Hi all,
We are travelling Bangkok to Istanbul Ataturk and three hours later on to Izmir.
Will we be able to buy duty free alcohol in Bangkok, bring it to Istanbul and then, via Pegasus, on to Izmir?
If there is a bottle left over, will we be able three weeks later to bring it from SAW to Kayseri via Pegasus?
If not, how much is a litre of scotch (yes, the cheap stuff) in Turkey?
Cheers
You really do not give enough information to answer your question. You can carry any booze in your checked baggage that you want, the restrictions only apply to your carry-on baggage. You have to clear customs in Istanbul so will have access to your checked baggage and can transfer the bottle from your carry-on baggage unless your Pegasus flight is on the cheap without paying for any checked baggage. Alcohol is expensive in Turkey, it is not that cheap in Thailand either compared to other prices but Thailand is probably the place to buy it.
You can legally enter with 1 x 1ltr of alcohol over 22% and this is 2 ltrs for alcohol under 22%.It doesn't matter whether this is brought in from another country or bought at the duty free shops in international arrivals.This is because the duty free shops at the airports are before customs control and thus it makes no difference to them(cusotms police) where the items were bought;anything before the customs desk is classed as 'outside the country'.
I have no idea on the cost of alcohol at Bangkok airport but suspect it will likely be cheaper for foreign brand whisky than at Ataturk airport.All alcohol here is highly taxed and imported alcohol even more so.
BTW,it makes no difference whether you carry it in your hold luggage or hand luggage.If it did then everyone would hide their excess in one or the other :) Of course you can try that and just go through the green gate but...if you are unlucky enough to get pulled up for a random check then you lose your booze and pay a fine :(
#2 The difference between checked and carry-on is with the security check for the domestic flight not customs for the international flight.
Sorry for being slow, unclear and dull but an avoid-Songkran trip to HCMC & Vung Tau has left me beat. So, I need clarification:
1) I will buy a litre of scotch at King Power duty free at Bangkok's main airport (BKK). They will put it and the receipt in a bag and then seal it. I must carry it onto the plane; I cannot put it in my luggage.
2) I will arrive ar IST, bag in hand. There will be no difficulty clearing customs.
3) I will fly hours llater, IST (Pegasus)to Izmir.
Question A: can I hand-carry the still sealed booze onto the Pegasus flight?
Question B: should I stow the booze in my luggage before getting on The Pegasus flight?
Question C: should I give up all hope of buying scotch in Turkey (Indonesia has furious prices as well)?
Cheers
Answer A: I've bought Scotch in USA duty free and carried it through to Bodrum on numerous occasions. This includes a connecting flight from Istanbul to Bodrum. There should be no difference for you.
Answer B: If your checked baggage does not go through to Izmir you should put the Scotch there when you pick it up in Istanbul.
Answer C: Scotch in the true duty free (after passport control just before you exit the country on an international flight) is not "furiously" priced. Again, been there and done that many times. In fact I'm sipping some now in Munich after buying it in Istanbul Airport. At retail and in bars however Scotch or any type of imported whiskey is very expensive in Turkey.
This is a question for TA airline forum, some airports let you keep the liquids that are in a sealed duty free bag others don't, so ask there and people will know.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g1-i10702-Air_Travel.html
"You can carry liquids, gels or aerosols in your hand baggage in containers with a maximum capacity of 100 millilitres as long as each container is kept in a sealed bag with the capacity of 1 litre." - http://www.flypgs.com/en/faq/others.aspx
It appears that you will have to pack it in your check-in luggage after customs when you arrive at Atatürk.