How do you avoid the Duty Free shops at International airports?

[SeatBackForward]

When leaving SYD this morning, I realised that the Duty Free shops barely have any effect on me, essentially I don't care what cough they're selling at a rip-off. Yet of course you *have* to walk through them because apparently owning an airport means you're become retail experts. (waiting for Westfields to invest in runways now)

So at SYD once I clear security I walk past the first section selling booze, veer to the right and skirt past all the perfumes and the counter amongst them. Then I rejoin the main pathway and turn right then left before hitting the escalators upto the QF J/F lounges.

Its the best I can find to a straight line through the "shop" but means I have to hold my breath to avoid inhaling expensive fragrance water. What other paths or techniques does everyone else use?

 

[docjames]

I just put it in the "who cares" file and just walk thorough the main passageway. It takes a whole extra 5-10 seconds. You can often "short cut" a corner when other pax stop to look at stuff.

Not a criticism of the OP, just IME.

 

[markis10]

I catch QF8 from Brisbane!

 

[Hvr]

Running the gauntlet of duty free shops annoys me. It decreases my F lounge time by 20-30 seconds.

I get a 'determined' look on my face and don't stop for anybody including the duty free staff who just step aside and let me through. It helps knowing exactly where the lounges are located.

The airport operators aren't in the air travel business, their focus is money from car parking and retail and I happily deprive them of income on both counts where ever possible.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I don't mind a terminal full of shops. It can make time pass quicker, I'll often leave the lounge early just to have a look around.

But I really detest the policy of forcing everyone through the shop!

 

[harvyk]

Personally I don't mind the walk through the DF shops, as I tend to do collect on return when ever possible, so I'm one of those people who will stop by the DF store anyway on my way to the lounges.

The way I see it is it's no different than when I go to westfield Woden, and cut through David Jones to get to the rest of the mall rather than heading the long way around (show me one Canberran who ops for the long way around).
I am as immune to their products there as I am to any DF store selling stuff I don't need or want.

As for airports been shopping malls with runways attached, personally I don't mind that. It provides those without lounge access something to do, it provides those with lounge access something to do once sitting at a lounge for 3 hours straight gets the better of you, and every so often you find a bargain / the perfect prezzie for the kids because you forgot to get anything prior to leaving.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Jeez what a bunch of sad sacks - I love having a brief browse through the DF stores to check prices for items that I might be even remotely interested in purchasing whilst o/s - love buying something in Changi or wherever 20 to 30 to 50% cheaper than Oz DF stores offer.

And I always stop into Happy Lab : Melbourne Airport to buy some cheap chockies for the staff in SQ Lounge.
.

 

[atreides]

It's always good for a laugh, especially when you realise some things are actually cheaper at Dan Murphy's.

 

[lovestotravel]

People that are stupid enough to waste money on the duty free items make me laugh

The prices are not that great and you can get far cheaper by buying overseas in many countries or by buying online from overseas

But fools and their money are easily parted so good luck to them!

I have only ever purchased one item :duty free", and that was a camera charger as I had left mine at home before a long trip

 

[harvyk]

People that are stupid enough to waste money on the duty free items make me laugh

There are a few things which can only be purchased DF, eg 100 Proof SoCo (have asked every main chain bottlo here in AU as well as a few smaller ones which claim they can find the hard to find), and no I have not been able to easily find it OS, and when I have the prices have been about the same (The best saving I saw was AU$2 cheaper in NZ than at SYD, hardly going to be breaking the bank).

 

[markis10]

People that are stupid enough to waste money on the duty free items make me laugh

Not always, it does pay to keep an eye on specials that can be combined with the $10 off voucher (SYD010113), a purchase last month I made for instance:

These item(s) are part of the AGED BLEND 10% OFF Promotion.
JOHNNIE WALKER XR21 Whisky 750ml
QTY: 2
PROMOTION PRICE: $178.20
PROMOTION CODE (SYD010113)
-$10.00
TOTAL: $168.20

 

[harvyk]

Not always, it does pay to keep an eye on specials that can be combined with the $10 off voucher (SYD010113), a purchase last month I made for instance:

These item(s) are part of the AGED BLEND 10% OFF Promotion.
JOHNNIE WALKER XR21 Whisky 750ml
QTY: 2
PROMOTION PRICE: $178.20
PROMOTION CODE (SYD010113)
-$10.00
TOTAL: $168.20

So if you quote SYD010113 to them you get a discount or is there more to it?

 

[lovestotravel]

I couldn't imagine anything worse than Southern Comfort anything!

Besides that the majority of people you see lining up are those heading to/fro Bali...

 

[markis10]

So if you quote SYD010113 to them you get a discount or is there more to it?

$10 off over $100, works for preorder arrivals into MEL/SYD/BNE

 

[harvyk]

I couldn't imagine anything worse than Southern Comfort anything!

Besides that the majority of people you see lining up are those heading to/fro Bali...

I had a bad experience with SoCo at the end of high school, and the 100 Proof was enough to pull me back into the fold... Not a huge fan of the regular stuff (thanks High School parties), but the 100 proof is pretty much my favourite drink.

 

[lovestotravel]

I had a bad experience with SoCo at the end of high school, and the 100 Proof was enough to pull me back into the fold... Not a huge fan of the regular stuff (thanks High School parties), but the 100 proof is pretty much my favourite drink.

Haha - I was going to comment about it being a high-school drink. I also had a bad experience with Southern Comfort then!

I think the JOHNNIE WALKER XR21 Whisky 750ml is more my style though and I will say WOW that is a cheap price at Duty Free...

 

[dajop]

I just put it in the "who cares" file and just walk thorough the main passageway. It takes a whole extra 5-10 seconds. You can often "short cut" a corner when other pax stop to look at stuff.

As you probably well know, in MEL departures, when they rerouted enforced walk through the DF store it actually added 2-3 mins to the walk, compared to previous route as it basically does a big U to return almost to immigration. Annoying that there is no ikea style short cut door, but trivial in the grand scheme of things. Security queues can add much more time than the DF walk.

Also known as *first world problem*.

 

[serfty]

...

So at SYD once I clear security I walk past the first section selling booze, veer to the right and skirt past all the perfumes and the counter amongst them. Then I rejoin the main pathway and turn right then left before hitting the escalators upto the QF J/F lounges.

Its the best I can find to a straight line through the "shop" but means I have to hold my breath to avoid inhaling expensive fragrance water. What other paths or techniques does everyone else use?

I take almost the same route initially with an approximate diagonal, but I walk to the left of the wood paneling and through the open ended (watch?) store directly to the escalator and the F/L.

Really, nothing on OZ duty free shops really interested me as it is generally so overpriced relative to other places I am able to buy from.

I really can't help but resent the MEL snake (as pointed out by jb747 on the weekend, they sacrificed an aircraft gate to build the shopping mall). I use the (hopefully not patented) Hvr ''determined" look method here.

 

[blackcat20]

Jeez what a bunch of sad sacks - I love having a brief browse through the DF stores to check prices for items that I might be even remotely interested in purchasing whilst o/s - love buying something in Changi or wherever 20 to 30 to 50% cheaper than Oz DF stores offer.

And I always stop into Happy Lab : Melbourne Airport to buy some cheap chockies for the staff in SQ Lounge.
.

Me too. Nothing wrong with a little browsing, but then I don't usually have a lounge to be heading to

 

[serfty]

Me too. Nothing wrong with a little browsing, but then I don't usually have a lounge to be heading to

Believe me, some where during the first 150 times, these Oz duty free stores lose their lustre ... the only browsing in Oz I might do is to see how much more expensive the products I am after are when compared to the equivalent overseas.