I didn’t do much cross-country flying after getting my pilot license, and certainly not to the USA. But IIRC the procedure I read was there was a list of airports - including smaller ones - where customs was available, and it was up to the pilot to notify customs and ensure there were ready to meet the plane when flying in on a pivate small plane.
Well we know he took at least one 17-year-old to the UK?
My point was about those super-rich types who had the right strings and got the “respect due billionaires”. Someone writing about the experience said they never came face-to-face with some European (Swiss?) customs. I assume regular peons or business drudges on small jets go through normal customs not unlike the herd of commercial travellers.
IIRC that’s how the FBO’s charge for renting a small plane too, since the engine run time is the detail that determines time between servicing,
I assume the same sort of electronic preclearance detail applies for flight plans filed for private jets?
A couple friends of mine drive for a Middle Eastern royal family when they are in the UK. They drive right from the public roads through some gates and right up to the aircraft without any stops or checks. There may be a customs/immigration official waiting for them on the plane, but I sort of doubt it when dealing with kings and queens.
The % of people entering the country on a daily basis via private aircraft is a miniscule % of the total people entering the country via commercial aircraft and physically crossing a border. It’s about risk mitigation and applying appropriate tools where the greatest risk is.
Cruise ships also deal with immigration/customs for everyone aboard for each place they stop. It’s (IME) taken care of at sea near, but not at, the docks.
I had a question about that but I fear it would be a hijack. We went on an international cruise out of the US and arriving back in the US. I was ready with receipts and whatnot but there was no customs on arrival.
Not my experience. Customs is handled flying back into the US. Passports are handled by the cruiseline and as long as you have your Cruise ID/Keycard you can get off the dock. The foreign country simply looks at it on entry.
What I was talking about was the harbor master (?) boating out to the ship and meeting with an officer aboard. They do paperwork involving the passengers and crew members. Until this is complete the ship cannot dock.
If you are awake as the ship approaches an island (in the Caribbean), the ship stops dead in the water a few miles out. An official comes aboard and clears the ship for entry.
Passengers are typically oblivious to this, but each individual aboard has (via paperwork) cleared the country’s customs.
