Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Civil Aviation Act 2023

Airports - Sale of alcohol at international airports

252: Sale of alcohol at international airports

You could also call this:

"Buying alcohol at New Zealand's international airports: know the rules"

Illustration for Civil Aviation Act 2023

When you are at an international airport in New Zealand, you can buy alcohol if you are old enough. You must be of or over the purchase age as defined in section 5 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. You can drink the alcohol at the airport or take it with you on your flight.

If you buy alcohol at the airport, you cannot give it to someone else in New Zealand. You also cannot drink it in New Zealand, unless you have followed the rules in the Customs and Excise Act 2018.

If someone sells alcohol to you when you are not old enough, or if they do not follow the rules, they can get in trouble. They might have to pay a fine of up to $2,500. The rules in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 do not apply to buying alcohol at the airport.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS352510.

Topics:
Transport and travel > Air travel
Previous

251: Exemptions from requirements of subparts 2 and 3, or

"Some airport rules don't apply to everyone, and the Secretary can decide who gets exempted."

Next

253: Additional purpose of Part, or

"Helping people get fair treatment when flying or sending goods by air"

Part 7Airports
Sale of alcohol at international airports

252Sale of alcohol at international airports

  1. Alcohol may be sold at any international airport to any passenger on an aircraft departing from or arriving in New Zealand for consumption on or off the airport premises if the passenger is of or over the purchase age as defined in section 5 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

  2. Unless alcohol sold under the authority of subsection (1) has been entered by the passenger concerned for home consumption in accordance with the Customs and Excise Act 2018,—

  3. the buyer must not deliver it, and no person may deliver it on behalf of the buyer, to any other person within New Zealand; and
    1. no person may consume it within New Zealand.

      1. A person commits an offence if the person—

      2. sells alcohol at any international airport to any passenger on an aircraft departing from or arriving in New Zealand who is under the age referred to in subsection (1)(a) or (b) (as the case requires); or
        1. fails to comply with subsection (2).

          1. A person who commits an offence against subsection (3) is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,500.

          2. Nothing in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 applies to the sale of alcohol under the authority of this section or of any regulations made under section 426.

          Compare