Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Just returned to UK via Ercan - Istanbul - Edinburgh
At Ercan I had time to check out the new duty free area and hey ho - well I thought it was a joke - the prices were astronomical for the perfumes and they were all in Euros - just for a change.
So on the trip back home I checked the same items at Istanbul and the prices were comparable with the UK duty free zones and certainly not the hiked costs found at Ercan. You also get a choice of paying in varying currencies.
So what does everyone else think of the Ercan set up these days?

I did not look at the prices in Ercan but recently I was in the Duty Free shop in Sabiha Gokcen and was shocked to see that a bottle of B&G Pinot Noir was 9 euros - at today's rate on xe.com that is 24.08tland in Hurdeniz it is only 12.95tl!!

Needless to say we did not buy anything in the duty free.

Perfume is priced stupidly. I looked at 50ml bottle of one of my favorite eau de toilette - Ercan price 79 Euro, roughly 15 Euro more than it would be retail. Christian Dior and the real top of the range brands, astronomical!!! I asked why the Euro price and was told they sell at whatever currency they buy it in. HOWEVER, there were some Russian ladies buying stuff by the bucket load, so whilst that happens, Ercan will continue to price accordingly.

I travel frequently through Ercan, and find that everything is way overpriced, apart from tobacco, which I buy for a friend on the way back in.

Alcohol and perfume is much cheaper in the supermarkets both here and in the UK.

What I find very irksome is being charged more for a small cup of cheap instant coffee than for a huge filter coffee at other airports, including those having a reputation for being expensive! This is not a good thing for tourism, think "rip off", and bad for their own business, I NEVER buy any refreshments at Ercan now.

The duty free shopping at Ercan airport is now run by one company, even tobacco prices are almost the same as the high street shops here, may be 50 kurus cheaper per packet of tobacco.
If you are flying in from else where it may be possible to get a better deal elsewhere.
And duty free chocolate, the prices for them is outrageous!

Before each flight, if I am early, I always stop at Erülkü supermarket just before the Ercan junction, where they have a bakery and make their own sandwiches and Cyprus pastry. Buy myself couple of freshly baked pastries or sandwiches, 2-3 small (square cartons of fruit juice) - the whole lot costs me the price of one sandwich at the airport!

As for parfumes, I do not even bother - my advice is wait until you get to the other end and you can buy them at the duty frees available in the arrival hall. No one has to get robbed by some private company who is running Ercan at this time!

Have always thought Ercan Duty Free expensive and consequently never bought there. I do not know why anyone would buy there given the price of most items in local supermarkets. Friends have said they buy their ciggies on the way back in the arrivals hall of Ercan, or used to, do not know what prices are with new cowboys.

That said, I never buy even duty free goods at Stansted because they are silly prices as well. Seems some people are still lured by the term "duty free shop"!!!

Just a warning bearing in mind the first msg of travelling via Attaturk, if you purchase bottles in Ercan you will not be able to take them through security at Attaturk. You either drink it or it will be confiscated.

Hendricks gin is definitely much cheaper in the supermarkets than at Ercan.
Channel No 5 which was £89 at Stansted and even more at Ercan, was for sale in The Perfume Shop chain, shops in most UK towns, for £69.
Friends flying from Manchester with Turkish Airlines bought perfumes and alcohol at Manchester and had to bin it all at security in Attaturk.

Thanks folks
It would seem that Ercan is getting worse! Coffee is now 10tl a cup.
As for bringing duty free from Edinburgh via Istanbul transfer of flight, I just ensure my purchases are sealed and marked 'in transit' and I have never had any problems with Ataturk taking goods from me.
What did happen this time on leaving Ercan was, that a 50 ml hairspray ( sold in all airports after security and deemed acceptable for cabin) was taken from me! Meanwhile a lady covered from head to toe walked through the 2nd security - all the alarms went off and nobody stopped her!
I rest my case!

Gloria Jeans coffee upstairs 8.75TL nice comfy seats as well.

Like Journey, I bought facial stuff at Birmingham duty free and the lady suggested I take it all to the counter, have them sealed in a bag indicating I am a transit passenger, did not have a problem at Ataturk, never even took it out of my carry on case, maybe I was lucky!

LL

I bought a bottle of nice mens perfume in Ercan duty free,got to istanbul and it was 17 Euros cheaper

One thing you can be sure of is this

you will not buy a better bottle of our wines cheaper any where in the world let alone duty free


And you can take that to the bank