Security measures increased in general aviation space

Fines of up to £10,000 for international general aviation flights that do not submit advance passenger information online up to two hours before departure have been introduced.

Pilots, owners and operators of private aircraft will now be liable for the fines if they do not provide Border Force with advance passenger information online before they depart to or from the UK, under new regulations with the aim to strengthen border security.

The new regulations – which were laid in Parliament in November last year and came into force on 6 April - will mean that Border Force and the police will attempt to better identify potential security threats, prevent and detect crime.

Previously, advance passenger information could be submitted by email, fax or other manual methods.

Minister for legal migration and the Border, Tom Pursglove MP said: "Keeping our borders safe and secure is one of my top priorities."

He said: "These new regulations that are effective [...] will strengthen our border security further by making it easier for Border Force and the police to perform robust security checks on people who fly to and from the UK on a private or unscheduled general aviation flight."

They will also attempt to ensure that Border Force can prevent people they have security concerns about from travelling to the UK, and that they can deploy resources more effectively.

Where notified of a general aviation flight, Border Force clears 100 per cent of flights either in person or remotely, in line with standard protocols.

Since 1 January 2024, the number of airfields approved to handle international general aviation flights has been reduced by 84 per cent. There is a penalty regime in place for non-compliance with this requirement.

The Home Office said moving to online only submissions will improve automated security checks and enable Border Force and the police to make more intelligence-led decisions.

Ahead of the regulations coming into force, Border Force has developed a free-to-use online digital service.