I think you have misunderstood. If I fly VFR from LFFK to LFAT I would not file a FPL.
But I would file a FPL to cross an international border VFR. If I file an FPL LFAT to UK I would clear C + I at LFAT.
I understood the original question as being along the lines of someone flying direct from LFFK to the UK and would there be any consequences. My question was " where would the alternate enter the equation?"
Who flies without VFR FPL in France before diverting to UK without FPL? that would lighten up every radar up to Iceland flying cross broders without FPL may require visual aircraft interception and identification, I am sure paying for JP8 that goes into Typhoons & Rafales more expensive than hotel night from weather or mandatory handling, assuming ATC are “kind enough” to let you go without FPL and do all the handovers for you !
Correct, it is mandatory to have a FPL to cross broders. Otherwise, NATINAMDS will take over and you will be intercepted for ID.
speed wrote:
NATINAMDS
What is this? How many people here know what it is? Just a test to see how much out of touch am I compared to others!!
My question was " where would the alternate enter the equation?"
My understanding it’s ok to fly to international alternates (more likely under IFR), ATC and customs have the right process for that and likely no one will get pissed off that day whatever you reasons for you not landing or stopping
If you file FPL = Fontnay to Lydd , likely no one cares or notice but there is a risk 1/ someone will get pissed off after getting called out of his lunch by his boss to have a look and 2/ ATC could simply request you to land at LeTouquet
If you don’t file VFR FPL you will be making everybody life mesirable that day and I think it’s fair to pay a heavy price 
A variation of this problem arises where one has filed a legal flight Plane and the Customs don’t turn up.
I posted this 
in this Forum page.
Four emails making enquiries to different French sites has been met by silence.
Has anybody used this telephone number and/or had any response?
Im with @Fenland_Flyer
Hmmm, NATINAMDS…
Naughty Aviator Travels Internationally Never Actually Making Douanes Stop?
Nasty Airman Tells Immigration Nothing All Morning Despite Stress?
No Air Traffic In Nightime Aviation Media Drama Series?
Im sure there are much more interesting suggestions out there…
If you are VFR flying in France you don’t need an FPL so filing an FPL to LFAT and going to a UK alternate only works for IFR, doesn’t it?
Good point.
My guess would be that a cross-border diversion would not be ATC-approved unless you were on a flight plan (VFR or IFR) or it was a mayday.
I file 2 back to back FPL with my stop, even for VFR !
This is probably wires crossed. If you were flying say LFBH – LFAT – LFMD (to avoid the crazy 48hr PN at LFBH) then sure, file two FPs with say 30-60 mins gap at LFAT. This discussion is something else.
they even suggetsed to open the 2nd FPL and close the 1st FPL
Never heard of such a thing but perhaps it works? For VFR it well might because nobody cares about VFR FPs.
The other point I was going to make is this: if you are diverting as described, and the departure airport was one which could not possibly have immigration/customs, (PN or not) then everybody in ATC and everybody watching FR24 will see what you are doing. But if the departure airport could have these services, then it is impossible for anyone seeing the flight to be sure you didn’t comply with some PN. This is the difference between doing something potentially provocative, and the flight looking perfectly normal.
NATINAMDS googles to this but I would be surprised if somebody would use the illustrated Patriot missile on a GA plane – even with today’s hyper-inflated values Anyway, I thought most Patriots are being shipped to Poland and probably the rest quietly to Ukraine 
For sure, anybody crossing borders on a normal flight but without a flight plan is not going to work. In most cases you will be refused a landing. Every year quite a few Brits do this at LFAT and get sent back home. There have been some high profile busts as well, like that Vari-EZ (IIRC) which flew UK to Switzerland, non radio, non TXP, busting a load of CAS on the way, a few years ago. I could think of ways to do that and get away with it (there is not a complete 100% watertight surveillance of border airspace in Europe) but really it is completely pointless and IMHO stupid.
