UK AOC/Domestic Flights EU
 

Hey guys,

Since brexit i'm a bit lost with regulations between UK and EU. Does UK has negociate the possibility to be an EFTA state? I was wondering if an Airline with a CAA AOC (UK Airline indeed) can operate domestic flights within EU? (let's say Flybe operating LIN - FCO for instance). Or do they need to apply for a EU AOC?

Thanks for lighting me up

Short answer no. That would be cabotage. Not permitted unless member states agree. In the EU this is permitted between members. Hence Ryanair (Irish AOC) can operate intra and extra EU i.e Milan to Dublin and Milan to Birmingham. But BMI Regional (UK AOC) couldn't keep operating Brussels to Hanover or Munich to Milan after Brexit.

I think it's a bit more complicated than that.
Ryanair* has both UK & EU subsidiaries, with respective UK & EU AOCs.
Ryanair UK registered aircraft can operate from one UK airport to another, and from a UK airport to and from an EU airport, but not from one EU airport to another.
Ryanair EU registered aircraft can operate from one EU airport to another, and from an EU airport to or from a UK airport, but not from one UK airport to another.
If a Ryanair UK aircraft goes U/S at an EU airport, it must be repaired by a UK-registered LAME, and similarly if a Ryanair EU aircraft goes U/S at a UK airport, it must be repaired by a EU-registered LAME. Fortunately, LAMEs can be dual-registered, but I believe it's a lot of paperwork and quite a lot of extra expense.

This is the extra flexibility brought by Brexit and by the UKEnglish government choosing not to be part of EASA

* other airlines are affected just the same

Of course it's more complicated than a short post! Yes we're saying the same thing. I know that Ryanair has a UK AOC aswell but for simplicity I omitted that.
Edit: I believe that post Brexit, Ryanair decided not to do any UK domestic flying for simplicity.