Can I buy more cigarettes if connecting flights inEurope?

gejayel

I wonder if anyone can advise me.

I'm going on holiday to the Canary Islands, which I'm aware, although is part of Spain, the customs allowances are as if it's not. So I'm aware that I can only buy 200 cigarettes when leaving.

The thing is, on my way home, I'm changing planes in Belgium.

Can I buy more cigarettes from the airport in Belgium? As they'd still be much cheaper than in the UK and I'm then paying the duty in Belgium?

Thank you in advance!

powerful_Rogue

gejayel wrote: »

I wonder if anyone can advise me.

I'm going on holiday to the Canary Islands, which I'm aware, although is part of Spain, the customs allowances are as if it's not. So I'm aware that I can only buy 200 cigarettes when leaving.

The thing is, on my way home, I'm changing planes in Belgium.

Can I buy more cigarettes from the airport in Belgium? As they'd still be much cheaper than in the UK and I'm then paying the duty in Belgium?

Thank you in advance!

As you long as you meet the criteria (Own personal use etc etc) then this wouldn't be an issue.

Just make sure you keep the receipt to show customs should you be stopped.

richardw

If you aren't going land side in Belgium, you're not visiting Belgium.

eDicky

richardw wrote: »

If you aren't going land side in Belgium, you're not visiting Belgium.

But you'll be paying Belgian tax on anything bought airside if you're not departing the EU, no? Where's Phatbear..?

powerful_Rogue

richardw wrote: »

If you aren't going land side in Belgium, you're not visiting Belgium.

In the airport shop they will ask to see the ticket which will show BEL-UK, so cigarettes would be sold at Belgium prices and not duty free prices.

Same as at Gatwick, they have prices for people travelling within the EU and prices for people flying outside the EU.

unforeseen

Assuming it's not a through ticket from the Canaries

phatbear

gejayel wrote: »

So I'm aware that I can only buy 200 cigarettes when leaving.

not strictly true you can buy as many as you want when you leave the canaries, however the excess of 200 will be taxable at your first point of entry into the EU, at which point they lose their third country identity

gejayel wrote: »

The thing is, on my way home, I'm changing planes in Belgium.

if you are transiting then you wont see any shops anyway, if you are going airside and then re-checking in then this is different however the duty free airside may not sell you cigs as you are on an eu-flight, this is certainly the case at my old airport and my current one

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

Just make sure you keep the receipt to show customs should you be stopped.

not strictly necessary as the belgium cigs would have tax stamps/stickers on them, the health warning would also be in dutch/french/german so any customs officer worth his salt would realise they had already had the duty paid on the cigs

richardw wrote: »

If you aren't going land side in Belgium, you're not visiting Belgium.

what he said!

eDicky wrote: »

Where's Phatbear..?

sitting at home on the sofa in my pants recovering from a night shift.