What I don’t understand is why most of Europe works a PNR system for the police, incurring the cost of moving them around (very high in France where they fly in a twin turbine helicopter, costing a few thousand € per hour in total, with probably 4-5 people inside) while former Yugoslavia does the entire job with one policeman who needs to be present at the airport anyway for basic security…
Especially when in some cases it is a farce because it is already an “international” airport. For example Bergerac LFBE is 24hr PNR.
Having to do customs when flying to/from the UK from the EU is a UK wish,
There is no Customs UK-EU.
What the UK does want is the ability to eyeball everybody arriving, and to a lesser extent departing. Mainland Europe gave that up but they did it in more enlightened times…
Formally this is called “immigration” (“police” in the French AIP) but the reason a country does it varies. Most countries in Europe don’t have an immigration problem – almost nobody wants to go there permanently.
Peter wrote:
one policeman who needs to be present at the airport anyway for basic security…
I agree not more should be needed. Probably there is some will on both sides in the police to keep the “specialized” immigration ones.
But also as you know, french airports are often completely empty (even larger ones like Lyon Bron, there might be zero people when you land there at night).
The local policeman also probably doesn’t want to have to get up at dinner time up in the middle of the night to go check passengers. They’d quickly find some “authority” to make some rules and not make things inconvenient for them. It’s already hard to get car rental, and they have much more incentive to make it work (I’ve used Drivy in france, where you rent some private person’s car).
In practical terms, I think an online system, with some random checks (send the local policeman), and (to make people feel safe/happy) heavy penalties for non enforcement would work.
Or if the UK joined schengen (never going to happen) then we wouldn’t be having these discussions!
Peter wrote:
There is no Customs UK-EU.
I meant immigration :), but I agree the difference sometimes matters.
denopa wrote:
Police forces in France are under an unbelievable amount of pressure.
Maybe but when I was in Paris last time (finals of Tour de France this year) there were hundreds of them “guarding” the bridges over Seine without paying any attention to what was going around them. I crossed all bridges from Champs de Mars to Notre Dame and almost all of them were staring to their mobile phones (both the ones on the streets and those in vehicles) some of them playing Pokemon. I can’t say if they do their job or not (I usually visit France only once or twice a year) but this was so funny that I couldn’t resist posting it.
geekyflyer wrote:
My point is that you don’t realize how great Schengen is until you live in a Schengen country.
Amen! From a purely personal perspective as a travelling individual the UK could just as well have been outside the EU all the time. It has border controls and a different currency. Yes, there are no customs checks, but that really is not a major advantage since you have have to pass immigration anyway.
Airborne_Again wrote:
From a purely personal perspective as a travelling individual the UK could just as well have been outside the EU all the time
I well remember my travel to the UK for buying my Europa there. In Dover Immigration asked me about the purpose of my travel. Because “buying an aircraft” seemed strange to them they went on with silly questions like “are you aware, that it’s forbidden to import weapons and drugs into the UK”. I had to translate their questions to my father on the right hand seat (70 years old), who obviously looked very suspicious to them. When they finally released us, I had to drive on the wrong side of the road – strange country 
Is there a definitive list of French Customs Airfields ie a list as opposed to having to go through each airfield in turn?
It might be more useful when trying to work out the best way into Schengen.
Peter, why do yo think Abbevile is a “joke” with regards to customs. From my perspective it is a great gateway into Schengen, as opposed to a final destination airfield.
I travel round Europe daily and was expecting a lot more anger towards Brexit. Now I just don’t see that anger, though read about it in the press.
Just because the UK voted to leave the European Union, doesn’t mean that it won’t be part of Europe.
Rgds
Many people have looked for a definitive French list but there doesn’t appear to be one. See here and at the end you will see a dynamically created map which I believe was produced by going through the AIP. There are other lists (see that thread) but they have been shown to be out of date at times.
The “joke” was another poster. I have never been to Abbevile. For Schengen entry, little beats Caen or Le Touquet for speed.
Yes I think the Brexit hysteria is cooling down and people are getting on with their stuff. In terms of business, the UK has refused do melt down as predicted by many (and wished by some I know) and ultimately business activity is what drives everything
Teal wrote:
Is there a definitive list of French Customs Airfields ie a list as opposed to having to go through each airfield in turn?
Yes there is. But it is not published by France even though you will still find a seemingly up-to-date document on Legifrance, but don’t let that fool you.
The Schengen member states send their list to Brussels which publish it in the OJ where I have found no good way of retrieving the information. The Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs also maintains a list of all Schengen border crossing points here.
For Schengen entry, little beats Caen or Le Touquet for speed.
LFAC is quick, and no big fight for a parking place on the apron:
The landing fee was €10 on Friday morning (including a free biro), and if I hadn’t been tempted to stop for breakfast I’d have been in and out in fifteen minutes.
