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Temporary Schengen "suspension" around Europe

But they could already do this. Just not at the border, but a couple of meters further away.

I (and a lot of pilots I know) interpret this as “we can only fly to official points of entry” and I even think we need to leave our country via an “international airfield”. Much like we did with the UK when it was still in the EU.

Also: there is a lot to say about the way this “Schengen on/off” is being communicated.

EBST, Belgium

Is Schengen on off? I know there have been certain restrictions put in place because of Covid and these have been subject to change over the last year and a half.
Like Peter I believe there is more to this story than is written here, and like LFHNnightstudent I have not encountered similar problems.
When Schengen first came into being some pilots were still being told they needed to go via ports of entry but this was soon scotched by the FFA and it’s legal team.
I didn’t notice which Dijon this flight was to or from and if I go back to look I have to rewrite everything.

France

Is Schengen on off?

Yes, but only as a temporary measure of last resort. But lately it’s rather being used as a measure of first resort 🙄

EBST, Belgium

airways wrote:

I (and a lot of pilots I know) interpret this as “we can only fly to official points of entry”

And this is exactly the wrong conclusion in my view. Never have I heard about any problems when people flew intra-Schengen to or from non-PPF airfields.
One only ever hears about problems when people use PPF airfields (such as LFSD), but fail to give them the PN that they want.

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Problem is that every aerodrome in Belgium (non-controlled, except EBKT) displays a written statement by the federal police saying that the aerodrome can only be used for destinations intra-Schengen. When France (quietly) reinstates border control I can only consider France as non-Schengen.

EBST, Belgium

I agree with boscomantico. There is no reason to consider that you are not allowed to fly from anywhere to anywhere intra Schengen except if otherwise stated.
Regarding the case of Dijon it is clearly mentioned in the AIP (which changed recently 25/03/21):

I flew to a non-controlled airport from BE (EBGB) to a non-controlled airport in FR (LFLM) without any issues in both ways in July
I will do the same tomorrow but this this time to LFPZ.
I also had some exchanges with an airport requesting prior notice for international flight. I asked if this would apply for intra-Schengen answer was yes…Do not try to understand the reason, my plan B was to land to an uncontrolled airport on the way which would have made it a intra FR flight without any requirements….

jfw
Belgium: EBGB (Grimbergen, Brussels) - EBNM (Namur), Belgium

airways wrote:

When France (quietly) reinstates border control I can only consider France as non-Schengen.

You can of course do whatever you like, but what you write above does not make sense. France deciding to make checks on their own territory does not have any implications on the “status” of the flight at the other end. It is still an intra-Schengen flight. They are not leaving the Schengen treaty. Not even temporarily.

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Yes I doubt what happens at the other end matters, you can fly from Belgium to France from UL grass airfield to ULM grass airfield with no issues, after all it’s freedom of mouvement

It’s only for C&I airports with no permanent police & customs where you see these guys

Last Edited by Ibra at 13 Aug 13:56
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

boscomantico wrote:

You can of course do whatever you like, but what you write above does not make sense. France deciding to make checks on their own territory does not have any implications on the “status” of the flight at the other end. It is still an intra-Schengen flight. They are not leaving the Schengen treaty. Not even temporarily.

Correct and as far as flights from and to Belgium go, I have done EBAW – LFHN as well as LFLP – EBAW etc. 4 times in the past 2 weeks. No issue, no drama and no checks restrictions whatsoever. It seems to me – and this is opinion potentially not a fact – that since this COVID restriction nonsense people are just looking for excuses to give up more of their freedoms out of fear of doing ‘’something wrong’‘. We have these rights within the EU and even more intra-Schengen to travel in our aircraft relatively freely and unrestricted. Let’s use these to the fullest or we will also lose these! The European project and Schengen is what we make it, there are disadvantages but there are also some very clear advantages – I would hate to be stuck with only the bad without the good…

Belgium in it’s great wisdom (sarcasm) has decided like some other countries to add nonsense like EUPLF’s etc. for stays longer than 48 hours. That’s equally a suspension of Schengen in the Spirit of what Schengen means for free movement. Whether anyone can prove you’ve been out or in the country longer than 48 hours…?

LFHN - Bellegarde - Vouvray France

Ibra wrote:

It’s only for C&I airports with no permanent police & customs where you see these guys

But you still would not need to do anything different if you were flying from Belgium to let’s say Annecy where customs is not 24/7. You don’t need to give them notice, wait for them, declare anything etc… If they decide to be there, then they have the right to ask for your ID, but that’s the theory, as they will not be there…

LFHN - Bellegarde - Vouvray France
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