This business aviation blog post continues from our article last week, entitled "Business Aviation Trip Planning Tips: St. Petersburg International Economic Forum – Part 1: Airport Options."

Airport slots will be one of the larger concerns for business aircraft operators traveling to St. Petersburg (ULLI) during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) period (May 22-24, 2014), and full instructions on when airport slots will be processed won’t be known until the end of April. Be mindful that the airport slots you receive may be very different from what you’ve requested. Many operators traveling to ULLI during this period will be dropping and going with a relatively short time on the ground.

The following is an overview of what you need to know:

1. Landing permits

Landing permits are required for all private non-revenue and charter (non-scheduled commercial) operations to Russia. Permit lead time depends on the type of aircraft and the number of times you operate to Russia. For more information on this, please read our article "Coming Soon: Russian Landing Permit Changes – Effective May 30, 2013."

2. Airport slots

Note that airport slots are needed for ULLI, and slot deviation is just +/- 5 minutes. Depending on traffic conditions, and the length of your flight, you may receive some leniency in terms of slot deviation, but this will be at the discretion of airport authorities. Airport slots should be requested via your ground handler as soon as schedule is known. Authorities will begin processing slot requests at the end of April. Slot requests for the time period of the SPIEF event will be reviewed both by airport authorities and the Forum Committee. To secure one of the limited slots during the SPIEF period, be sure to inform airport authorities of your passengers and their participation in the event as this will be reviewed by the Forum Committee. Airport slots are not tied to landing permits.

3. PPR requirements

Prior Permission Required (PPR) is needed for all ULLI parking purposes – for just a few hours on the ground and/or overnight parking. PPRs are only valid for the length of time you’re permitted on the ground at ULLI and should be requested via your ground handler. Overnight parking permission will depend on your passengers and their participation in the event. If you’re not able to obtain overnight parking at ULLI, be aware that drop and go time on the ground will be limited to two to three hours, and there may be crew duty day considerations.

4. ULLI CIQ clearance

All passengers/crew arriving at ULLI will clear Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) at the Pulkovo 3 terminal, and this clearance process takes about 10 minutes. CIQ clearance may be possible onboard the aircraft, in special circumstances, and/or depending upon the passenger’s health condition. Passengers, depending on nationality, may be required to have visas, and visas cannot be obtained at ULLI on arrival. If the crew are just dropping off passengers, CIQ clearance for crew will not be needed, but visa requirements still apply. Note that fines or refusal of entry may be applied to passengers/crew who arrive in Russia without proper documentation. Weapons or pets onboard require certain requirements to be met including appropriate documentation. Always plan on additional lead time any time you plan to transport pets or weapons.

5. Cabotage considerations for Russia

Cabotage is a consideration when operating internally within Russia. It’s always important to clearly indicate your full schedule, together with passengers onboard, for each leg. Civil Aviation Authority Russia will determine if cabotage issues are applicable and what may or may not be permitted with your flight. In terms of dropping off passengers at ULLI and re-positioning to another domestic airport, cabotage will not be a consideration.

Conclusion

When operating to ULLI during the Forum period, it’s important to ensure that all aboard have visas as needed. If you’re fortunate enough to have aircraft parking confirmed at ULLI, it’s best to avoid schedule changes that may affect your parking confirmation. Ensure that appropriate airport slots and landing permits are confirmed for your flight.

Questions?

If you have questions about this article or would like assistance planning your trip to Russia, contact me at abelperez@univ-wea.com.