The Independent on Sunday Opinion

Letter: Flying gin bottles are a waste of space
Phil Hill
Saturday, 14 June 1997


Sir: I have just returned from Chicago clutching my bottle of duty-free gin, labelled "Imported from England".
This must be one of thousands of bottles of spirits that have been needlessly flown across the Atlantic to the US, at considerable expense, only so that people like myself can get a few pounds off the cost of a bottle and then fly it straight back.
Why could I not order the duty-free goods I require as I leave Chicago, who then notify Manchester of what to have ready for me?Or why can't I buy the duty free on arrival into the UK, to pass the time while I am waiting at baggage recall?
The whole system seems to be geared to the needless transportation of duty-free goods all over the world, wasting money, fuel and aircraft hold space, and contributing more to carbon dioxide emissions.
Isn't it about time we introduced some common sense into this arrangement?
PHIL HILL
Leeds



It has taken a long time but we are getting there.