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Old Dec 28, 2011, 1:20 am
  #46  
 
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Originally Posted by KissFlyGoodbye
Idk why SFO doesn't allow me to purchase DF when I go to YYZ. Grinds my gears.
Really? I fly that route all the time and have never had an issue. In fact like 90% of the time they let me carry out my purchases myself.
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Old Apr 10, 2012, 12:47 pm
  #47  
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Forgot to close this one off, so for anybody stumbling across it...

When my daughter got back to the US she called the number on the back of the receipt, navigated some awful menu system and was then asked to read out the two long numbers on the receipt. Having done this the robot announced that the amount would be refunded to her card within 2 weeks. It was.

What you do if you've paid cash or are a foreign resident not wanting to make in international call, I've no idea! I'd certainly recommend that you don't use up those remaining dollar bills, on the basis of this experience

Thanks to respondents

Bob
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Old Apr 11, 2012, 12:00 pm
  #48  
 
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Originally Posted by Often1

Life is too short to spin up about every little mess.

There goes half the threads on FT!
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Old Apr 11, 2012, 1:24 pm
  #49  
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Originally Posted by ckpeter
I don't usually buy duty free purchase, so someone please correct me if I am wrong.

From what I understand, the US requires delivery at the gate because many US airports mix international flights with domestic flights. So, the only way to be relatively sure that the traveler will be flying out of the US will be to deliver the purchases at their international flight gates.
Pretty elaborate fuss for often-times relatively small amounts. Besides, I'm generally asked for my boarding pass when I purchase from a US duty-free, no matter how small the amount.
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Old Apr 11, 2012, 2:23 pm
  #50  
 
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I too wondered why just showing you International ticket at the register would not suffice in a mixed-use terminal. They do that in Singapore Df (which is odd because every flight out of Changi is Int'l , lol)

Local liquor store sell .75th, 1 liter, and 1.5 liter sizes for most of the common brands, so it is not a "free 33%" in duty free here. Ounce for ounce, the duty free might be a couple of dollars cheaper. You could in theory do the refundable Int'l fare, and then sneak back out and enjoy your complicated scheme to save 5%, but keep in mind that you had to endure TSA to get to that point.

A better example would be cigs. Those are half the street price (in Newark, anyway), so it would depend on how many cartons you could buy at a time. Possible cash maker, but you won't get rich from it. I imagine the airlines would notice habitual ticket cancellations and raise a flag.
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Old Apr 11, 2012, 4:53 pm
  #51  
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Originally Posted by gj83
I must be missing something. I've never noticed duty free prices to be particularly good compared to just going to the local store. I understand other countries might be worthwhile, but if I can buy Absolut for $18 in duty free or $21 in my ABC store it seems like a lot of work to save $3.
Ever think about cigarettes ? Especially if the person lives in Chicago or New York City !

A pack of Marlboro in either city after tax is close to or over $10, that means it is $100 a carton at a local store.

A carton of Marlboro in China's duty free in PEK or PVG is $20, even if one buy it on the plane's duty free, it is still only cost $35-$40.

So think about how much one can save !
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Old Apr 12, 2012, 4:22 pm
  #52  
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Originally Posted by rbrenton88
I too wondered why just showing you International ticket at the register would not suffice in a mixed-use terminal.
Then what's there to stop an international traveler from purchasing duty free goods on behalf of a domestic passenger?
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Old Apr 12, 2012, 4:41 pm
  #53  
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Originally Posted by TWA884
Then what's there to stop an international traveler from purchasing duty free goods on behalf of a domestic passenger?
Nothing. That's why DF is delivered to the aircraft.
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Old Apr 12, 2012, 5:14 pm
  #54  
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Originally Posted by Often1
Nothing. That's why DF is delivered to the aircraft.
That was the point of my post. Please read it in the context that it was posted, as an answer to rbrenton88's question.
Originally Posted by TWA884
Originally Posted by rbrenton88
I too wondered why just showing you International ticket at the register would not suffice in a mixed-use terminal.
Then what's there to stop an international traveler from purchasing duty free goods on behalf of a domestic passenger?
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Old Apr 13, 2012, 8:25 pm
  #55  
 
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I was on a US Airways PHX -> YVR flight today and was pleased to see the FAs selling duty free onboard, like you might see on a TATL flight. I realize the logistics are challenging, but it's a pity more carriers don't offer this onboard their transborder flights between the US and Canada. They certainly were moving product - Guy across the aisle from me actually bought a watch!
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Old Apr 14, 2012, 3:12 pm
  #56  
 
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