Thank you St Martin

I bought a bottle of Malt Whisky ( a gift for my father) on the 11th June 2013 when flying to Dominica via Antigua.

My onward flight was diverted to St Martin when I arrived in Antigua. (Our suitcases were tagged to the final destination and we did not see them until then).

Antigua outgoing security had no problem with the bottle which I put through security.

However when I arrived in St Martin, although we were in transit and stayed within the secure area, there was a security desk near the gate and I was told that I could not take liquid on the flight.
I said that it was duty free I had no opportunity to put it in my luggage and had bought the bottle within the secure area at Gatwick so it could not have been a security risk

The Security lady then confiscated the bottle !!
which was blatant theft

I have since spoken to other people when I arrived in Dominica and it is common fro them to 'confiscate' duty free drink in St Martin

This gives this country a bad name

never heard of such a thing.

This is not accurate. You obviously are not familiar with TSA regulations.
It has nothing to do with duty free.
it is international regulations that you cannot take liquids on a flight.
if you buy a bottle in an airport after you pass through security you can take it on board. But if you have a connecting flight , in going from one flight to the other, you have to pass security again, and security in any airport will stop you and confiscate the liquid. This is common knowledge.
The only way you can carry liquids in your hand luggage is by buying in a secure area and going on a direct non stop flight. if you change flights, you have a problem.


"Another option for bringing alcohol in your luggage is to purchase it after you go through airport security at your departing airport. These purchases are still subject to the duty regulations mentioned, but you will be able to place the bottle in your carry-on since you're already through security. Keep in mind though that some airports require you to go through security again after you get through customs, so if you have a connecting flight after you arrive in the U.S., you will have to stash the bottle in your luggage to get back through security. You will have your luggage with you when you go through customs, so you can stash it then.
References

Customs & Border Patrol; Determining Duty; August 2009
Transportation Security Adminstration: Make Your Trip Better Using 3-1-1"

[www.tsa.gov]

[barcann.livejournal.com]

Barbara, I think the person is talking about the little "security desk" which is set up just at the entrance of boarding gate, before you go inside the plane... They set up this little table behind the boarding pass scan station for plane departing to the US. My understanding is that the person never went out of the secure zone of the terminal and didn't had to clear security again, as he was in transit, but that this happened at the time of boarding the plane, which in my opinion if it s the case is not normal. Because it would means that if you by a bottle of liquor in one of the shop in the secure zone, the security lady would have confiscate it too???? I do not think it is fair... But maybe I am misunderstanding what the poster is trying to say

Kind Regards,
Philippe



[www.facebook.com]

Good morning Philippe
Oh I am sorry. I must have misundertsood.. I forgot about that little desk they have there.
I have seen that in other Caribbean airports too but I wonder why they have it there.
that is strange indeed.

[barcann.livejournal.com]

Originally I read it the same way as you did, then I realized the poster talked about a "security desk at the gate"...
I think it is TSA request for extra security to all flight going into the USA... When we are flying back from Mexico to the States, no matter what company, they do the same thing.. extra security screening at the boarding gate. The gate next door goes to Canada or elsewhere, no extra screening... It is confusing, indeed, because we all assume that if something was supposed to be "detected" it would be at the main screening.... Maybe the agent doing this extra screening here at Juliana, need some extra training to explain them that if a bottle of liquor was bought in a secure area, it should be allowed to be boarded..

Kind Regards,
Philippe



[www.facebook.com]