regarding Ostend (EBOS/OST):
no different immigration procedures at Ostend than those applied before 22/03/2016.
Immigration is available on site 24H, no prior notice required.
As for the diverted traffic : by 02 may , the rerouted flights from Brussels will all have returned to operate via Brussels.
During the last weeks, fueling delays were possible due to the increased commercial jetliner traffic (rerouted Brussels flights), but by now, this should be okay again.
A new fueling company took over mid march, there was no interruption in fuel service,
JnsV I see that in 2014 there was a drop in movement of 51% and in 2015 there was an increase of 248% Is that because in Debrecen they went crazy with their fees?
Today I had a reason to fly from Germany to Avignon LFMV. When I left the airport via the GA exit shortly before 2100LT there was nobody there and thus nobody wanted to see any ID or anything else. It seems that the recent changes are only affecting the Paris area and certain airports like Colmar LFGA.
Stephan_Schwab wrote:
It seems that the recent changes are only affecting the Paris area and certain airports like Colmar LFGA.
What airports in the Paris area? I am based in the Paris area and have seen 0 change. Zilch. Nil.
I pulled the NOTAMs for LFPL, AFAIK the only GA port of entry in the Paris area, and there is no mention of PPR. The AIP does not mention anything likes that either.
So basically there are NOTAMs about Auxerre LFLA and Colmar LFGA that have been mentioned here previously, and which I just looked up.
Aviathor wrote:
What airports in the Paris area? I am based in the Paris area and have seen 0 change. Zilch. Nil.
That is good! I was referring to the messages given out by people elsewhere. For example, I was informed at Kassel, Germany that there were now special notifications required and such. As we all know by now there are not NOTAMs except one that says “air carriers” and “metropolitan area” in France and continues to explain that air carriers have to check IDs of their passengers or be fined.
LFRR LFBB LFMM LFFF LFEE FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION (FIR) OTHER
F0749/16
From 2016-04-26 12:09 until 2016-05-26 23:59
ACCORDING TO FRENCH DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR INSTRUCTIONS,
AND PURSUANT TO :
- ICAO ANNEX 9 STANDARD 3.33,
- ARTICLE 26 OF SCHENGEN CONVENTION (1985, JUNE 14TH)
- ARTICLE L.625.1 OF ’CODE DE L’ENTREE ET DU SEJOUR DES
ETRANGERS ET DU DROIT D’ASILE’ CESEDA (FRENCH CODE ABOUT FOREIGNERS
ENTRY CONDITIONS AND RIGHT OF ASYLUM),
IT IS COMPULSORY FOR AIRLINE CARRIERS SERVING METROPOLITAN
FRANCE TO VERIFY EVERY PASSENGER TRAVEL DOCUMENT FOR EVERY INBOUND
FLIGHT TO METROPOLITAN FRANCE, COMING FROM INSIDE/OUTSIDE
THE SCHENGEN AREA DURING THE FLW PERIOD : 2016, FM 27TH APRIL TO
26TH MAY.
FAILURE TO COMPLY COULD LEAD TO PAY A MAXIMUM 5000 EURO
FINE PER PASSENGER IN ADDITION TO PAYMENT OF THE COSTS OF REMOVAL OF
EACH INADMISSABLE TRAVELLER
I still wonder what the issue at Colmar LFGA is and for the time being have avoided going there. It was a nice stopover but I have enough range to not land there.
Metropolitan France = France métropolitaine = la Métropole = mainland France, colloquially known as “France”.
The “other” France are their overseas territories.
Thanks. Good to know. So it does apply everywhere but still limited to air carriers and not GA where it’s all pilot/crew/family.
A Luxembourg-based (French national) pilot got busted for not doing the “préavis douanier” on a 20-30nmi flight from Luxembourg to France.They explained to him that, Schengen notwithstanding, France is under state of emergency; it has been continuously since 13 November 2015. These emergency powers allow not only “usual” emergency power stuff like restricting free movement of nationals within the country (on an individual basis, without judicial review), but also empowers each Préfecture to issue an “arrêté” that reinstates border controls on intra-Schengen borders. And every border préfecture did so (which I cannot imagine they did without a “central state” instruction to do so). The situation with Luxembourg is extra-funny since so many French residents cross the border each day to go to work.
He pointed out that there was nothing about this in the AIP, nor in the NOTAMs, they replied “these contain regulations made by the DGAC (French CAA), and this regulation is not made by the DGAC”.
I tried to find the arrêté for the préfecture that borders Luxembourg in the Journal Officiel, no luck. Search is not facilitated by the large number of arrêté préfectoraux on a wide range of subjects, and the fact that with territorial reorganisation the name of the préfecture changed at least three times.
The link with customs is that at places where there are no border police, the customs agents can be (and are) given a border-check mission. That’s what happened to me on a flight to LFPL around November/December 2015 (yes, not long after the terrorist attacks that triggered the activation of the state of emergency). They were kind and polite, and checked my ID. They asked whether I had sent notification of the flight, I answered that I filed a flight plan. They didn’t signal that they were expecting another kind of notification. After showing ID, I enquired what they were doing, since it was an intra-EU, intra-Schengen flight, they said “with the recent events we are checking every international movement around the Paris area”, and explained about the border-control mission given to the customs (Douane) teams. I didn’t think much of it at this time.
Recently, before a flight to Central France, I’ve tried calling the destination Préfecture to inquire whether such an arrêté had been taken, and what exact notification procedure I had to follow. They didn’t even understand what I wanted from them. I digged out the phone number of the border police at a nearby airport; they first said it was impossible for me to fly from Luxembourg to my destination, since there is no direct flight. I told them: I’m the pilot, I’m making a direct flight. They immediately said “intra-EU, intra-Schengen, free circulation”. I specifically asked “do you confirm that no arrêté reinstating border controls, and creating an obligation of PNR to me, has been taken under state of emergency powers”, they changed tack and told me I would be checked on arrival.
I broached the subject with a few French lawyers. They also initially say “Schengen, EU”, but as soon as I say “state of emergency”, their eyes illuminate and they say “ah, you are right, border controls reinstated under emergency state powers”. They say that any and all arrêté préfectoral must be published in the Journal Offiicel, or it cannot be valid / enforceable, but I didn’t get one interested enough to actually dig out any such arrêté.
My feeling is that of a situation where legal certainty is jeopardised. I hope the state of emergency will be far, far, shorter in France than it was in Algeria (19 years) and Egypt (31 years).
lionel wrote:
I hope the state of emergency will be far, far, shorter in France than it was in Algeria (19 years) and Egypt (31 years).
The state of emergency in France has ended on November 1st, 2017.
lionel wrote:
A Luxembourg-based (French national) pilot got busted for not doing the “préavis douanier”
Are you saying that there was/is some sort of investigation or that there is a conviction/fine? I am pretty sure the former and it will lead nowhere. The whole state of emergency was chaotic and disorganized, most likely also completely pointless. Good that it’s over.
achimha wrote:
The state of emergency in France has ended on November 1st, 2017.
Great.
achimha wrote:
A Luxembourg-based (French national) pilot got busted for not doing the “préavis douanier”Are you saying that there was/is some sort of investigation or that there is a conviction/fine?
It was a “if we catch you again, there will be a referral to the public prosecutor / administrative fine / …” kind of thing.
