Duty Free Inside of Security - Good Bad and the Ugly
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:32 am
Just got back early this morning and felt the need to give everyone the heads up on the new duty free shop at the airport.
The Good - Brand new shop back in the corner by the gift shop. They must have just barely opened because they were still unpacking watches and jewelry. I haven't brought booze home since the TSA liquid clampdown because I grew up in the days of the American Tourister gorilla - luggage commercial
I was assured that we could carry on from shop manager since we were inside of security. I couldn't pass up on the 2 bottles of Patron Silver for $62 special. I also grabbed a couple of liters of Cruzan to qualify for the 4 bottle 15% discount and essentially got the rum for $5. The folks boxed me up nice and I was off to the gate.
The Bad- 5 minutes before boarding the Delta gate attendant called everyone up that was carrying on booze. We were told we had to gate check and couldn't carry on. I protested with no avail and checked the box. I went back to the Duty Free shop and complained to the manager loud enough that half of the 20 people in the shop cleared out when they overheard that the airlines were checking alcohol and not permitting carry-on.
The Ugly - I agreed to check the box under the stipulation that it was a gate check only and could pick up the box at my arrival gate at Atlanta. Of course when I arrived at Atlanta I was told that that wasn't done. After a mile of brisk walking through the ATL terminal, I was assured by a Delta agent that the box was checked through to Albany along with my other bag. You guessed it, home to ALB and sure enough the bag showed up on the carousel, but no box. Delta baggage claim quickly determined that my "carry-on" was sitting in baggage claim in Atlanta. I'll update what shape the package is in if and when I receive it. (Note: there was no extra wrapping like they do at the shop near baggage claim so my expectations aren't very high...)
So the moral of the story - Looks like you can get some pretty good deals at the new shop in the departure area of the airport, but whatever you do, take your liquor out of the boxes and store them in your carry on bags.
The Good - Brand new shop back in the corner by the gift shop. They must have just barely opened because they were still unpacking watches and jewelry. I haven't brought booze home since the TSA liquid clampdown because I grew up in the days of the American Tourister gorilla - luggage commercial
I was assured that we could carry on from shop manager since we were inside of security. I couldn't pass up on the 2 bottles of Patron Silver for $62 special. I also grabbed a couple of liters of Cruzan to qualify for the 4 bottle 15% discount and essentially got the rum for $5. The folks boxed me up nice and I was off to the gate.The Bad- 5 minutes before boarding the Delta gate attendant called everyone up that was carrying on booze. We were told we had to gate check and couldn't carry on. I protested with no avail and checked the box. I went back to the Duty Free shop and complained to the manager loud enough that half of the 20 people in the shop cleared out when they overheard that the airlines were checking alcohol and not permitting carry-on.
The Ugly - I agreed to check the box under the stipulation that it was a gate check only and could pick up the box at my arrival gate at Atlanta. Of course when I arrived at Atlanta I was told that that wasn't done. After a mile of brisk walking through the ATL terminal, I was assured by a Delta agent that the box was checked through to Albany along with my other bag. You guessed it, home to ALB and sure enough the bag showed up on the carousel, but no box. Delta baggage claim quickly determined that my "carry-on" was sitting in baggage claim in Atlanta. I'll update what shape the package is in if and when I receive it. (Note: there was no extra wrapping like they do at the shop near baggage claim so my expectations aren't very high...)
So the moral of the story - Looks like you can get some pretty good deals at the new shop in the departure area of the airport, but whatever you do, take your liquor out of the boxes and store them in your carry on bags.
. We still have a good foot of snow on the ground and I'll be xc skiing this weekend.
