Do I need to show my boarding pass at airport shops? (video & guide)

MSE_Eesha · 12 May 2017 at 11:25AM

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "Do I need to show my boarding pass at airport shops? (video & guide)" Blog.

Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.

chattychappy · 13 May 2017 at 10:34AM

Any shop can refuse a sale if they want to - whether in an airport or elsewhere.

So if you refuse to show your boarding pass, they can say no if they want to. Up to them.

cbrown372 · 13 May 2017 at 9:08PM

Funnily enough just came through Gatwick early this morning after a night flight from USA went to Boots to buy 2 bottles of water and when asked if I had my boarding card I said no and was sold the water without further ado. While I was waiting the guy at the next till asked the assistant why he should show it and she couldn't answer him. I told him I just said no and he said next time he would try that

emili1001 · 16 August 2017 at 11:11AM

I was recently stopping over at Bangkok airport on my way back to UK and the shop assistant asked for my passport to verify I was in transit. Soon after I handed it she started to type personal info on their 'company' private system.

I thought they just needed to see the passport to confirm that I was in transit, however after seeing what they were up to I asked for my passport back and said that I wasn't ready to give my personal data for the 'privilege' of buying some overpriced goodies. They said it was the company's policy and that they couldn't sell me any goods otherwise, ... so they kept the goods.

The guy at the information desk defended these practices and when I mentioned that they had no legal right to request such information, he didn't know what to say anymore.

I think it will be great to get someone to push this issues further and get more support to eradicate these dubious if not illegal practices.

Waiting to hearing from CAA, (Civil Authority Aviation) on this. But I expect not much on their part. A peer support group and some joint action might work better.

Martin, need a new crusade?

Titchfield · 18 July 2018 at 10:04AM

Here's a question. I often fly from Gatwick to Geneva (a non-EU destination). If I buy something in a non-duty-free shop at Gatwick - Dixon's or Harrod's, say - and I'm charged VAT on this purchase, can I then take my receipt to the VAT Reclaim desk inside the airside part of the airport and claim the VAT back? It would seem to me that the answer is yes. My purchase is no different to a High Street purchase, is it?

Do I need to show my boarding pass at airport shops? (video & guide)

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