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Airport VAT scam/Rip off prices exposed



pastafarian

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2011
11,902
Sussex
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...assenger-rebellion-gathers-pace-10450819.html

http://www.theguardian.com/politics...treasury-prices-travellers-tax-boarding-cards

http://www.itv.com/news/2015-08-11/...nisters-to-warn-retailers-to-pass-on-savings/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/avi...shopping-should-be-cheaper-says-minister.html

i always thought being forced to showing your boarding pass when shopping showed your eligibility to qualify for duty free purchases or security reasons to show you were permitted to be that side of the terminal purchasing Coke and Alka Seltzerin in Boots for legitimate reasons and not a fruity bomb maker

seems the greedy frackers have been pocketing the VAT for themselves,failing to pass on any savings and still charge you a small fortune for a bottle of water

At least its been clarified.......you can simply say no
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
69,880
Always did seem a bit annoying that you 'had' to show your boarding pass when you wanted to buy, say, a full-price newspaper at WH Smiths air-side. Now we know why. Even Wetherspoons airside at Gatwick had recently-installed boarding pass scanners last time I was there a couple of months back, which they never had before. Hopefully they'll now have to uninstall them again.
 


wellquickwoody

Many More Voting Years
NSC Patreon
Aug 10, 2007
13,585
Melbourne
I always had my doubts about this. To be honest I see nothing illegal going on but very underhand. The really sly bit is that you cannot take your own drinks through security due to the 100ml rule. Is that still a legal requirement or another 'rule' imposed by the airports to help them and not us? I have a feeling it maybe the former.

Having just checked this out seems I am wrong. Still in place via government directive.
 
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pastafarian

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2011
11,902
Sussex
I always had my doubts about this. To be honest I see nothing illegal going on but very underhand. The really sly bit is that you cannot take your own drinks through security due to the 100ml rule. Is that still a legal requirement or another 'rule' imposed by the airports to help them and not us? I have a feeling it maybe the former.

agree,i think thats the point,its not illegal,its just an arsey way to conduct business,we all know prices are high at airports and you have to go there expecting higher than normal high street prices........but what a bunch of ****s for trying to hide it though
actually maybe its just a case of no one bothered to ask them why they were doing it up and till now.

personally i am looking forward to my own little che guevara moment next time i am flying and sticking it to the man (or the bloke behind the counter at boots) and refusing to hand over my boarding pass when requested.

makes travelling slightly more interesting ............i am easily amused
 


Hampster Gull

New member
Dec 22, 2010
13,462
agree,i think thats the point,its not illegal,its just an arsey way to conduct business,we all know prices are high at airports and you have to go there expecting higher than normal high street prices........but what a bunch of ****s for trying to hide it though
actually maybe its just a case of no one bothered to ask them why they were doing it up and till now.

personally i am looking forward to my own little che guevara moment next time i am flying and sticking it to the man (or the bloke behind the counter at boots) and refusing to hand over my boarding pass when requested.

makes travelling slightly more interesting ............i am easily amused

Interesting. Yes, i assumed in was some legal requirement. I have been refused a sale when i didnt present a boarding card before! I will be stroppier in future
 




drew

Drew
Oct 3, 2006
23,007
Burgess Hill
They have been reporting that they have not done anything illegal but surely there is an element of fraud if they are issuing invoices stating that you have paid VAT when in fact you haven't?
 


ofco8

Well-known member
May 18, 2007
2,386
Brighton
I have often said to my wife "i f this stuff is duty free, why is some of it dearer than outside on the High Street". Now seems it was duty free for the retailers not the customers!!!
 






Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,110
Surrey
I've never really liked the American idea where they quote pre-tax prices and then add on Fed/State taxes, but this is the first time where I can see that perhaps we should.

I'm sorry, the airports have been selling fraudulently in my opinion - it's that simple. Give it a few years and we should hopefully have PPI style lawyers offering to claw back 17.5%-20% on things bought at airports.
 




ack

New member
Apr 20, 2006
322
Did always wonder about this, yes, could understand if buying fags or drink as norm much cheaper. Could never work out why when getting a paper and bottles of water. Now we all know and lets hope there's a backlash. As for their comments ,it's too hard to price diff depending on location, well they all have fancy tills, so discount from them depending on location. Cant be that hard with all these computerized systems.
 






Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,989
Goldstone
I thought everyone knew this. Obviously the shops weren't paying VAT, and they were just making higher profits/paying higher rent. Try not to need things at the airport, and if you plan to buy something there, check it's cheaper than your alternatives.
 


johnjim

New member
Sep 2, 2008
27
bexhill
If you have time to spare at the airport, play the airport shopping game. Fill a basket up with things, go to checkout and when asked for boarding card walk away and don't return.
It's called getting your own back for all the times they have made you reshop and que again, because you had left the boarding passes with the wife while popping in a shop for something.
Not bitter or anything, just board at airports.
 




Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
8,486
Brighton
I've mentioned Wetherspoons before somewhere. I actually got a VAT receipt from their till when, as I was flying to USA, I should not have paid VAT. Same with Dixons whose prices are no cheaper than the high street. They even claim 'tax free'. So who today will ask for their VAT back when buying anything? Bet BBC or Sky send a reporter to test the market.
 




Creaky

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2013
3,835
Hookwood - Nr Horley
Did always wonder about this, yes, could understand if buying fags or drink as norm much cheaper. Could never work out why when getting a paper and bottles of water. Now we all know and lets hope there's a backlash. As for their comments ,it's too hard to price diff depending on location, well they all have fancy tills, so discount from them depending on location. Cant be that hard with all these computerized systems.

Pedant alert - VAT isn't charged on water or newspapers :)
 








Lyndhurst 14

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2008
5,114
Always get my DFs in the States as the prices are generally cheaper than the UK
 



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