Duty-free shopping is one of the many perks of international travel. The tax free loop of shops on your way to the gate is seen by many as a chance to bulk buy luxuries and last-minute presents. But have you ever considered you might be asked to give your 50 cigarettes and demi bottle of Bourbon back? Jetstar passengers were miffed after a last-minute cancellation of their service from Auckland to Sydney yesterday, when customs staff said they would have to give back their purchases.
Having been disembarked without another service to board, each traveller was asked to return their duty-free shopping before they could leave the airport.
A spokesperson for the airline said passengers were notified of the cancellation due to "crew illness" and were booked onto the next available flight the following morning.
"No airline wants to see customers disrupted and we do everything we can to avoid delays and cancellations."
While they were welcome to buy items once back airside, they could not take them away.
Duty-free isn't a free for all: You could be asked to return duty free or pay tariffs if you're not leaving the country. Photo / Alexandre Debieve, Unsplash
Tax-exempt shopping isn't a discount outlet for luxury goods. It is a legal recognition of ports and airports as international territory. While that means you don't have to pay GST on your tobacco, there are very strict rules on who can buy goods 'duty free' and limits.
Before you get in trouble for smuggling Toblerone, here are the oddities of buying duty free.
Can crew and airport workers buy duty free?
Any international passenger departing or entering New Zealand is entitled to a concession on tax for duty free. Domestic travellers are not entitled to allowances, even if they are sharing the same terminal as international flights. To make sure, cashiers at duty free will normally ask to see your ticket. If you are working 'airside' in the airport you aren't entitled to a duty-free allowance. That's not a work perk. Cabin crew and pilots on international services are - in most cases - entitled to duty free. However, that largely depends on their port of departure and arrival and whether they normally live in New Zealand. Crew domiciled in New Zealand must fill in a declaration and summary of their possessions including duty free on arrival. International destinations such as the US have a much stricter allowance on those arriving "as on-duty employees of vessels, vehicles, or aircraft engaged in international traffic". Flight crew arriving in the States are only entitled to US$200 of duty-free goods, versus US$800 for passenger allowance. They can however bring 2kg of tobacco - providing it is "intended for personal use".
On arrival back in New Zealand they are entitled to the same allowance of 50 cigarettes or 50 grams tobacco as everyone else.
Duty free isn't a discount sale for luxury items. Photo / William Hook, Unsplash
Can you buy duty free for other people
"Forget the postcard, bring us back 50 cigarettes."
It's a common request from friends and family who treat your overseas travel as a low-tax shopping errand. But, can you buy duty free for other people? The good news is you can use your personal concession of 4.5 litres of wine or beer and three bottles of spirits for "gifts". What you can't do is ask another passenger to pool your allowance, or buy tobacco or alcohol on your behalf. And, passengers under 17 don't have a duty-free allowance, so you can't use family holidays as an excuse to bulk buy. Anything over your personal allowance or $700 value would be liable for customs duties at the airport on arrival in New Zealand. Depending on the goods, you could end up paying up to $56.99 per bottle on excess shopping. New Zealand is fairly generous on the allowance, versus destinations like the US and Canada, which only allow up to a litre of any alcoholic beverage.
What happens if your plane is cancelled?
It’s rare that an international service is cancelled at such short notice that you are already though departures and security screening. If you have to leave back into New Zealand, you have to give it back. Sorry. However, you are entitled to get your money back. Duty free in New Zealand is still protected by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. You can return any goods for any reason, provided they are “unworn, unopened, unused and in its original condition”.
