# Will my duty free booze get through security check on transfer **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-duty-free-booze-get-through-security-check-on-transfer/557986 "2010-10-22T09:59:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-duty-free-booze-get-through-security-check-on-transfer/557986/1 "2010-10-22T09:59:26Z")
I’m in Moscow next week, and plan to take advantage of the duty free at Sheremetyevo by buying a litre of whiskey. However, I am not on a direct flight. I have to transfer at Schiphol. Would my duty free booze get through the security check for my connecting flight to Manchester. Really don’t want to watse my money by buying the plonk only to have to leave it behind in Amsterdam ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-duty-free-booze-get-through-security-check-on-transfer/557986/2 "2010-10-22T10:04:30Z")
You could buy the duty free on arrival in Manchester, or is it particularly cheap in Sheremetyevo? ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-duty-free-booze-get-through-security-check-on-transfer/557986/3 "2010-10-22T10:05:11Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > You could buy the duty free on arrival in Manchester, or is it particularly cheap in Sheremetyevo? Oh yeah. Outside the euro zone so much much cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-duty-free-booze-get-through-security-check-on-transfer/557986/4 "2010-10-22T10:08:07Z")
Usually they can put the duty-free purchases in a sealed bag for you, and that will clear security without problems, at least in Europe. But definitely check that before you spend any money! I have no experience with Sheremetyevo but my gut says a big airport like that, with lots of European travellers looking for cheap booze, probably has a sealer thingie at every cash register in the duty-free. (I guess they wouldn’t let you shop duty-free at Schipol, even though you’re coming from outside the EU, would they. Pity. That place is a shopping mall with airplanes :p) ---
**Author:** ![SpaceDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spacedog/32/9932_2.png) [@SpaceDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpaceDog)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-duty-free-booze-get-through-security-check-on-transfer/557986/5 "2010-10-22T10:14:45Z")
I was going to say: “IF it’s sealed in one of those no-tamper bags (and you haven’t tampered with it) you _should_ make it through security at Schiphol.” However, it appears the answer is ‘No’, from [http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/AtSchiphol/Luggage/RulesForHandBaggage.htm:](http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/AtSchiphol/Luggage/RulesForHandBaggage.htm:) > [@](#): > > Regulations for non EU countries > > Liquid goods purchased tax-free at an airport outside of the European Union will be confiscated at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. This also applies if the goods are sealed and applies to any purchases made on board of a non-European airline. Which seems a little harsh, and the rules for the US, Canada and Australia are different I just didn’t bother quoting them. Seems it needs to be in your checked-in baggage – can you get to duty free when the plane lands, and then pack it for the return trip? SD ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-duty-free-booze-get-through-security-check-on-transfer/557986/6 "2010-10-22T10:22:50Z")
> [@SpaceDog](#): > > I was going to say: “IF it’s sealed in one of those no-tamper bags (and you haven’t tampered with it) you _should_ make it through security at Schiphol.” > > However, it appears the answer is ‘No’, from [http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/AtSchiphol/Luggage/RulesForHandBaggage.htm:](http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/AtSchiphol/Luggage/RulesForHandBaggage.htm:) > > Which seems a little harsh, and the rules for the US, Canada and Australia are different I just didn’t bother quoting them. > > Seems it needs to be in your checked-in baggage – can you get to duty free when the plane lands, and then pack it for the return trip? > > SD That’s what I suspected, but wasn’t able to find that section of text on the Schiphol website. I will now investigate the buying of booze in Moscow and ship it in my checked luggage. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Khaki\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Khaki\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khaki_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-duty-free-booze-get-through-security-check-on-transfer/557986/7 "2010-10-22T12:23:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Regulations for non EU countries > > Liquid goods purchased tax-free at an airport outside of the European Union will be confiscated at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. This also applies if the goods are sealed and applies to any purchases made on board of a non-European airline. Yeah. You allow pot and scat porn and display prostitutes under shop windows, and you forbid foreign booze ? What a stupid country :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-duty-free-booze-get-through-security-check-on-transfer/557986/8 "2010-10-22T12:34:47Z")
The sealed-with-receipt-transfer-thing only works when you travel from an EU country (once had to wait 15 minutes till the guy at Paris CDG was trying to figure out whether Slovenia was an EU member or not _sigh_. I remember that in India (Chennai) they made a big point of making sure people only bought duty free booze when Paris CDG was their final destiantion…