And here’s to hoping things will at least be clearer.
There is a new “arrêté” concerning crossing Schengen borders at aerodromes in France.
I have not had time to read yet…
I have read it, and it doesn’t contain any surprises. It specifically reaffirms the right to use any aerodrome if you fly from or to another Schengen country (customs rules still apply as before and may preclude this if you come from e.g. Switzerland):
Les aérodromes n’ayant pas la qualité de point de passage frontalier sont autorisés à recevoir des vols directs en provenance ou à destination de pays appartenant à l’espace Schengen, sans qu’aucune formalité liée au contrôle aux frontières des personnes ne soit requise, sans préjudice des dispositions énoncées au chapitre III du présent arrêté.
Toutefois, lorsque les contrôles aux frontières intérieures sont temporairement réintroduits en application du code frontières Schengen, des contrôles aux frontières pourront être réalisés sur ces aérodromes par les services désignés selon les modalités prévues à l’article 3.
It mentions that if France declares a temporary suspension of the Schengen rules, the authorities may effect passport controls at those non-entrypoint aerodromes. It still doesn’t mean that you’d be obliged to restrict your choice of airfield to land from another Schengen country though.
Exactly, Rwy20. I agree it doesn’t contain anything which is different from the general previous practice.
It is good is that they properly distinguish between immigration and customs matters. First time for France!
What is interesting is that they say that the list of Schengen crossing aerodromes and the list of non-EU crossing aerodromes are available on the SIA website. But I have no idea where. Would be useful.
Also worth mentioning that any PPR request for airfields which don’t have permanent presence of the required authorities is supposed to contain a truckload of information, including passport numbers of all people on board.
There seems to be “something” alive and well in France, because they checked our IDs on an intra-EU, intra-Schengen flight to Clermont-Ferrand, about 2-3 weeks ago.
I did a write-up of recent experiences here before discovering this thread.
[not sure if the above link is still right – Peter]
boscomantico wrote:
What is interesting is that they say that the list of Schengen crossing aerodromes and the list of non-EU crossing aerodromes are available on the SIA website. But I have no idea where. Would be useful.
On the home page. It may have been added after you looked for it. It belongs in AIP.
Liste de Points de Passage frontaliers
L’arrêté du 24 octobre 2017 relatif au franchissement des frontières par les personnes et les marchandises sur les aérodromes prévoit en son article 2 que :
En matière de franchissement des frontières extérieures de l’espace Schengen par les personnes, seuls les aérodromes ayant la qualité de point de passage frontalier sont autorisés à recevoir des vols extra-Schengen, selon les conditions et horaires publiés par la voie de l’information aéronautique.
La liste des points de passage frontaliers est établie et mise à jour par le ministre chargé de l’immigration en concertation avec le ministre chargé des douanes et le ministre chargé de l’aviation civile, et, pour les aérodromes dont l’affectataire principal est le ministère de la défense, en accord avec le ministre de la défense.
Elle est notifiée à la Commission européenne pour publication au Journal officiel de l’Union européenne.
Elle est consultable sur le site du service de l’information aéronautique.
Cette liste a été mise à jour et fait l’objet d’une décision du 02 novembre 2017. Vous pouvez la consulter ici
Rwy20 wrote:
It mentions that if France declares a temporary suspension of the Schengen rules, the authorities may effect passport controls at those non-entrypoint aerodromes. It still doesn’t mean that you’d be obliged to restrict your choice of airfield to land from another Schengen country though.
I am afraid this could be left to the discretion of the Préfets, in which case the implementation could be different from one region to the next just like what has been the case in the last two years.
The good news (although I am certain it was also the case in the past) is that the Arrêté states several times that information concerning opening hours, PPR requirements etc should be published through aeronautical information.
Ces informations sont portées à la connaissance des usagers par la voie de l’information aéronautique.
I take this to mean AIP and NOTAMs. At least I now have the Arrêté to refer to should I be challenged about my lack of knowledge of proper procedure. 
Either there was a pre-existing Arrêté that also required that such information be publicized using AIP/NOTAM, or they have taken note of the confusion that has been for the last two years and emphasized that AIP/NOTAM shall be used.
On the home page. It may have been added after you looked for it.
Yes, it has been added now. Unfortunatey only the list of border crossing points though, not the list of customs points. The latter was also supposed to be published there…
New rules concerning flights to France
Through our Flemish GA organisation we got allerted on some new rules concerning flights to France apperently effective since 02/11/2017
Summarized:
All flights to France or out of France have to enter/leave via an ‘designated entry/exit airport’ even if it concerns intra-Schengen flights.
The list contains only 74 (!) airports. https://www.vvmv.be/control/uploads/News/2017_11_02_points_de_passage_frontaliers_a_riens_fran_ais.pdf
local copy
This means a great loss of freedom for all intra-Schengen pilots!
There is a Flemish GA organization?? Talk about uniting forces…
Anyway, they got it completely wrong. Only flights from outside Schengen are restricted to using these airports only.
