Raki

[harribobs]

I read only yesterday on another Crete forum that as from 22 November 2006 the Crete airports were indeed starting to ban liquids in hand luggage and conform to (most of) the rest of Europe. I have not heard from anyone with first hand experience of this yet - and have self interest re olive oil Quota.

John R

I wonder if that applies to items bought air side as well? i suspect not, the 'duty free' shops would have kicked up a big fuss i'm sure

we always buy our oil at the airport, mainly to avoid excess baggage charges, i'm sure her majesty will be able to quote you relative prices  

chris

[John R]

I wonder if that applies to items bought air side as well? i suspect not, the 'duty free' shops would have kicked up a big fuss i'm sure

we always buy our oil at the airport, mainly to avoid excess baggage charges, i'm sure her majesty will be able to quote you relative prices  

chris

Definitely no problem with liquid goods bought airside  - unless you are going to change planes before getting home. Purchasing airside has always been anomolous. I've had my hand luggage (just on the weight limit) carefully weighed at check in and then nodded through and then no problem adding to it with carrier bags full of matexa etc. etc at the airside shop. This applies in the UK as well as Crete

John R

[Mike G]

Definitely no problem with liquid goods bought airside  - unless you are going to change planes before getting home. Purchasing airside has always been anomolous. I've had my hand luggage (just on the weight limit) carefully weighed at check in and then nodded through and then no problem adding to it with carrier bags full of matexa etc. etc at the airside shop. This applies in the UK as well as Crete

John R

I agree about things bought airside. I must confess I don't understand what is going on here as drinks like whisky and gin are much cheaper in these "airside" (I won't call them Duty Free) shops than in the resorts (Dodecanese excepted). However, Duty Free was abolished for passengers travelling within the EU several years ago. So why are they cheaper when things like food (i.e. ready made sandwiches) are really expensive at airports?

Re. olive oil and honey, yes I can understand that they bring back those happy holiday memories when consumed at home.

Re. raki and cleaning, I find the best thing for things like oil stains abroad is neat washing up liquid. Raki is too good for drinking to waste it.

Mike

[mandie cook]

I never understand why people bring back olive oil. This is widely available at a good price in the UK, from a variety of Mediterranean areas, including Greece.

Mike

We get our Olive Oil given to us by our hosts and it is from their own olives and the best of the best as consumed only by the locals. Sorry but no product commercially even in Crete nor UK can come anywhere near it and to us it is like liquid gold. We did once bring Raki back and still have some left - it being used solely for the purpose of cleaning windows - and removing soiled spots off clothes for which it is an excellent product. It just didn't seem to taste the same back at home. Yesterday we bought a very strong lightweight very well sealed plastic container in a mountaineering shop which we will trust to hold our olive oil within our hold luggage. Local honey gives us similar problems.

John R

Indeed,the oil you buy is nowhere as good as the oil that is pressed in the local olive press by local people.
in the 21 years that I have visited and also lived in Plakias, I have tasted many different oils.

[Noopsy]

Definitely no problem with liquid goods bought airside - unless you are going to change planes before getting home. John R

I agree about things bought airside. I must confess I don't understand what is going on here as drinks like whisky and gin are much cheaper in these "airside" (I won't call them Duty Free) shops than in the resorts (Dodecanese excepted). However, Duty Free was abolished for passengers travelling within the EU several years ago. So why are they cheaper when things like food (i.e. ready made sandwiches) are really expensive at airports?
Mike

John R,  If you change planes there is still no problem with liquids so long as you are travelling within the E.U.

Mike,  Duty-frees have been abolished for intra-E.U. travel, however to encourage trade, some airport operators agree to bear the duty and/or VAT on purchases made by intra-E.U. travellers airside, and that is why they appear to be cheaper.

Noopsy

[John R]

John R,  If you change planes there is still no problem with liquids so long as you are travelling within the E.U.

Noopsy

Certainly true last month when I flew from Bergerac to Newcastle via Stansted (Ryanair / Easyjet). There is no way I could have bought drink airside at Bergerac, taken it out of airside at Stansted and then back in again to catch my flight to Newcastle. Security at Stansted would NOT have let me take that liquid through I ca assure you.

John R

[Mike G]

If Ali (or anyone else resident in Greece) is reading this can she confirm what John R has seen on a Crete forum about no liquids (with a few exceptions) being allowed to be taken through security when passing from landside to airside at Greek airports.

Thanks

Mike

[Noopsy]

John R, If you change planes there is still no problem with liquids so long as you are travelling within the E.U.

Noopsy

Certainly true last month when I flew from Bergerac to Newcastle via Stansted (Ryanair / Easyjet). There is no way I could have bought drink airside at Bergerac, taken it out of airside at Stansted and then back in again to catch my flight to Newcastle. Security at Stansted would NOT have let me take that liquid through I ca assure you.

John R

You're quite right: the facility only applies if you change planes airside.

[Mike G]

I read only yesterday on another Crete forum that as from 22 November 2006 the Crete airports were indeed starting to ban liquids in hand luggage and conform to (most of) the rest of Europe. I have not heard from anyone with first hand experience of this yet - and have self interest re olive oil Quota.

John R

All those about to return to Plakias, or anywhere else in Greece, need to be aware that what John has seen is absolutely correct. Ali has confirmed to me that Greek airports (in fact all in the EU I believe) have the same rules re. liquids in hand luggage as were adopted in the UK last August. So, all olive oil, raki etc in the hold luggage.

Mike

[George]

I read only yesterday on another Crete forum that as from 22 November 2006 the Crete airports were indeed starting to ban liquids in hand luggage and conform to (most of) the rest of Europe. I have not heard from anyone with first hand experience of this yet - and have self interest re olive oil Quota.

John R

All those about to return to Plakias, or anywhere else in Greece, need to be aware that what John has seen is absolutely correct. Ali has confirmed to me that Greek airports (in fact all in the EU I believe) have the same rules re. liquids in hand luggage as were adopted in the UK last August. So, all olive oil, raki etc in the hold luggage.

Mike

So what happens to all the booze that some people buy in the duty free shop.

At Heraklion thay didn't seem to have the same rules as the UK, ie no Duty free within the EU!

There were numerous people with booze coming back on my flight last year.
(No I didn't buy any!)

Maybe this year the Cretans will stick to the rules... I don't think so, and hope not, I like their attitude towards rules  

george g...

[John R]

[

So what happens to all the booze that some people buy in the duty free shop.

At Heraklion thay didn't seem to have the same rules as the UK, ie no Duty free within the EU!

There were numerous people with booze coming back on my flight last year.
(No I didn't buy any!)

Maybe this year the Cretans will stick to the rules... I don't think so, and hope not, I like their attitude towards rules  

george g...

It has always been and still is  perfectly ok for anyone to buy booze airside (after going through security) and take as hand luggage on to the plane. What is not allowed (and I suspect this might now even apply at Cretan airports) is to take any liquids through security from none airside to airside. The only way of doing that is to pack it in the hold luggage if you can trust none breakage / none leakage. So it is unlikely - according to recent rumour and Ali (?)  - that you will be able to take through in hand luggage any liquids bought while on holiday (Raki, Ouzo, Olive oil etc.)

John R

[George]

This thread obviously concerns the return journey only, I've just had a look at the following link:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/airt...airportsecurity

and the security at airports in the UK look like they haven't changed much if any since last year.

george g...

[Mike G]

So what happens to all the booze that some people buy in the duty free shop.

At Heraklion thay didn't seem to have the same rules as the UK, ie no Duty free within the EU!

There were numerous people with booze coming back on my flight last year.
(No I didn't buy any!)

Maybe this year the Cretans will stick to the rules... I don't think so, and hope not, I like their attitude towards rules  

george g...

George,

A previous post explained this. The booze you buy airside in Greek airports isn't duty free as this has been abolished for flights within the EU, but the prices are the same as if it were. They are in fact subsidising it and paying the duty for you.

The rules about liquids have been standardised EU wide. I have returned recently from Strasbourg and they are certainly the same there as the UK and Ali has confirmed to me that the Greek airports are the same. You are right in that the rules haven't much changed here since last August (essentially only liquids less than 100 ml and in a clear plastic bag).

As John R has said, if you want to bring back things like raki or olive oil bought in resort it will have to go into your hold luggage and be packed so as to be break proof.

Mike

Mike