Yes, Schengen suspended when I came through Cannes today from Italy.
Not sure I would agree with that. What is relevant for GA is whether one can land at any airfield of choice, which is still the case. It’s something different whether, upon landing at any airfield, they check passports or not.
Also, it should be noted that these current passport checks taking place have nothing to do with the event on Friday. These measures were decided before that and are owed to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
I just did a few random checks on NOTAMs for French airports. I tried a few along the French/German border and also places like LFAT.
Only Colmar has the NOTAM about compulsory customs/immigration. Now I wonder what’s the story there. Anyone knows?
The Schengen paper allows subscribing states to operate border control for short periods, for specific reasons. So there is no question of suspending Schengen.
boscomantico wrote:
Also, it should be noted that these current passport checks taking place have nothing to do with the event on Friday. These measures were decided before that and are owed to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Swedish media has reported that France has “closed its borders” without specifying exactly what this means. I took it to mean that it has imposed border controls which should also affect GA.
Just for the record: There are currently no such restrictions in place for GA.
Except that one NOTAM for Colmar. Anyone knows more?
B5950/15 NOTAMN Q) LFEE/QFAXX/IV/NBO /A /000/999/4800N00700E005 A) LFGA B) 2015-11-14 11:00Z C) 2015-11-30 23:59Z E) COMPULSORY FPL FOR EVERY INBOUND/OUTBOUND FLIGHT B5949/15 NOTAMN Q) LFEE/QFZXX/IV/NBO /A /000/999/4800N00700E005 A) LFGA B) 2015-11-14 11:00Z C) 2016-01-31 23:59Z E) COMPULSORY CUSTOMS FOR EVERY INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT
That must be something Colmar specific. Every flight requires a flight plan as well. I don’t think it is directly related.
Also, Colmar is a customs aerodrome anyway, so it doesn’t really pose any restriction. It merely makes using the airport for international flights “PPR” so to speak.
I have just received an email – don’t know yet why – with a scanned letter from the airport administration of Colmar. The letter is dated November 16 and explains the compulsory flight plan and customs with the current state of emergency for France.
I’m still wondering why I was unable to find similar NOTAMs for other French airports.
Maybe because this was pulled off by the airport manager alone, who either panicked or at least mis-interpreted some other French measure that was taken these days?
