Customs in the Paris area or the importance of fax transmission logs (PPR for all of France now)

I wonder if it would have made any difference showing the immigration/customs officials the following pages from the French aviation authority:

AIC A 2009 27: “Intra-Schengen” international flights
(https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/dossier/aicfrancea/AIC_A_2009_27_EN.pdf)

and the page that shows the above AIC is still current:
(https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/asp_ssl/aicfra.asp?idl=uk)

The AIC states: “Case of flights inside the Schengen space with States other than Switzerland. These flights are not subjected to any specific customs and police control.”

The NOTAM for Auxerre is odd, as that aerodrome is listed in the law of April 1998 as being an aerodrome that requires 24 hours notice for customs and police anyway.

nobbi wrote:

I would like to believe you …

This form is a pure courtesy to customs. There is no requirement to fill it out. There is no PNR or PPR at Carcassonne (within customs opening hours). Period.

If you think otherwise, please refer to relevant part of AIP or NOTAM.

FWIW, just to make a small point, there are loads of airports which are ports of entry but are PNR for customs/immigration. One has to go by the AIP to get the PNR period, if any.

An overriding notam is something else. Would such a notam appear under airport notams, or under enroute notams? IFR pilots rarely get enroute notams because the traditional reason for those is for VFR flight where P areas and such can pop up.

I would like to believe you …however, the above is the title of the required form. Do you accuse those authorities of “unsubstantiated information also known as desinformation” ?

Please stop spreading unnecessary fear based on unsubstantiated information also known as desinformation. Read AIP and NOTAMs and relate to that because that is your most reliable source. Do not believe all you’re told when calling the airport.

Wrt Carcassonne we have been corresponding extensively with Customs, ATS and airport management. No requirement to fill in any form 24 hrs in advance was ever mentioned. You may as a courtesy to customs, but it is not stated anywhere that it is required, particularly not in AIP or NOTAMs

Secondly Carcassonne is a port of entry with Customs and Immigration

There seem to be airports that, although they have customs, request a 24h prior notice if you come from extra – schengen.
In addition they also want it 24h ahead of departure. That is even worse than before Schengen.

See Avignon here: http://www.avignon.aeroport.fr/en/arrival
and http://www.avignon.aeroport.fr/en/departure

Is that voluntary or mandatory? In the a.m. case with Chambery – isn’t that a custom airport too?

I called Le Bourget BRIA (ARO) which essentially confirmed that in general no customs is required for intra-Schengen, intra-EU flights. There are however special cases like Auxerre (and Colmar from previous discussions here) that require customs for some reason.

Peter wrote:

Presumably this affects the Carcassonne fly-in too.

First of all the NOTAM cited is for Auxerre. Secondly Carcassonne is a port of entry with Customs and Immigration.

Edit: and I insist, no PPR during opening hours. Consult AIP and NOTAMs to find out what the opening hours are.

Presumably this affects the Carcassonne fly-in too.