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 
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?
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.
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.
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.
