and they have their dedicated lanes...who do usually check that you have purchase...and zip past the loooong lines downstairs. The escalator even takes you closer to the way out (great with no checked luggage).
Thats out of date. Last year the duty free lanes were removed and replaced with additional lanes upstairs for Australia and NZ (there's still lanes downstairs as well). Sometimes quicker going downstairs as everyone goes for the first queue they see (ie upstairs). Also upstairs is not always manned.