The great boarding pass con recently had a great deal of exposure in the UK press, and it was proved beyond doubt that there is no reason for salespeople in airside shops to ask for boarding passes where non-dutiable goods are concerned. That restricts it to items such as alcohol, tobacco, perfume and girly stuff, and some electronics where there is differential pricing EU/non EU.
I have long been refusing to let them scan my boarding pass, although I would let them see it, when not necessary, (i.e. when travelling within the EU and/or when buying non-dutiable items) and got really pissed off when buying a newspaper and a chocolate at the pointless and intrusive request to 'scan your boarding pass sir'. I generally used to say 'not unless you can show me proof of a legal requirement for me to do so' which they never could. Sometimes they'd bluff, sometimes they'd carry on and ring up the goods, sometimes they'd refuse to sell it, and in one extreme case the stupid cow at World Duty Free, the worst offenders, the most arrogant barefaced liars as they were exposed to be, said : "If you refuse to let me scan your boarding pass I'll have to call security .........." and I told her to go ahead, and she did!
What many people don't realise is that the boarding pass often contains (apart from the obvious) not just the passenger's full names and passport number, but also the airline's booking locator.
That on its own does not present a great risk, but in the hands of an accomplice with the wrong intent and access to an airline reservation system, and such a person would not be hard to find at an airport, the record locator could give access to all or some of the following, depending on the level of access :
Name
Address
Telephone numbers and email address
Date of birth
Passport number/issue date/expiry date
Credit card number, expiry, CVV number, and billing address
Full airline FF profile
details of itinerary
............ more than enough for identity fraud and credit card fraud. Not to mention that it wouldn't be difficult to work out how long someone will be away from an empty home for.
I recently took this up with Barcelona airport, where they refused to let me buy a few bars of chocolate and some turron if I wouldn't show my boarding pass, so I decided to take it up with the authority :
From: xxxxxxxxxxx@gmail.com>
Date: 29 December 2015 at 00:16
Subject: Boarding pass control in shops
To: bcninformacion@aena.es, administracionelectronica@aena.es
Dear Sirs
I need to know why your airport shops require scanning of a boarding pass for all purchases, when the passenger is travelling from Spain to an EU destination. Specifically, I require to know where this is legally mandated and by whom.
If you are unable to answer this question fully and adequately, please put me in contact with the appropriate authority.
Thank you
This was the meaningless and untrue 'response' I got.
Dear xxxxxx
In response to your mail, we inform you that in order to comply with the regulation of the Tax Administration, World Duty Free Group has the obligation of asking the boarding pass to each passenger that buys in their shops travel value/duty free.
Unlike other shops based in the airport, the products that are sold in shops travel value/duty free are in suspension arrangements of VAT and special duties, therefore only in the moment that the item is being sold to the passenger, after checking the destination shown in the boarding pass, it can be determined the fiscal regime to be applied, to deposit to the Tax Administration, for the passenger, the taxes that proceed.
This procedure doesn't allow World Duty Free Group to claim to the Tax Administration the refund of any tax deposited by the passenger. On the contrary, this procedure required by the Tax Administration allows World Duty Free Group to sell in their shops the products in suspension arrangement of VAT and special duties and deposit, for the passenger, the taxes whenever proceeds.
We please you to understand that is not an arbitrary decision made by our company, however a required requisite in all airport shops in the world, hence, a legal and necessary process.
In the confidence of clarifying your claims and doubts, we put at your disposal the Department of Customer Service of WDFG where you can make any suggestion in our free toll line 900.25.24.23 and in the e-mail address atencion.clientes@wdfg.com, that, without a doubt, which will allow us with the goal of continuous improving and quality engagement to our clients.
Remember that you can contact us for any other information you may need.
Yours Sincerely,
Barcelona-El Prat Airport Information Office.