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.
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
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.
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)
