Ostend (EBOS) has done the same on visits in 2015 and 2016 (from/to UK, so non-Schengen). The process involves minimum fuss and doesn’t appear to attract an additional charge.
Seems like a typical case of “blame the EU” for me when the EU isn’t actually at fault. Or is it? Which regulation is supposedly applied here?
@FredPilote
What you describe (not checking docs) is the norm within Schengen. I have noticed that ID and pilots’ licenses are scrutinized more frequently at some (but not all) airports in France and Italy. Avignon and Rome Urbe always check ID and license, for example. I remember being asked at Avignon “how well do you know him?” of my male passenger. When leaving/entering Schengen, the police look at and stamp your passport, but almost never ask for the license.
I doubt its an EU regulation. In Estonia its practiced in all airports with commercial traffic, but the not others.
I think the origin comes from Airport Manual and is just internal procedure..
In July, I made a trip around the North of Europe. We, one pilot, a passenger and myself, flew over and landed in France, Germany, Poland, Sweden and Denmark at small (Koblenz, Torun, Kiel, Barth, Magdeburg City, Bagisz, Reims) or bigger (Halmstad, Aalborg) airports. During this 5 day trips, we all had our papers (French ID card) on us.
No one asked us for any ID at all before or during any flight. We went through Customs nowhere and filed no declaration whatsoever as we have been flying within Schengen all the time. We were quite surprised to see that it is possible to fly accross Europe without showing any ID for 5 days in 5 different countries. Obviously, we filed the necessary Flight Plans, and the German briefing called me to check upon one Flight Plan not filed properly. But appart from that, we met no Customs nor Police officer during that entire journey, which was done VFR.
For years, if I fly from Inverness to Wick, with my Inverness airside badge, I am given a paper pass by the FBO to return to my aircraft. Both airports are operated by HIAL.
chflyer wrote:
(& Linz??)
Last time I flew from LOWL (Linz) was about a year ago and they didn’t practice that nonsense.
Any reference to this “EU regulation” ? It’s not an EASA regulation?
I would not be sure that it is EU regulations applied here or just a whim of the local CAA, which in turn blames it on the EU because they know most people will then simply shrug and walk away. But in SZG this has been done for a long time as I recall. But it was free last time I used it.
It is interesting to see how such “EU regulations” are applied arbitrarily across the EU. Fortunately, many/most countries apply such idiocy with a dash of pragmatism. During travels all over Europe, the only other place that I have ever encountered this was in Bucharest Baneasa LRBS on Wednesday, where everyone (incl pilots) needed to write their name on such a paper slip before passing through security screening.
Thank goodness there are still countries and airports around where this and security screening is not required for GA traffic, recognizing the regulation for what it is in that context … nonsense and just a bad joke.
