[flighty tyke]

Possibly thinking of going to Guernsey in August, and after inputting my usual route into SD, it comes up with "This flight is not permitted by UK Border Force".

Trying to keep up with regulations at the moment is a full time job, but I have not seen anything to prohibit such a flight, particularly after July 18. The Guernsey Aero Club and Guernsey Airport websites offer no reason why.

What have I missed?

[malcolmfrost]

https://www.flyer.co.uk/small-airfields-will-need-border-force-agreement-post-transition/??
List of Certificate of agreement airfields in Annex C
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/980131/GAR-Instructions-January_2021_V3_Section_9_update.pdf

[flighty tyke]

But this only provides an obstacle after 1 July 2022, surely?

[Dave W]

An airfield does require an Interim Certificate of Agreement before then to enable journeys to/from the CI. Does the airfield in question have one of those, do you know?

[Geraint Pinches]

Very strange. I am not aware of any Border Force related restrictions. You might want to speak to JohnM who I believe has recently flown from the UK to Alderney (which is part of Bailwick of Guernsey).

Prior to 1 July, Guernsey's borders were pretty much closed to everyone apart from returning residents. I just wonder if this is a hangover from that.

If you're visiting Guernsey now, there are no restrictions if you're:

1. Coming from the UK, IoM or Ireland
2. 18 years or older
3. Able to prove (via the NHS App) that you've had both COVID vaccines (with the 2nd at least 14 days ago); and
4. Completed the Guernsey travel tracker 48 hours prior to arrival.

Wonder if the travel tracker stuff needs to be completed before you re-plan the route?

Perhaps worth looking at: www.gov.gg ?

There is a page on that dedicated to travelling to Guernsey via a private boat or aircraft, but I think that info might be out of date. It's the main COVID-19 Travel page you need to look at. If in doubt, perhaps ring Guernsey ATC?

[flighty tyke]

Thank you.

[Dave W]

I am not aware of any Border Force related restrictions.

It has been the case for many years that Border Force (and predecessors) required you to travel outbound and inbound to/from the Channel Islands via a Certificate of Agreement (CoA) Airfield and at one time they were all identified on the GAR Guidance document.

Last year, Border Force proactively -and commendably - raised a blanket Interim CoA for all airfields and airstrips that had had an international movement in a 1 year period back from a specific date in Summer 2019. (Presumably their list was based on GAR records over the period).

Border Force wrote to all those airfield to inform them of this, and informed them that after 1 July 2022 they would need a specific CoA for the particular airfield/airstrip, and invited airfield operators to begin an application.

A benefit of the Interim CoA was that airstrips that had previously hosted international flight but which had not held CoA could now conduct flights to the CI etc; at least until July next year.

If the OP's airfield was not on that list - or, I guess, if SkyDemon don't have a list of all the current Interim CoA airfields and are still working on the list that was valid up to Dec 2020 - then it would explain that error message.

This is COVID-independent.

[welkyboy]

The message has nothing to do with Channel Islands it’s aimed at your point of departure

[Lefty]

I agree with @welkyboy .
I’ve been flying back and forth to the Channel Isles every couple of weeks or so.

The Covid rules regarding visitors from the UK are different for each Island - and at the moment are in a constant state of change.

Alderney only relaxed on 1st July but are likely to change in the next few days in response to a massive surge in cases - and extremely limited medical facilities on the island. Today’s news talks about a serious risk to the power supply - and even the airport as so many critical people are being forced to quarantine at home.

[Dave W]

Once more, though:

The OP is not related to COVID rules at either end of the journey and is to do with Border Force-managed rules at the UK end. As @welkyboy says.

[johnm]

The latest state of play on Alderney is here

[Lefty]

The latest state of play on Alderney is here

@johnm Thanks for posting that. Still quite volatile then.

[johnm]

Indeed it is volatile and bear in mind they only opened to the CTA on 1st July.