Diverting on an International flight

Frans wrote:

At least in Switzerland, I’ve heard several stories from Raron and Grenchen, where crew and passangers are fined 500 CHF per person for not informing customs after divertion.

I’ve seen a report in a internal flight school publication a while ago warning about exactly that, with the same amount. The same goes if you forget the pre notice required on most airfields and get found out later (when customs examine the movement records). What we have learnt is, that after such a diversion, you need to inform the relevant customs authority (and police if immigration is an issue, e.g. non Schengen) immediately after landing and stay put until released by them. In most cases, a police patrol will be detailed to check you within a relatively short period of time and you are good to go.

I remember one case I was told (years ago) in the Valais, where someone landed at Raron or Munster instead of Sion due to weather where they informed Sion who in turn told them to stay put and alerted the authorities and got them the release. Another one was ordered to the police station of their village together with their pax and documents the next days and left with ears ringing and a stern threat of a huge fine next time… Maybe in the mean time the fines are imposed right away.

Grenchen, wow, have to look them up. I thought they were AOE without pn but apparently not. Good to know.

As long as you inform customs immediately after landing and if you follow their instructions, I guess there is very less chance of any legal issues with the authorities.

I agree, with the proviso that they could well make you wait until they examine you, so you might end up staying in a hotel, etc. In GA, we so often fly against worsening wx, and the next day may not be an option.

But again, those are “stories”, as I’ve never seen any proof from AOPA, AeCS or DAeC etc.

One could ask whether anyone has ever heard of somebody getting into trouble. I have not heard of such a case, but indeed it may not ever be posted anywhere. I also do think that if you did what I nearly did not long ago, and refuelled at a “customs 24hr PN” airport, and followed the desk advice to just fly on to the UK and keep quiet, somebody might get quite upset. But also I think much depends on where your next landing was… if it was in Switzerland and you live at a Swiss address, then they might well want to visit you If your next stop is in another country, then practically speaking there is very little they can do, and I suspect this is why most diversions (in breach of customs/immigration) “work”. My impression from many anecdotal reports over the years is that it is “ok” provided you don’t do it often, and in the same country. What could they do? Create an arrest warrant so next time your passport is scanned in that country, they grab you? It’s possible, but highly unlikely.

One also can get landing refusals. There have definitely been cases here in the UK. One is here. Another was of a GA airfield refusing a landing (from abroad), citing that they didn’t have the GAR form. That position is just totally wrong on several counts, but a pilot who is not assertive could end up running out of fuel. Here the police will definitely be very interested in some unexpected landing (for obvious reasons) but in practice they aren’t going to do anything if they know the aircraft (and by implication the owner), and not carrying a 9mm makes one a lot less gung-ho. I also had a refusal at Padova many years ago (they claimed to not have received multiple Customs PN notifications) and that caused me huge follow-on trouble on the rest of the trip home (e.g. Treviso pretending to have avgas but told me they didn’t after I landed) – that was my “longest day” ever in flying, getting totally fuct in Italy and getting home 10 mins before closing time, and affected the way I plan trips ever since.

As long as you inform customs immediately after landing and if you follow their instructions, I guess there is very less chance of any legal issues with the authorities. If you don’t, it might cause serious problems. At least in Switzerland, I’ve heard several stories from Raron and Grenchen, where crew and passangers are fined 500 CHF per person for not informing customs after divertion. But again, those are “stories”, as I’ve never seen any proof from AOPA, AeCS or DAeC etc.

Nonetheless, I wouldn’t like to check “what happends”, except in case of a real emergency. Otherwise I would continue to another customs airport or to another Intra-EU airport/airfield.

I do wonder how many people have not diverted when there was a real need an reason for a diversion just because they were afraid of PPR/customs/other implications? In theory this can be fatal, if e.g. you press on in marginal weather or with a developing problem and ignore a perfectly landable airport out of justified fear of legal reprecussions.

On the other hand, how many pilots who did divert to a non suitable airport in the customs/immigration sense for a reason of urgency have been fined or otherwise harassed by the authorities?

Malibuflyer wrote:

The whole point of customs and immigration checks is, that the police/borderforce/customes/… at least have the opportunity to check you from the very moment you open the door of the aircraft?

If you carried a person that is not allowed to immigrate, a controlled substance, money from criminal activities, etc. with you, what would be the odds that you would take them in an uber to present it to customs?!?

But that is an airport security issue not customs/immigration issue?

I have better how about sending every aircraft that lands at that airport to the main terminal to pass through security, even aircraft flying nationally as PIC/PAX could lie about their departure point and carry some charlie in the aircraft, then they stay in the aircraft until police/customs or handling arrives before you open the aircraft door

Ibra wrote:

Is that an issue? in most big airports where you can go in GA without handling will not have customs in GA terminal, you will have to park, use some exit and take Uber to CAT terminal and see customs yourself

The whole point of customs and immigration checks is, that the police/borderforce/customes/… at least have the opportunity to check you from the very moment you open the door of the aircraft?

If you carried a person that is not allowed to immigrate, a controlled substance, money from criminal activities, etc. with you, what would be the odds that you would take them in an uber to present it to customs?!?

Personally, I wouldn’t just divert to a non-international airfield, except if there is a real high (safety) emergency. Especially in Switzerland, small aerodromes even ask for customs PNR/PPR when you’re plan to use their airfield as alternate. So if I fly to Switzerland to a small airfield, I only use official international airports (or airfields in the EU) as alternate to prevent this additional bureaucracy.

Even more critical is Norway this year, which only allows international arrivals at a few selected international airports due Covid-19 checks. That made alternate choices even more difficult, especially with an airplane with not such a high endurance. On the other hand: Getting “problems” with immigration is not ‘nice’, but the border police is mostly reasonable in case you’re cooperative. Dealing with customs is way more ‘dangerous’, as they might charge you with enormous fees in case they think you’re breaking the customs/tax rules, even if the rules are unreasonable.

Peter wrote:

Germany has no airports which have immigration+customs and have no PNR or PPR?

I just double checked with an instructor. Yes Geneva is joint customs but you still need a passport or identity card if diverting there from French airspace.
He couldn’t remember whether the question is still on the IR oral exam paper.

Not the GA terminal though…

You can ask the shuttle to take you to the French sector.

Is that an issue? in most big airports where you can go in GA without handling will not have customs in GA terminal, you will have to park, use some exit and take Uber to CAT terminal and see customs yourself

In the past, I used to fly from UK to France and ask ATC to park near aeroclub or self fuel pump and just use the nearest exit (e.g. Brest, Nantes, Lille, Bergerac), now after Brexit, I ask to park in “international side” and do my best to use security/customs gates…