That is a GOOD piece of info! How old is he?
He flies Seneca and ride horses, plenty of time 
so long as they treat you politely, which UK police normally do these days
I did not have a single issue with UKBF, always accommodating and they fully understand GA constraints, I have called their emergency number few times where I had issues planing “optimistic flights” in weather: I don’t have a single clue that I will land in Southend or Stapleford
One can’t afford that flexibility elsewhere, you have to plan places like LeTouquet (or Lille and pay for it)
The guy who runs the airport today is the ex-mayor of the city…
That is a GOOD piece of info!
How old is he?
To be fair, the UK system isn’t without its weirdness too. It’s administered differently in different police force areas. Some meet every single notified flight and some never meet flights.
Sure, but – so long as they treat you politely, which UK police normally do these days, unlike in the 1970s and 1980s when one used to get a crash course on sarcasm – you don’t need to care. You did the “PN”. And unlike Germany the UK has no law mandating seeking out the police. Neither has France…
It’s not at all unusual for BF to claim they never received notification when submitted using the online system (which gives a confirmation of receipt) and when you mention you have a receipt they go “Oh…..I never checked that system”.
Sure, but IME they accept showing them the CC to yourself which you still have on your phone (haven’t you 
). There is no language issue so everything works out ok. Not the same as in another country and another language. Has anyone heard of French police causing big trouble and saying they didn’t get your PN? I haven’t heard of such.
dublinpilot wrote:
It’s a good system, but not perfect.
It opens more gates for immigration (UKBF) with short notices
Within CTA, you have some extra mess from customs (HRMC) & police (SB) but it’s even way better now?
Since Jan2022, you can fly everywhere with 12h PN or designated places with 2h PN
Peter wrote:
The Q to ask is how does the UK manage to provide customs and immigration everywhere, just using the GAR form system.
To be fair, the UK system isn’t without its weirdness too. It’s administered differently in different police force areas. Some meet every single notified flight and some never meet flights.
It’s not at all unusual for BF to claim they never received notification when submitted using the online system (which gives a confirmation of receipt) and when you mention you have a receipt they go “Oh…..I never checked that system”.
And since 1 Jan 2021, the airport needs to have a certificate of agreement to accept an international flight. Any airport that had received an international flight in the previous 18 months was automatically given a temporary one, but that will expire on 31 Dec 2023. So now, you have to check if the airport has a temporary cert of agreement (almost all will) and in another year, the airport will have to have a formal/permanent cert of agreement. So it will be a case of checking with the airport before using the GAR. (Assuming the deadline isn’t extended further—it’s been extended twice already.)
I expect almost all will have one, but some may not.
It’s a good system, but not perfect.
The guy who runs the airport today is the ex-mayor of the city…
The airport management usually has the mayor or the ex-mayor
I don’t understand the grammar there. Is there something missing?
and airport never relied on state and airliners and has lot of UK connections: horses and royals, private flying…
That may be the economic case for LFAT but it doesn’t explain the police availability. French police have absolutely zero interest in whether an airport survives.
Peter wrote:
The other explanation is that Le T has “friends in high places”
The airport management usually has the mayor or the ex-mayor and airport never relied on state and airliners and has lot of UK connections: horses and royals, private flying…
This is unlike Dinard: CCI/FP money was replaced by RyanAir/WizzAir money
Well, we’ve done this one before too, and nobody actually knows what is driving the great LFAT police availability situation. And of course anybody who actually knows isn’t going to be posting it; that kind of thing cannot ever be published.
My money is on the simple one: the Macron house → heavy 24/7 police / army presence in the town near the house → need to show a “presence” at the airport because that is how the Macrons will be travelling to Le T from Paris. One could argue it is done “for show” but let’s not wish it away
The other explanation is that Le T has “friends in high places” (or “friends in low places” to use the ironic English variant, referring to mafia etc connections). That is possible. Lots of French provincial airports have been funded for decades from the local chamber of commerce, without any apparent financial justification in terms of traffic, and that funding must be supported by “relationships”. But this is really risky, because people retire, die, come under new scrutiny, etc. Look at the severe de-staffing at places which lost airline traffic e.g. Dinard; we had a meetup there recently. Somebody is doing their best to shave off costs around the place.
This conversation may be different 5-10 years from now but that’s the story of GA
Peter wrote:
but if we lose LFAT then the situation will change dramatically.
In normal times, the UK traffic to LFAT must be very lucrative.
With Macron still around for another four years – with his wife having a house there – and the forthcoming change to LFAT becoming Elizabeth II Airport – I can’t see the diplomatic gains of customs leaving LFAT soon.
But then there are many predictions on this forum which never seem to work out . . .
Ibra wrote:
What is the add value? It has permanent UKBF but you have to send GAR and stick to PN/ETA anyway !
@Ibra, I meant that the add value would have been clearing EU customs & Schengen Immigration in Biggin – that way you could travel direct to any place in continental EU. Not going to help people that live south of Biggin, while LFAT is still there. :)
