Why would Emiliano Sala concern border force? I don’t remember any issues with immigration or customs in his case?
What the officers told me is that they are trying to educate pilots about the changes, therefore there will be more presence for a while.
My take on this (worth what you are paying me for it) is that it is related to the general political situation: border control is now a red hot political topic, due to the fairly rapidly increasing stream of rubber boats from France (always happens when the wx improves) which is provocative even though the actual number arriving are a miniscule % of those arriving legally and quietly on “family permits” from various ex colonies.
And now we have the election on 4th July, and civil servants are worried that 10^6 of them will lose their jobs in some Home Orifice reshuffle, so they are desperately trying to fill inspection quotas 
They also don’t want to become entangled in govt/opposition blame for immigration etc.
Sala – I doubt it. He was going to Cardiff but never made it… I am sure a GAR was filed for that flight since the last thing they would have wanted was drawing attention!
It is going to be interesting in a few months time, when the new regulations are not going be „new“ any longer. Let me guess: they will still lose track of some GARs and will then accuse the pilots of default in a much less friendly way than presently, threatening 10000 GBP worth of fines, etc.
Going to be no fun.
I don’t think so, because some % of GARs were always lost, and if you presented the confirmation number, they apologised and quietly went away.
Happened to me a number of times. With Carl’s OnlineGAR you had a proper receipt. With the email system you didn’t but they accepted I had sent it if I produced a printed copy (so I always carried that).
In the UK it is quite impossible to do a criminal prosecution in those simple circumstances. It isn’t one of the central-ish European countries where there is no due diligence defence etc. The currently running Sub Post Office saga is way more complex; I mention that because somebody is sure to drop that one in (start a new thread if you do).
What would be “no fun” is if you have no internet access and need to get home. Need to carry the phone # of the local police office.
What might also be “no fun” is if you filed a GAR for time X and due to wx or whatever you arrive in the UK 3 hrs early. Currently they don’t seem to care but they might one day.
I am struggling to see why anyone need worry about “lost GARs”. If you’ve submitted it, on time – i.e., if you know you have compiled with the rules – and if for some reason you are (1) met by BF officers (which is unusual anyway) and (2) accused of not filing a GAR, can’t you just log into the sGAR website and pull it up? Via the submission history one can see all the details in each filed GAR (and the submission reference has the date/time of filing). How could you possibly get fined in those circumstances?
Sure, I get there may be consequences if people try to submit GARs late, or to Border Force via the NCU email, when this is no longer accepted, or sending a Border Force GAR to the police and not to Border Force, or (although I have a little more sympathy) people filling in names/passport numbers incorrectly, but if you’ve done what you are required to do then I don’t think anyone need worry.
Well, I’d say print that evidence (or take a screenshot) so that if the backend software or backend staff deleted the records you’ve still got the proof.
I have been to UK few times this year, all easy and smooth: UKBF were friendly and now they turn up systematically on arrival (8 out of 9, on the occasion where they did not turn up I was 1pob, they phone called) and turn up two times on departure which was surprising
There is less flexibility now, especially regarding early departure: Going early or changing plans is difficult (no point calling emergency line, they will tell you to wait for departure, you land early you have to wait ). However, delaying is fine (they watch FR24 and FAW)
There is no issue with “lost SGAR”. That’s not my problem as long as all goes well and I have a confirmation with authority to carry for all pob, I fail to see the issue?
Let me guess: they will still lose track of some GARs and will then accuse the pilots of default in a much less friendly way than presently, threatening 10000 GBP worth of fines
The real pain is this, I am flying again this weekend to UK and I can’t send SGAR for Sunday as of today, I have to do it tomorrow without forgetting
I have successfully filed GARs before the 48hr slot and had no problem.
IOW click on
and go. Obviously they still get the GAR just the same, and you get the ACK code just the same.
Thread on eliminating the 12hr CTA PN and which airports you can do this at
I‘m in the planning phase for a flight to UK in a few weeks. Ideally I go to Thruxton EGHO. Departure will be either from LSZR or EDNY.
As far as I see it, EGHO is approved Aerodrome for Customs, so is a eGAR form sufficient whether I fly from Germany or Switzerland?
