Schengen (of which my homeland is not a member anyway) appears to be flexible at the whim of the individual states. When we flew UK Belgium Germany Poland last summer, the Polish government had suspended it and therefore required us to make stops at large airfields in and out of the country.
https://www.euroga.org/forums/trips-airports/6507-egtc-cranfield-to-epop-opole#post_117758
Sometimes Schengen agreement is temporally suspended during a few days because of an specific event.
But in this case, the NOTAM is permanent, and apparently there is no specific event justifying it.
That’s really sad. I’ve sent a Portuguese email to ANAC.
On the side I’ve also asked to a lawyer very well connected to aviation (and politics) who decides in these matters and who I can talk to.
Are these people gaga??? Another nail in the coffin of GA in Europe, I guess. Sad.
So basically Portugal is no longer open for traffic other than with at least 24 hrs PPR (or 1 workday so up to 3 days)?
It appears this is in violation of both the EU free circulation of goods as well as Schengen of free circulation of people. Clearly, the “owners” of the airports can decide to make the use of their airports dependent on such PPR rules, but heavens… these are all of the airports there if I am not mistaken?
Someone in ANAC must have had a very bad experience or what is this?
Well, another country of the scratch list.
I wonder what provoked them to do this? Certainly violates the spirit of Schengen.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
Portugal is no longer open for traffic other than with at least 24 hrs PPR (or 1 workday so up to 3 days)?
ARE SUBJECT TO PRIOR AUTHORISATION FROM THE BORDER AND IMMIGRATION SERVICE,
THE TAXATION AND CUSTOMS AUTHORITY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE AERODROME AND ANAC.
It would take anyone a month to sort these out and they would need a shedload of persistance and patience, I would say that with Portuguese bureaucracy it would be an impossible task, and they know it!
There was a similar ballsup with Euro 2004 when the Portuguese notamed 72 hours notice to enter or leave Portugal due to ‘expected high levels of traffic’ …guess what
it never arrived and for weeks the airfields were left twiddling their fingers wondering where all this traffic was.
Its Portimao and Cascais that I feel sorry for this may just about finish them off.
172driver wrote:
Sad.
You’re starting to sound like Trump
Aviathor wrote:
You’re starting to sound like Trump
Why? This IS sad, as Portugal used to be a great place to fly in. Obviously, that’s gone (hopefully not for long!). I had actually planned a flight from Spain to Portugal to see some friends later in the year. Won’t happen now, unless these idiots see the light.
172driver wrote:
Why? This IS sad
I agree. It is just that I have gotten an overdose of some of the expressions that Trump keeps using in tweet after tweet 
It is VERY sad that Portugal goes down the drains, in Greece’s footsteps – just differently. I hope it is temporary and that we will get some kind of explanation about what is going on in the days to come. Is AOPA out there?
