In many countries, immigration and customs are performed by different organizations
Sure they are, and this is even theoretically true in the UK (though completely untrue in practice) but it is not the same thing as saying one can be arranged without the other.
Knowing where this can be done would be a very useful capability.
What would “Customs” mean without “Immigration”?
In the UK the word “Customs” describes a function headed by HMRC which is concerned at the movements of goods. This could be delegated to other organisations to enforce. “Immigration” describes a function headed by UKBF which is concerned at the movement of people. Again this could be delegated to other organisations to enforce.
Therefore at a guess it would seem you can import and export goods (cargo flights?), but you cannot ordinarily check people into and out of Schengen.
Having just been through San Sebastian (10.7.2014) on a recent trip south, I can report that customs & immigration was a total non event. Admittedly I had flown in from France (Schengan to Schengan) but in a G reg aircraft. Even so this raised no interest from the authorities and we got parked and out of the airport in record time. A lot of the written stuff is not acted on.
“PS” means “plus”. So commercial operators can — with PPR — get a 30 minute extension of the operating hours if requested at least 30 minutes before the regular closing time.
No PPR for anyone during regular hours of operation.
Outbound customs Italy
Hey all,
Still working on the “customs airport in Northern Italy for a flight into Switzerland” issue as discussed earlier here.
Two things:
Aircraft operating intracommunity service (from/to States members of the European Community) without intermediate stop can also land at or take off from not customs airports, on condition that passengers have valid documents for the expatriation and visa if required. In these cases the pilot in command shall mention such event in the flight plan (box n.18 other information).
In the airport not provided with customs office where an office of the border authorities is not available, the pilot in command must notify to the competent Direction of Airport District or Control Traffic Office, at least 3 hours before the estimated time of arrival or departure, the airport of origin or destination and the number of passengers. The Direction of Airport District or the Control Traffic Office, will inform at the right time the local Police and Customs Authorities.
Second question solved, actually.
This appears to be applicable to immigration only and has nothing to do with customs (it’s irritating that the AIP mentions customs airports).
Between Schengen States of which Italy is one and Switzerland the issue is always Customs, not Immigration, at least on the Swiss side.
Some of the Schengen countries are as confused about this matter as we are.
Yep, Patrick. It’s badly written, since there seems to be a break between paras 1 and 2, but indeed they still talk only about intracommunity flights.
I am afraid there is no way to avoid a customs airport when leaving Italy towards Switzerland.
Germany has this, which is great. But Italy doesn’t.
For some reason powers-that-be think the minuscule level of GA traffic is a lot likelier to commit Customs offences unlike car traffic which is trusted to report to a manned crossing if they have something to declare but otherwise is free to cross at will…
I always thought schengen was immigration only, and that some other treaty was for the free movement of goods. I understood that Switzerland is a schengen country so immigration isn’t an issue but they are non signatories to the free movement of goods… Is that not the case?
GA traffic likelier to commit an offence, how else can we afford AVGAS these days? 
