Duty Free Gate Delivery - Why?

[Spacetravel]

I wanted to start a discussion on the reason for gate delivery of duty free items for flights to Australia.

For the longest time most my international travel has been direct to, from Australia. So I never really purchased duty free on other flights or thought about it too much. A couple of years ago I discovered flights between other countries don't require duty free gate delivery and it only appears to be a flight to Australia thing.

Is it only Australia that has mandatory gate delivery of duty free items and why is this necessary?

The only explanation I could find is because of the LGA rule but if thats the case what about flights FROM Australia, I don't believe gate delivery is required? Flights between other countries with LGA (USA > UK) I don't believe mandate gate delivery either.

 

[Sprucegoose]

The only explanation I could find is because of the LGA

I am well past trying to explain or interpret bureaucracy. However, the only way to buy water in NAN recently and take it onboard a westbound VA flight was to bag similar to DF (through WH Smith), so I would assume you're correct.

BTW I took a bottle of water through HEL as they had the technology to scan and categorise it correctly, so there is no technological reason for the rudimentary LAG enforcement.

 

[SYD]

SIN has DF pickup at gate - pretty sure it’s to any destination?

 

[justinbrett]

Heaps of airports around the world do gate delivery for duty free

I actually can't say I've ever bought duty free on departure out of Australia so I didn't know we did it here. Our duty free is more expensive than most places retail so I don't really know why people would do it.

Knowing Australians the rule is probably to stop you sitting in a quiet corner of the terminal getting drunk

 

[Austman]

SIN has DF pickup at gate - pretty sure it’s to any destination?

AFAIK it’s only to certain destinations, including Australia and USA.

I collected some DF in SIN 2 days ago when going to Thailand. It was not gate delivered but was put into a tamper-proof sealed bag.

AFAIK, Australia has had the delivery to the gate requirement for decades. Except for flights from selected countries/cities. It’s legislated. There’s no delivery to the gate requirement when departing Australia.

 

[SYD]

AFAIK it’s only to certain destinations, including Australia and USA.

I collected some DF in SIN 2 days ago when going to Thailand. It was not gate delivered but was put into a tamper-proof sealed bag.

AFAIK, Australia has had the delivery to the gate requirement for decades. Except for flights from selected countries/cities. It’s legislated. There’s no delivery to the gate requirement when departing Australia.

Yes, that would be the irony. In recent memory, I’ve always taken DF with me at SYD but I have a very vague recollection of gate pickup a very long time ago.

SIN I’ve usually only got stuff heading home (usually booze - hence why that has to pickup ).

 

[Austman]

And here is what the sign used to be at SIN. It might not be around any more. The extra time needed was for to the gate delivery. That extra time is still needed.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Our duty free is more expensive than most places retail

Agreed. The only time I've ever bought from an airport store, was a pair of NC headphones that (for whatever reason), were only available in all of Sydney at the International Terminal...

 

[Danger]

I posted in one of the go-off-topic-and-discuss-whatever-you-like threads that my recent flight from KUL to Australia, I purchased alcohol at duty free and was able to take it with me from the shop, rather than have it delivered.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Our duty free is more expensive than most places retail

As I was reminded by a sage Chinese businessman....its duty free not profit free!

Knowing Australians the rule is probably to stop you sitting in a quiet corner of the terminal getting drunk

I have never experienced this type of behavior.

AFAIK, Australia has had the delivery to the gate requirement for decades

Agree. As an aside I was denied boarding recently in JFK and my gate collected DF was promptly returned to the shop and an automatic refund made whilst I was sleeping.

 

[SYD]

I’ve discovered Airport DF is a polarising topic here. There’s those who never see any value/point and those that know there can be (not always) some value for certain things at certain places.

Like any shopping, it just comes down to knowing what’s a good price.

We’re spoilt with TRS. A good sale price, cash backs and whatever, plus GST refunded is hard to go past if you’re planning to buy something anyway. Just work within the DF allowances.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Like any shopping, it just comes down to knowing what’s a good price.

DFS is also the last shopping you do before going offline, so that means it's also the most convenient. I don't fly long-haul without good NC headphones, the airport is the last place where I can pick up a set if I happen to have missed packing them. So DF or not, to me is it great to have the opportunity to fix what I have missed?

DF also has some presentable gifts, i.e. gift-boxed wine, again very convenient if needed.

So price and convenience would tick boxes with most erstwhile travellers I am sure.

 

[SYD]

DFS is also the last shopping you do before going offline, so that means it's also the most convenient. I don't fly long-haul without good NC headphones, the airport is the last place where I can pick up a set if I happen to have missed packing them. So DF or not, to me is it great to have the opportunity to fix what I have missed?

DF also has some presentable gifts, i.e. gift-boxed wine, again very convenient if needed.

So price and convenience would tick boxes with most erstwhile travellers I am sure.

Don’t forget the oversized Toblerones!!

I actually *always* pre-order spirits for collection (either on the way out or online before returning - unless I happen to find a better deal on my final flight home). None of that schlepping booze with you stuff. Especially if it’s cheaper where you’re going!

 

[Spacetravel]

AFAIK it’s only to certain destinations, including Australia and USA.

I collected some DF in SIN 2 days ago when going to Thailand. It was not gate delivered but was put into a tamper-proof sealed bag.

AFAIK, Australia has had the delivery to the gate requirement for decades. Except for flights from selected countries/cities. It’s legislated. There’s no delivery to the gate requirement when departing Australia.

Yeah so this is my question is "why". Why the legislation? Was there an incident, overzealous security policy, was it to protect our duty free shops, as to make it difficult to purchase DF on the way to Aus so we "have" to buy it on arrival here?

It's rather inconvenient for many involved, what made Aus/ US "special" in requiring gate delivery?

 

[NM]

My understanding is as follows:

The original reason for the rule was indeed security based on LAGs. The Australian authorities would not allow items onto flight to Australia that could have come into the airport via screening points which the Australian authorities had not verified as compliant with their policies. So they insisted that the DF shops deliver the LAGs to the gate in tamper-proof packaging. That way they know the liquid was not emptied and re-filled with something sinister during a transit from another country.

However, when other countries dropped the gate-delivery requirement, the Australian authorities have retained it partly (or the cynical may say totally) due to lobbying from the Australian airport owners, on behalf of the Australian DF businesses who stand to profit (and so the airports profit) from selling over-priced DF products upon arrival. If bureaucratic barriers exist making it more difficult for passengers to purchase their DF items outside Australia, some will not bother and just purchase upon arrival into Australia.

So if the Australian DF businesses have a somewhat captive market for DF sales on arrival, the airport owners can charge them higher rent for the "exclusive" business opportunities they present to the DF shops, which ultimately results in higher prices for the punters, higher profits for the Australian airport DF shops, and higher profits for the airport owners.

Now there is little incentive for Australian policy makers to change the status quo as those that stand to lose most by the change manage to convince the policy makers that there is no reason to change the current policy.

 

[Austman]

And you’ll note that secondary screening still takes place at the gate for flights to Australia. Unless the county/airport is exempted.

Technically, that has nothing to do with duty free. Even water is confiscated.

 

[Sprucegoose]

what made Aus/ US "special" in requiring gate delivery?

9/11......

 

[TomVexille]

Gate delivery does not happen on flights from NZ so I'd agree that it's due to security compliance

 

[Danger]

Gate delivery does not happen on flights from NZ so I'd agree that it's due to security compliance

If push came to shove, I wouldn't think KUL was a more secure airport than SIN.

 

[offshore171]

Is it only Australia that has mandatory gate delivery of duty free items and why is this necessary?

It's not all duty free items. Only liquids like grog and perfume.

If you buy an iPad or some headphones etc, you can take them straight away.