Can I buy an airline ticket, go thru immigration, buy duty free then walk out of the airport?
I am thinking of getting a ticket to Switzerland from the UK just to buy a couple of electrical items. I don't want to take the flight; I want to go to duty free with my Switzerland boarding pass then just walk out through immigration again. Is this possible, or would I have to get a day return to take advantage of the duty free?
Best Answer
TL;DR;
No
The longer answer:
There are two parts to this answer.
If you can actually do it depends on if you airport has devided Departure and Arrivals. For example in Zürich, Basel and Amsterdam it's possible to go through security and then follow the signs to the baggage claim. In Paris CDG this is completely different. The incoming passengers are very carefully routed through strange passageways and even over home made stairs to avoid any danger of meeting the others before they are dumped almost on the street.
If I remember correctly, the UK Airports international departures are completely seggregated from the arrivals.
The second part is the question if it's legal.
Technically you haven't left your country, so it's not legal to buy duty free goods and then go back out of the airport without declaring them and paying the proper VAT. Probably they won't catch you but i wouldn't try it for the marginal better prices you get at the airport.
Pictures about "Can I buy an airline ticket, go thru immigration, buy duty free then walk out of the airport?"
Can I buy duty-free and then leave the airport?
Duty-free shops (or stores) are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country. Essentially, you can only buy goods duty-free if you're about to export them.Can you buy from duty-free when Travelling within the US?
Some countries allow arriving international travelers to use duty-free shops before leaving the airport, but the U.S. does not. Returning U.S. travelers can buy duty-free only at foreign departure airports. Liquor is probably the most popular duty-free buy for U.S. travelers.Can I buy duty-free if I have a connecting flight Canada?
Re: Travelling from USA to Canada with connection/duty free ? As I read through the rules listed by Air Canada, you will need to put your duty-free items into your checked bags at your connecting airport. If you cannot do this because of weight limits or lack of space, they will be confiscated.Can I buy duty-free if I have a connecting flight Europe?
You can only take liquid duty free items above 100ml through the security check point at your connecting airport if they have been purchased at another EU airport or in Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, or on board an aircraft operated by an EU carrier or a carrier of Iceland, Norway or Switzerland.Duty free d’aéroports : bonnes affaires ou pièges à gogo ?
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Tim Samuel, Laura James, Markus Spiske, Gustavo Fring