klmml

This is exactly why CN is, I think, a bad solution!

Usually they ask the first person off the flight where it is coming from (often in Norwegian even if the origin isn't a Scandinavian Language-speaking country!), and I presume that they know whether that flight is or is not enrolled in CN. But I've only once checked in a bag INT-OSL-DOM, so I'm not able to speak about how annoying this aspect of CN is.

oliver2002

I'm hoping/presuming this is a pilot/test run of a future solution they will implement when the new pier opens and OSL will have a bi level operation of the gates like in FRA/MUC.

What useful data they are getting from this trial I don't know. Right now its one big cluster.

ksu

The trial part is whether customs clearance, without the passenger being physically with his luggage, is as good from a customs point of view as the old system. The Norwegian customs authorities were very much against the CN concept.

A fact that appears to be underappreciated is that Norway really cannot be compared to the other Nordic countries when it comes to customs clearance of luggage to domestic destinations.

Norway has more domestic airports than any other Nordic country (around 50), and it simply would not be viable to do customs clearance at every single one of those for every single flight. Secondly, unlike Denmark, Sweden and Finland ALL international luggage has to be cleared by customs, whereas the other countries doesn't have to customs clear luggage from the European Union, which are the majority of international flights for all the Nordic countries.

oliver2002

Yes, I tried to explain that to my colleague when she asked 'why are we doing this ...?' Unfortunately when we arrived at KRS a KL flight from AMS arrived and customs was out in full force with dog and all. Then a month later the same happened in TRD. We come in via OSL, colleagues come in via AMS. Flights arrive around the same time, customs is present at the luggage hall too

FlyingMoose

From a job protection perspective or did they have reasonable arguments?

And how many of those 50 have international arrivals? The matter doesn't exist at domestic-only airports right?

The fact that ALL international luggage needs to be cleared is a Norwegian decision though and that decision is what is leading to the highly appalling international to domestic transfer process.

It sounds like Norway would be better off adopting the same approach to EU arrivals as the rest of the Nordics. I understand that not being a EU-member come with restrictions but there are other treaties and rules in place that leverage EU benefits.

ksu

Certainly not from a job protection perspective, the government actually claimed that the trial project would require more customs officials. (Tolletaten vil derfor sette i gang en en rekke tiltak for ĺ kompensere for dette. Tiltakene innebćrer blant annet bedre utstyr og flere tjenestemenn i tollkontrollen. https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuel...havn/id764815/)
The argument was that the quality of the customs control would deteriorate. The Director General of Customs was against the change, because he feared that the customs control would be weakened, and smugglig would increase:
Tolldirektřr Bjřrn Rřse har ikke lagt skjul pĺ at han er meget skeptisk til ĺ forenkle tollbehandlingen fordi han frykter svekket tollkontroll og řkt smugling inn i Norge. (http://www.aftenposten.no/okonomi/SA...en-93744b.html)

About twenty (including seasonal charters) but that is not my point. My point is that customs clearance of international connecting luggage in some countries is done by customs at the final destination. This is much more easily done in a country like Denmark with around ten airports than in Norway with fifty. If customs clearance of arriving luggage was to be done at all airports that were the final destination of passengers connecting from international flights, Norway would have to have customs officials at airports like RVK and BVG.


Exactly, Norway is not in the EU. (That "the rest of the Nordics" are members is wrong, though. Iceland is not). Even as one who voted for EU membership in the last (1994) referendum, ease of connecting at OSL would be the least important of arguments. Norway wants to control her borders. As we are not in the EU, and do not have a customs union with the EU (unlike the passport union), we have to control our border in a way that is sufficiently secure, without being too hasslesome for law-abiding travellers.

ksu

I do not quite understand your post, as domestic and international arrivals at TRD are separate, even in different buildings. (My only arrival at KRS was in 1987, but I often travel through TRD.) If you were customs checked at OSL, you shouldn't be checked again at KRS or TRD.

As for sniffer dogs, that probably had to do with the origin of the international flight, AMS.

In my experience, customs official at provincial airports (BGO, TRD, SVG and TOS) tend to be more zealous than at OSL. I don't think I have ever been checked in the green channel at OSL (or FBU for that matter), but I have been at SVG, BGO and TRD)

oliver2002

What would interest me is what is supposed to happen if customs found something nefarious in my luggage, assuming my flight qualifies for CN. So I would have waited at the CN gate, waiting for the all clear signal indicating the flight was checked by customs. Then when scanning my BP, the alarm goes off and someone guides me downstairs?

kpc

Confused re connecting, International----> Domestic at Oslo.
I'm thinking of booking Lgw-Osl-Tos with Norwegian which the website will sell as one ticket.... the transit time at Oslo is listed as 70 minutes which is not long if I have to clear immigration and customs, collect and recheck my checked luggage....or will my checked luggage be checked right through to Tos from Lgw as per link below...thanks for clarifying

http://www.routesonline.com/airports...-oslo-airport/

ksu

Connecting Norway has been closed since September due to the major rebuilding /extension of the airport. It should open again this month, but I am not sure that this has happened yet. Without Connecting Norway your luggage will be tagged through to TOS on a through ticket, but you will have to carry your bag through customs, recheck the bag and reclear security. Your wait will be for the bag. The recheck is automated and security is usually very quick at OSL. Even without Connecting Norway 70 minutes is sufficient for your connection. MCT INT-DOM is 45 minutes. Connecting Norway does not really save you much time, only some hassle when checking luggage.
On a connecting ticket there is no risk in booking a 70 min connection. Norwegian will rebook you to their next flight if you miss your connection.

kpc

Thank you!

the810

Hi. I keep recieving conflicting information regarding Connecting Norway from SAS and Avinor so I wonder if anyone has experience with situation similiar to mine.

I'm travelling from PRG to TOS with transfers at ARN and OSL (PRG-ARN-OSL-TOS). SAS told me that I will be able to use Connecting Norway as I'm arriving to Oslo from Arlanda, while Avinor claimed that I have to recheck bag as service is only available to those starting their journey in Stockholm.

Which is correct? With only 70 minutes of transfer time, I'd hate to go "wrong way", risking that I'll miss my flight.

Thank you!

Edit: For future reference, it is possible to use Connecting Norway in such case.

ksu

My experience is the same as yours: I flew MUC-ARN-OSL-KSU this summer, and was able to use Connecting Norway, which from what I saw yesterday from C apparently had opened again, and changed name.

CO FF

Any recent experiences here?

Going LAX-OSL-SXF (Berlin) on DY, in premium cabin; 1h45m connection (but to last Berlin flight of the day); if travelling with carryon only, what should we expect?

ksu

Your connection is not at INT-DOM connection, but an INT-INT: specifically Non-Schengen to Schengen. So Domestic Norway (previously Connecting Norway) does not apply to you.

Even if you do check luggage LAX-SXF. you would not see the luggage at OSL: all customs clearance will be done at SXF. You will enter Schengen at OSL, though, so your passport will be checked there.

I would not worry at all about the connection There will probably be a short wait in passport control, and a quick transfer security check. You'll be in the Schengen departure hall less than 30 minutes after landing. If there should be a severe delay (and you are on a through ticket), Norwegian will provide a new flight, as well as food and a hotel.