AMS transfer - Duty free security query
Nov 15, 2023, 6:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 476
AMS transfer - Duty free security query
Good afternoon everyone,
Upcoming I have a DUB-AMS-LCY itinerary. I booked with bizblue points for free hence the strange routing.
I want to buy 3 bottles of Irish whiskey in duty free in DUB.
Please can you answer these questions if you know:
1 - Is there security on a connection from Ireland and going to UK? (Non Schengen to Non Schengen)
2 - If yes, will AMS security accept whiskey in a sealed bag coming from DUB? I have seen something about it being okay if from an EU airport but other reports of confiscation.
I want to take advantage of the tax free whiskey but not if it gets confiscated!
Thank you
Upcoming I have a DUB-AMS-LCY itinerary. I booked with bizblue points for free hence the strange routing.
I want to buy 3 bottles of Irish whiskey in duty free in DUB.
Please can you answer these questions if you know:
1 - Is there security on a connection from Ireland and going to UK? (Non Schengen to Non Schengen)
2 - If yes, will AMS security accept whiskey in a sealed bag coming from DUB? I have seen something about it being okay if from an EU airport but other reports of confiscation.
I want to take advantage of the tax free whiskey but not if it gets confiscated!
Thank you
Nov 15, 2023, 8:34 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: United Kingdom
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Nov 15, 2023, 8:52 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
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USA, Canada, UK, non-Schengen EU (including Ireland) and, at this time, I believe Singapore are the only countries which do not require a security check after arrival as their security checks are considered equivalent to those in Europe.
Nov 15, 2023, 8:57 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2019
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Last edited by hhdl; Nov 15, 2023 at 2:12 pm
Nov 15, 2023, 9:19 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2008
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EU members, Switzerland, the UK, Singapore, Japan, the US, and Canada (maybe some others, e.g. South Korea or Israel?) are considered by the EU to have security standards at least equivalent to the EU and thus the EU doesn't require reclearing security if you went through security there. Thus EU airports may have flights where everybody qualifies (in the case of AMS, this means that a SIN-AMS nonstop qualifies but not a DPS-SIN-AMS) disembark via airside channels. AMS is usually exceptionally good about doing this (not perfect, though), FRA less so (my flights from the US are usually let out into the departure area), and CDG is improving (about a third of the 2E gates now support transfer without security).
This Regulation applies to the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Lichtenstein and Iceland.
Currently the countries with equivalent security measures are:
Canada
Faroe Islands, in regard to Vagar airport
Greenland, in regard to Kangerlussuaq airport
Guernsey
Isle of Man
Jersey
Montenegro
Republic of Serbia, in regard to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
Republic of Singapore, in regard to Singapore Changi Airport
State of Israel, in regard to Ben Gurion International Airport
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Nov 15, 2023, 2:38 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 476
Thank you for all your responses.
Was not aware of the EU laws on this so interesting to finally now solve the mystery (to me) of security during transit in EU hubs (in particular AMS).
I am also happy that I can buy 3 19 euro bottles of Bushmills whiskey! (Gifts I promise, apart from a cheeky one for me).
Was not aware of the EU laws on this so interesting to finally now solve the mystery (to me) of security during transit in EU hubs (in particular AMS).
I am also happy that I can buy 3 19 euro bottles of Bushmills whiskey! (Gifts I promise, apart from a cheeky one for me).
Nov 15, 2023, 3:00 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 68
Good afternoon everyone,
Upcoming I have a DUB-AMS-LCY itinerary. I booked with bizblue points for free hence the strange routing.
I want to buy 3 bottles of Irish whiskey in duty free in DUB.
Please can you answer these questions if you know:
1 - Is there security on a connection from Ireland and going to UK? (Non Schengen to Non Schengen)
2 - If yes, will AMS security accept whiskey in a sealed bag coming from DUB? I have seen something about it being okay if from an EU airport but other reports of confiscation.
I want to take advantage of the tax free whiskey but not if it gets confiscated!
Thank you
Upcoming I have a DUB-AMS-LCY itinerary. I booked with bizblue points for free hence the strange routing.
I want to buy 3 bottles of Irish whiskey in duty free in DUB.
Please can you answer these questions if you know:
1 - Is there security on a connection from Ireland and going to UK? (Non Schengen to Non Schengen)
2 - If yes, will AMS security accept whiskey in a sealed bag coming from DUB? I have seen something about it being okay if from an EU airport but other reports of confiscation.
I want to take advantage of the tax free whiskey but not if it gets confiscated!
Thank you
Now, what the legalities of exiting in Amsterdam and handing your whiskey to the friend who you bought it for there, then reclearing security and flying to the UK are, I don't know. I know thats not what you're doing, but its still interesting.
Edit: And I've done the same trip in reverse - you land in Amsterdam and don't have to go through any security or passport control. You'll likely have a very short walk.
Nov 15, 2023, 5:26 pm
#9
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Nov 15, 2023, 10:05 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
In case you are interested, the official EU list is in Attachment 4-B as found here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-cont...R1998-20230401
...
State of Israel, in regard to Ben Gurion International Airport
...
State of Israel, in regard to Ben Gurion International Airport
Shouldn't they look at the final destination? Many moons ago when AMS still had duty-free shopping it was never an issue to buy something and not pay tax even if you had a connection in another EU country.
Nov 16, 2023, 1:06 am
#11
Join Date: May 2009
Location: AMS
Posts: 2,064
Of course if you don't declare then it becomes illegal.
Nov 16, 2023, 2:30 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 476
I believe they look at final destination of ticket not connection point.
Before the B word, I'm fairly sure I bought duty free in DUB on a DUB-LHR-LAX because my final destination on ticket was LAX.
Anybody else got experience of this?
I've also bought duty free in ABZ on ABZ-LHR-XXX loads of times (both before and after the B word).
Nov 16, 2023, 8:14 am
#14
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
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Posts: 28,749
I believe they look at final destination of ticket not connection point.
Before the B word, I'm fairly sure I bought duty free in DUB on a DUB-LHR-LAX because my final destination on ticket was LAX.
Anybody else got experience of this?
I've also bought duty free in ABZ on ABZ-LHR-XXX loads of times (both before and after the B word).
Here's their answer:
Originally Posted by The Loop
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your email, Please be advised once your connecting flight is outside of the E.U and with in 24hrs you can purchase Duty free in our stores and carry it to your final destination. Please insure you give all flight details when purchasing.
Kind regards,
Thank you for your email, Please be advised once your connecting flight is outside of the E.U and with in 24hrs you can purchase Duty free in our stores and carry it to your final destination. Please insure you give all flight details when purchasing.
Kind regards,
Please report back!!!!
Make sure you have your purchases sealed in the special tamper-proof transparent bags with the receipt inside clearly visible. You should not have a security check upon arrival in AMS, but DUB has failed security audits with a worrying frequency over the last several years which have required all transfer pax arriving from DUB to be rescreened at the connection point, so you can never entirely be sure that you will not be security screened upon arrival in Schiphol.
Nov 16, 2023, 9:57 am
#15
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
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Location: AMS / ATH
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Posts: 7,342
If they were to allow you to bring in items into the EU at your transfer point, according to the rules of your destination, then what's stopping you from dropping off those items and not taking them to your final destination..