Night flights and tax free shopping

MrsNurseyC

Hi all,
Just wondered if anyone can elighten me....
I've got an early a.m flight from Birmingham (never flown at this time before) and just wondered if the tax free shops at airports are open 24hrs to cater for departing customers at early am times... it would be such a shame to miss out on getting some cut price expensive thingies!

moonrakerz

Any shop at an airport is a rip-off ! "Cut price expensive thingies" - dream on !

hammy_the_hammer

MrsNurseyC wrote:

Hi all,
Just wondered if anyone can elighten me....
I've got an early a.m flight from Birmingham (never flown at this time before) and just wondered if the tax free shops at airports are open 24hrs to cater for departing customers at early am times... it would be such a shame to miss out on getting some cut price expensive thingies!

where are you going to ?

jenniferpa

According to the Birmingham International Airport site (bhx.co.uk) the duty free shop is open from 4:30 am to the last flight, while the restricted access one is open from first flight to last flight.

Jennifer

pin

While I agree with the sentiments of moonrakerz, informaiton is avaiable here:

http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=T0NaZj9WNoU=&id=gAtxSDZEVhY=

To the OP, Google is your friend, took about 10 seconds to find the information.

MrsNurseyC

Cheers Jen and Pin, I hadn't thought of googling the answer, ahem! Asked a friend who works as a travel agent if she knew, and she drew a blank, so guessed I must be able to pluck it from from someone's brains on here!

Moonrakerz, where do you get your sis/mum/OH's special smellies/creams etc. from they've hinted at for aaages from then? It sounds as though you're on to something that I aint (yet!)
Airport shops are still a lot cheaper than buying the same product from the usual dept. stores found in any town.
I also enjoy browsing through em because it means killing time waiting to board, and psychologically wandering round a tax free boutique at the airport always equals a goof thing because it means I'm finally departing for my years holiday!

sloppychops

MrsNurseyC wrote:

Moonrakerz, where do you get your sis/mum/OH's special smellies/creams etc. from they've hinted at for aaages from then? It sounds as though you're on to something that I aint (yet!)

To be honest you dont need to get them from an airport shop to save money.I travel alot but rarely buy things from the airport as 9 times out of 10 can find things cheaper on the net.

MrsNurseyC

A *good* thing, even. But hey, if I'm taken by that mad, holiday spirit it's a goof thing too! Heading for the lovely isle of Kos, Hammy.

moonrakerz

MrsNurseyC wrote:

Moonrakerz, where do you get your sis/mum/OH's special smellies/creams etc. from they've hinted at for aaages from then? It sounds as though you're on to something that I aint (yet!)
Airport shops are still a lot cheaper than buying the same product from the usual dept. stores found in any town.

Totally agree with some of what you say - BUT, just because it may be a bit cheaper at Heathrow than in your local shops doesn't make it a bargain. You can always undercut your high street and airports by shopping on line for a start.

I buy my stuff in the high street which ever country I am in, it is invariably cheaper than at the local airport and POUNDS cheaper than any UK airport. That includes all your booze and baccy. Why do you think airports have become little more than shopping malls ? because they are goldmines !

I note you are going to Greece, another EU country, you cannot buy "duty free" goods any more. The most you will get is VAT free on the inflated airport prices. Don't get taken in by the adverts at the airport. If you buy it in the high street abroad, the only limit on what you can bring back is what the airline will let you stuff inside their aeroplane.

I used to travel a lot with my job, I bought NOTHING in the UK, with very, very few exceptions, everything is cheaper abroad in the local high street.

hammy_the_hammer

as moonrakerz has already said any duty free 'bargains' won't be available to you when you travel to greece...sorry

jenniferpa

As an add on to this, if you're travelling across the atlantic, check what duty free will be available on the flight. For example, a bottle of Jack Daniels costs £18 in duty free, but on the plane it's $18! Of course, you take the risk that thye won't actually have it...

Jennifer