Supply update from Dubai airport

[RDB]

Just a datapoint. Terminal A, so not the big LCDH. Scanty Cuban offering, but some cardboard packs of staples like M4. Hardly any full boxes, but a few of El Principe, and a great looking box of VR Unicos at about USD430 was the obvious buy. Nothing Cohiba, nothing large format except those VRs. All very recent production. So overall looks like a bit of recovery from the absolute low point, but still miles off pre-Covid levels.

[Arabian]

I wanted to go there for a 3-days trip last week but my wife wasn't excited for it. I might go in the near future and hopefully things get better. I'm planning to visit both the City Walk location and the airport one.

[Duxnutz]

Frankfurt (terminal 1 and 2) was pretty dismal too last few days. 

[BrightonCorgi]

I use this site to get an idea of best case scenario for the world.  If this list is grim, expect worse anywhere else

https://cigars.beirutdutyfree.com/

[patrickamory]

I know London duty free has not been a hotspot, but just reporting that the scene at Terminal 5 at end of June was dire. Acres of empty cabinets, just a few bottom-end RyJ.

Also, everything was in the horrible UK white packaging with graphic medical photos. I wonder why, when James J. Fox et. al. can sell CC and NC in beautiful original packaging?

[Fugu]

1 hour ago, patrickamory said:

I wonder why, when James J. Fox et. al. can sell CC and NC in beautiful original packaging?

Grandfathering? Older stock? Would indeed be interesting to know.

[El Presidente]

5 hours ago, Fugu said:

Grandfathering? Older stock? Would indeed be interesting to know.

You do not have to plain package cigars in the UK. 

[Fugu]

19 hours ago, El Presidente said:

You do not have to plain package cigars in the UK. 

Yea, well perhaps not or not implemented yet (...), but why then the supposedly different treatment of duty free and “domestic”? Which leads to the next question - which tobacco-related jurisdiction does apply to DF anyway?

[El Presidente]

4 hours ago, Fugu said:

which tobacco-related jurisdiction does apply to DF anyway?

pre or post Brexit? 

Good question for our UK mates. 

[RDB]

10 hours ago, El Presidente said:

pre or post Brexit? 

Good question for our UK mates. 

No idea. No one in the UK in their right mind buys from UK Duty Free!

[Arabian]

I will be there in a few days (Terminal 3) on my way to the Maldives, recent news is there's no CC at all 😔, I will update later. 

[Arabian]

Mostly empty…

only a few Trinidad and Cohiba Pent… (packed with non-Cuban) it looks sad from the inside. (one location has a slightly better stock than the other one on the same wing)

I managed to grab a Media Luna, and maybe will grab another one on my way back.

[BrightonCorgi]

5 hours ago, Arabian said:

Mostly empty…

Mostly empty?  That walk in is packed compared to any other Duty Free in 2023.

[Arabian]

1 hour ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Mostly empty?  That walk in is packed compared to any other Duty Free in 2023.

Less than 10% is Cuban (and most are Trini)  The others are NC. This used to be one of the best LCDH worldwide, so I was expecting much more than this. I will be heading back in 4 days. They are expecting to receive a shipment next week. 

[BrightonCorgi]

2 hours ago, Arabian said:

Less than 10% is Cuban (and most are Trini)  The others are NC. This used to be one of the best LCDH worldwide, so I was expecting much more than this. I will be heading back in 4 days. They are expecting to receive a shipment next week. 

I've been to that Duty Free and it was packed 100%.  They'd open any box to inspect. 

Duty Frees are more likely to rip out their walk ins.  It's not worth the footage to sell cigars compared to something else that could consume the space.  They can vacuum seal boxes and devote 10% of the current space used for cigars.