Carrying Alcohol in Flights - A Comprehensive Guide

Hey there, fellow travellers! Planning to bring home that delightful bottle of wine or the exotic spirit you found on your travels? Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or a first-time flyer, understanding the rules for carrying alcohol on flights can save you from unexpected hiccups. Let’s dive into this bubbly topic and make sure your journey is smooth and stress-free.

Rules & Regulations for carrying alcohol on flights are enforced at the the below 3 independent levels :

1. National Laws
2. Aviation Authorities
3. Airlines

National Laws

First things first, every country has its own set of rules about carrying alcohol into their territory. These rules are usually enforced by the customs department of the respective countries and are applicable only for international arrivals. This means,

For instance:

• Custom department of India allows for 2 litre of alcohol to be carried into the country duty-free.
• U.S. Customs only allows for 1 litre of alcohol to be carried into the United States duty-free.
• Countries like Kuwait forbid passengers from carrying alcohol in the country entirely.

The laws are enforced when you enter the destination country & not when you leave to start your journey. Moreover, applicable to the whole of your luggage, ie. your checked-in & carry-on luggage combined.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that this information is correct. Customs regulations can change without notice. Passengers should ensure that prior to traveling they are aware of the customs allowances for countries they intend to visit. It would be wise to check the local laws of the place you’re visiting before packing any liquor in your suitcase.

When you arrive at the international destination destination, you’ll likely have to submit a customs declaration form. This form lists restricted items and their maximum permissible limits. It can be a physical form available at the airport upon arrival or an online form you submit beforehand. The idea is to declare what you’re carrying as you enter the country.

After collecting your luggage, you’ll have pass through customs:

• If you don’t have anything to declare, ie. restricted items or items above the permissible limits, you can proceed through the green lane to exit.
• If you have items to declare, proceed through the red lane where you’ll be required to pay for the custom duty/tax for items above the permissible limits.

Arriving in India? You’re allowed to bring in up to 2 liters of alcohol duty-free, but the total value of your duty-free purchases should not exceed ₹50,000. Note that you can’t pool your allowance with another passenger, and trying to sneak through the green channel with dutiable or prohibited goods could lead to penalties or confiscation or prosecution. Remember, all alcoholic drinks, including those with low alcohol content like beer, count toward your allowance. Anything over the limit is subject to duty at commercial rates, which as of July 2024, were approximately 150% for hard liquor and 100% for others. Check out the latest rates at the official customs website.

To summarise, the national laws are applicable:

• when you enter a foreign country i.e. on international arrivals only.
• on all alcoholic beverages irrespective of its alcohol content.
• on everything that you are carrying with yourself i.e. your checked-in luggage, carry-on bags & your clothes pockets combined.

Aviation Authority Regulations

Most airports worldwide adhere to TSA standards for carrying alcohol.

The rules are applied based on the ABV levels of the drinks. ABV refers to Alcohol By Volume. It denotes the actual alcohol content in the beverage. This means every alcoholic beverage should mention the alcohol content in it.

• Alcoholic beverages with more than 70% ABV are strictly restricted in any manner. Moreover, homemade or unregulated alcoholic drinks are also prohibited from transportation in flights.

The rules would be applicable in 2 phases of departure:

1. Luggage check-in.
2. Security inspection.

Check-in luggage guidelines:

1. You can pack any number of bottles but upto 5 litres of alcoholic beverages with alcohol between 24% to 70% ABV.
2. No restriction on beverages with alcohol below 25% ABV. So, you can carry as many beers as you want.
3. Partially consumed or opened bottles are strictly forbidden.
4. The alcoholic beverage is in retail packaging and is packed appropriately (to prevent damage / leakage).
5. This limit applies per adult passenger and cannot be transferred to another traveler.

Carry-on luggage or cabin bags guidelines:

• These are checked during the security inspection phase of your departure.
• If you’re bringing alcohol from outside the airport, you’re allowed to carry mini bottles of up to 3.4 oz/100 ml, provided they fit comfortably into a single quart-sized bag.
• For transit flights:
  • If you bought alcohol at a duty-free shop in your transit airport and need to pass through security again, it should be packed in Security Tamper Evident Bags (STEBs). Let the shop know about your transit flight so they can provide the appropriate packaging.
  • If you purchased alcohol at the departing airport, it’s a gray area with no clear rules, so it’s best to avoid buying alcohol at the first airport to prevent issues at your transit airport’s security inspection phase.
  • Incase of self transfer, in-order to avoid scrutiny at the transit airport, you can repack the alcoholic beverages purchased at the airports into your check-in luggage (if you have space in your luggage & your luggage would eventually meet the checked-in luggage guidelines).

To summarise the aviation authority regulations would be applicable:

• on all departures whether it is domestic or international, including any transit or layover departures.
• based on the quantity of the alcoholic beverages & its ABV levels.

📌 Dont' pack more than 5 litres of alcoholic beverages in a single luggage even if you are accompanied by a co-traveller.

Airline Rules

Here’s where it gets tricky. Different airlines have different policies about carrying alcohol. Generally, if you’ve bought alcohol at a duty-free shop in the departure airport, you can bring it on board, but each airline might have its guidelines.

For instance:

• Air India prohibits alcohol in cabin bags entirely.
• Airlines like SpiceJet, Vistara allow it if the bottle was purchased after passenger screening or from the airport security hold area and is in its original retail packaging.
• IndiGo and Akasa Air limit alcohol in cabin bags to one litre.
• Vistara and SpiceJet require bottles to be packed in Security Tamper Evident Bags (STEB).

It's essential to check with your airline for specific requirements before you fly. However, enforcement of these rules can vary, and it often falls on passengers to comply voluntarily rather than being actively enforced by the airlines.

Also, airlines reserve the right to refuse to carry alcohol if they believe it could pose a safety risk, or if the passenger appears intoxicated. In such cases, the airline might confiscate the alcohol or deny boarding.

General Rules and Best Practices

• No In-Flight Consumption: You can’t drink your own alcohol on board.
• Personal Use Only: The alcohol you carry should be for personal consumption.
• Retail Packaging: Always keep alcohol in its original retail packaging.
• Keep Receipts: Save the purchase receipt, as you may need it during security inspections or customs clearance.

Some real life examples

You went on a vacation to Bali from India.

1. You purchased 1 litre of wine from a shopping mall in Bali. Additionally you purchases 2 litres from the duty free shop while you arrive back to India. So while at custom clearance before you exit the airport in India, you’ll be having a total of 3 litres of alcohol. If the total value of alcohol is less than Rs.50000 then → you would be required to pay custom duty on 1 litre of alcohol.
2. You purchased 2 litre of wine from a shopping mall in Bali. No other alcoholic beverages are purchased from airports. → No custom duty needs to be paid.

Key Takeaways

1. For International traveller arriving in India, you can have 5 litres of alcoholic beverages above 24% ABV in your checked-in luggage plus the duty-free purchases from the airports in your carry-on bags. But, you’ll have to pay custom duty for anything above 2 litres or Rs.50000 worth of alcohol.
2. For Domestic Indian travellers, since there is no concept of custom duty, you can carry your entire allowance of 5 litres of alcoholic beverages above 24% in your checked-in luggage without the need for any extra taxes or duties.

By knowing these rules and planning ahead, you can avoid hassles and enjoy your travels with your favourite drinks in tow. Share this article with your fellow travelers to help them navigate the world of flying with alcohol! Safe travels and cheers to new adventures!