Refuelling without leaving airside

[IO540]

Is it legal to refuel at an airport that is not a Port of Entry and then leave the country?

I am not thinking particularly of the UK but rather looking for a general case in Europe.

Somewhere, years ago, I read that you can't - because an airport that is not a PoE does not have an official "airside".

Specifically, I wonder if one can enter/depart Greece via Sitia (LGST) if one merely refuelled there. I've been to Sitia and the airside is certainly fenced off, etc. I am going to Hania (LGSA) and then on to Alexandria in Egypt and would like to fill up at Sitia for some extra reserve, because Egypt has (practically speaking, in this case) no avgas.

The obvious solution, writing to the HCAA, is going to take some weeks.

[172driver]

Not sure what the refueling has to do with it (other than to claim tax back) as long as you paid for it before winging it :suspect:, but AFAIK the catch in general lies in the EU/non-EU, Schengen/non-Schengen situation. It is my understanding that you cannot leave or enter the EU via a non-PoE airport. This is certainly the case between Spain and Morocco, which provides an analogous situation to the one you describe. HTH.

[sternone]

In my opinion the refuelling does not matter, since fuel and other technical items involving the flight are always import tax free

[mm_flynn]

IO,
I think you will find that an international airport has a 'international zone' which is not technically 'in' the country, hence you can land, provision and take off without 'entering' the country. So you can arrive without being legally able to enter (or have to declare anything for import). Therefore an international airport can be used as a refuelling stop without entry.

At the other end of the scale an airport which is not international and not an airport of entry is part of the country and if you land you have 'entered' which means you must have complied with the rules of entry (i.e. previously landed at an airport of entry).

In the middle, an airport of entry that is not 'international' (eg. in the UK a GAA airport), I don't think has this 'international zone' concepts so you can't stop there unless you are legally able to enter the country (in particular have nothing to declare).

In direct answer to your question - No you can not refuel at a domestic airport as your only stop in the country.