How to access Heathrow Terminal 3 duty free zone without a plane ticket?
I'm writing my master thesis on Travel Retail & Duty Free with a specific focus on Heathrow's terminal 3 boutiques. In order to visit this terminal and take pictures for my research paper I already spent some money on a flight to Paris CDG- which unfortunately boards at terminal 4.
Is there any way I could access the Duty Free zone of Terminal 3 prior to boarding my flight at Terminal 4?
If not, how could I access the post-customs Duty Free zone of Terminal 3? Whom should I contact?
NB: it's solely for research purposes, not to go on a shopping spree.
Best Answer
You have two options: contact World Duty Free, as @JoErNanO indicated in his comment, or contact Heathrow Airport directly.
Heathrow Airport has a section dealing with media and filming: http://mediacentre.heathrow.com/filming_permits - while main focus is on news filming, from that page you can deduce that they entertain non-news filming and photography as well. From that page:
For non-news filming or photography, please contact filming@heathrow.com
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Can you go to duty free without flying?
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 shop at Heathrow airport without flying?
It turns out that Heathrow has introduced a personal shopper service that enables you to shop at any given terminal without actually having to fly out from that terminal.Is there duty free at Heathrow Terminal 3?
With over 40 stores to choose from, with everything from high street fashion favourites alongside luxurious designer brands, to beautiful jewellery and fine liquor, there's a store for everyone can enjoy shopping at Terminal 3. You can even shop duty-free at Heathrow terminal 3.Can I buy duty free at airport?
This means that passengers will be able to buy duty-free alcohol and tobacco products, where available, in British ports, airports, and international train stations, and aboard ships, trains and planes.Review: My GUIDE TO HEATHROW - Things you didn't know!
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Answer 2
If you can check-in and pass security more than 2 hours before the flight is due, you could pass through at terminal 4, and use the inter-terminal buses on airside. I have not used those buses so I am not really sure that you will not have to show that you need to be at the other terminal. But I do know that the buses do run between the terminals, airside.
Added after further reading:
Looking at one of the other questions on this site I would say my suggestion is not going to work: Can we switch terminals at Heathrow (LHR) for shopping only? states that you need a boarding pass for a flight leaving from the terminal before you are allowed on the inter-terminal bus.
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