Schengen area flying (customs)

[Aucky]

When flying between European countries within the Schengen area is it necessary to enter and depart countries via customs airports?

When flying from Switzerland into France you must land at a customs airfield, but although both in the Schengen area Switzerland is not part of the EU. Perhaps the reason?

Mostly I'm interested in flights between France, Portugal and Spain. All EU, and all Schengen. Any requirement to land at customs airfields, or give prior notification?

Cheers

[Torquetalk]

Aucky

Customs is one theme and immigration another. And any requirement to submit a flight plan another again.

Flying within the EU there is no customs requirement.
Flying within the Schengen Zone there is no immigration requirement (if you are a citizen of a Schengen signatory country...).

Most countries reserve the right to carry out checks (customs and immigration) anyway...

The UK is non-Schengen
To my knowledge Switzerland is non-Schengen and naturally, it is non-EU. So both requirements apply.

A good number of national avaiation authorities of the various EU countries require a flight plan when going into (mostly) or out of country (sometimes), including quite a few Schengen countries.

So the easiest thing is to submit a flight plan and land at an airfield with customs and immigration service. If you are dead sure about the requirements for the countries you are starting from and landing at you may be able to pick aerodromes with a lower level of service.

PPR is a matter for the airfield/s in question and has no direct relationship to the other themes.

Assume nothing :)

TT

[RVDT]

Aucky,

Save yourself from the hearsay -

AIP GEN for each country will help you along with AIC's.

That way you will have the true story and not gossip.

[Jet Ranger]

...between F, Portugal and Spain...

You need nothing. Just an ordinary flight.

JR

[GoodGrief]

Switzerland is Schengen member since 2008.
Look at the AIP for first airport of entry.

[Torquetalk]

Goodgrief! (with apologies for the misuse of the tag) - it's true! Surprised that Switzerland agreed to lighter border controls.

The requirements for a given flight need to be checked carefully in the AIP, as suggested. Example: For a flight from Germany to Switzerland a couple of years back there was no FP requirment; no passport/ID requirement (but they checked anyway), there was a requirement to land at an aerodrome with customs control.

AIP link: EUROCONTROL - The European AIS Database: Introduction to EAD Basic - Home (http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int)

Flight planning link: http://www.eurofpl.eu/

TT