GEN 1.2 ENTRY, TRANSIT AND DEPARTURE OF AIRCRAFT
1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
1.1 International flights into, from or over the territory of the Republic of Lithuania are performed under the Rules for the Organization of the Airspace of the Republic of Lithuania approved by the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 285 of 17 March 2004 “On Approval of the Regulation for the Organization of the Airspace of the Republic of Lithuania”. These Rules establish airspace structure and elements thereof, the conditions and procedure for the regulation of the use of the airspace of the Republic of Lithuania, issue and revocation of flight permits.
1.2 Aircraft operating in the controlled airspace may cross the state border area of the Republic of Lithuania in the airspace through entry, exit, or intermediate (en-route) points designated by the air traffic service provider.
Aircraft operating in the uncontrolled airspace of the border area with the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus may cross the state border of the Republic of Lithuania only at its borderline entry, exit, or intermediate (en-route) points. Aircraft operating in the uncontrolled airspace of the border area with the Schengen States may cross any point of the state border of the Republic of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces shall submit the available information on aircraft, intending to cross the state border or perform flight in the uncontrolled border area airspace of the Republic of Lithuania, to a territorial detachment of the State Border Guard Service under the Ministry of the Interior, in whose operational area it is intended to conduct flights or to cross the state border. The procedure and conditions for submitting such information shall be established by order of the Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Chief of the State Border Guard Service.
1.3 International flights may be operated to and from airports and aerodromes of the Republic of Lithuania where border, customs, medical quarantine, hygiene control and other procedures are followed. This provision is not applied to flights operated between the Republic of Lithuania and other Schengen States, except for the cases when the internal border control is temporarily resumed in the Republic of Lithuania.
1.4 Aircraft flying in the Republic of Lithuania’s controlled airspace and uncontrolled airspace shall be equipped with a radio communication facility that enables two-way communication with the air traffic service provider, and, when flying in controlled airspace, in uncontrolled airspace above the territorial waters, the Curonian Lagoon, above the upper limits of prohibited areas, as well as foreign state aircraft flying in the uncontrolled airspace of the Republic of Lithuania, with an SSR transponder operating in mode ”A+C” or “S”.
1.5 Aircraft unequipped with the SSR transponder operating in a mode ”A+C” or “S”, except for the state aircraft of foreign countries, may operate in the controlled airspace of the Republic of Lithuania only upon receiving a permit from the Air Traffic Service Provider, in accordance with the procedure established by the LTSA and provided by the air traffic service provider. Notification of the permits issued shall be made by the Air Traffic Service Provider immediately, but not less than within 12 hours from the issuance of the authorization, to the Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Air Force or his authorized officer.
1.6 Aircraft may operate in the border area on condition that:
- a flight plan has been submitted to the Air Traffic Service Provider;
- an aircraft is equipped with the radio communication facility capable of maintaining two-way radio contact with the air traffic service provider;
- an aircraft is equipped with the radar transponder operating in Mode A+C or Mode S (not applicable to glider flights);
- a flight permit has been received from the Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Air Force or his authorized officer issued in accordance with the conditions and procedure established by the Comander of Armed Forces (not applicable to international flights crossing the state border of the Republic of Lithuania with non-Schengen countries, and flights of state aircraft).
When the internal border control is resumed, the requirements of this Paragraph shall not apply to all international flights.
The requirements set down in this Paragraph shall not apply to flights of aircraft operating in the aerodrome traffic zones within the border area, and for state unmanned aircraft flights.
1.7 Unmanned aircraft flights in the geographical zones for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) established by LTSA, operations shall be conducted in accordance with the conditions and procedures set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Regulation (EU) 2021/664, and as determined by LTSA. In the geographical zones for UAS established by the Commander of the Armed Forces, operations shall be conducted under the conditions and procedures established by the Commander.
1.8 The procedure for ordering temporarily segregated and special gliding zones, providing information about planned activities in danger areas where flying may be unsafe, and submitting information about planned military aircraft flights in restricted zones, as part of airspace management, is established by the LTSA based on the proposal of the air navigation service provider, in coordination with the Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
1.9 Aircraft may operate in the prohibited or restricted areas only upon receiving a permit issued in conformity with the procedure established by the Commander of the Armed Forces and keeping to the restrictions and conditions prescribed therein.
1.10 Carrier and civil aircraft operator liability for damages must be insured. Further details are provided in Article 51 of the Aviation Law.
1.11 Only the aircraft whose noise and emission do not exceed the levels set by the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Transport and Communications shall fly within the airspace of the Republic of Lithuania.
2 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL FLIGTHS OF THIRD COUNTRY OPERATORS (TCO)
2.1 Third Country Operators (TCO) engaging in scheduled or non-scheduled commercial air transport operations into, within or out of a territory subject to the provisions of the Treaty of the EU, must hold a safety authorization issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 452/2014. This includes operators which are wet leased-in by, or code-sharing with an EU operator when commercial air transport flights to any territory subject to the provisions of the Treaty of the EU are performed. This TCO authorization is not required for operators only overflying the above mentioned EU territories without a planned landing.
Applications for TCO authorization should be submitted to EASA at least 30 days before the intended starting date of operation.
2.2 The safety authorization issued by EASA is one prerequisite in the process of obtaining an operating permit, or equivalent document, from the respective EU Member State under existing Air Service Agreements between EU Member States and third countries.
2.3 Non-scheduled flights - one-off notifications. A third country operator may perform air ambulance flights or a non-scheduled flight or a series of non-scheduled flights to overcome an unforeseen, immediate and urgent operational need without first obtaining an authorization, provided that the operator:
- notifies EASA in a form and manner established by EASA prior to the intended date of the first flight;
- is not being subject to an operating ban pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005; and
- submits to EASA an application for TCO authorization within 10 working days after the date of the notification.
2.4 The flights specified in the notification may be performed for a maximum period of six consecutive weeks after the date of notification or until EASA has communicated the formal decision on the application for a TCO authorization, whichever occurs first. One-off notifications may be filed only once every 24 months by an operator.
For more information please visit the EASA website http://easa.europa.eu/TCO.
3 SCHEDULED AIR SERVICES
3.1 No special permission shall be required for a foreign civil aircraft operating scheduled transit flights without landing or with stops in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania for non-traffic purposes, provided the aircraft is registered in the Member State of the ICAO.
3.2 Authorizations for carriers from countries that are not members of the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA) to operate scheduled air services into/from the territory of the Republic of Lithuania shall be granted by LTSA, in accordance with the terms determined in the international agreements regulating air transport. In case the international air services agreement regulating air transport has not been concluded between the Republic of Lithuania and the State of the carrier, LTSA issues a provisional permit, except in the cases laid down in Subparagraphs
4.10 b) –
i). The provisional permit is valid only for the flight route specified in it.
3.3 Authorizations referred to in the Paragraph
3.2 shall be issued, or a reasoned refusal to issue them shall be provided, no later than within 10 working days from the date of receipt of all required documents and information.
3.4 Prior to the beginning of operation of scheduled air services, the foreign air carriers designated in accordance with the procedure laid down in the bilateral agreement or holding a provisional permit under Paragraph
3.2 shall submit to LTSA the following documents and information, also no later than 30 calendar days before the start of a new flight season (the summer season begins on the last Sunday of March; the winter season begins on the last Sunday of October):
- a flight schedule;
- proposed tariffs and terms of application thereof;
- copies of insurance certificates for civil liability, passengers, baggage and cargo.
3.5 LTSA may also require additional documents or information not specified in Paragraph
3.4.
3.6 For the purpose of operation of scheduled air services on a specific route, the air carriers of the Republic of Lithuania shall obtain operating authorizations from LTSA. For the purpose of obtaining from LTSA of the operating authorizations for operation of scheduled air services, the air carriers of the Republic of Lithuania shall submit the documents and information referred to in Paragraphs
3.4 and
3.5.
3.7 Information on any foreseen deviation of a flight from the flight schedule, refusal to operate a flight, alteration to a route and any additional flights shall be submitted to LTSA not later than 3 days before the flight, and its permission to make changes thereto shall be received.
3.8 LTSA shall inform the air traffic service provider without delay of the issued authorizations or flight schedules filed by air carriers and changes thereto.
4 NON-SCHEDULED AIR SERVICE
4.1 A permit to conduct non-scheduled transit flights without landing in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania, or with landing for non-commercial purposes, is not required if the aircraft is registered in a state that is a member of ICAO.
4.2 For non-scheduled commercial flights from countries that are not members of the EU or the EEA with a landing in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania, and for such flights from Lithuanian airports to non-EU/EEA countries, an LTSA permit is required. An LTSA permit is also required for non-scheduled commercial flights from EU/EEA countries with a landing in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania, and for such flights from Lithuanian airports to EU/EEA countries, if the flight is operated by a non-EU carrier. The permit is valid only for the number of flights and the time specified in the permit and cannot be extended.
4.3 Application for the grant of a flight permit shall be submitted to the LTSA by an operator actually engaged in an aircraft operation or by the authorized person.
4.4 A permit may be issued for:
- one flight;
- a series of up to 4 flights;
- a series of more than 4 flights.
4.5 The permit is issued, or a reasoned refusal to issue it is provided, no later than within 5 working days from the date of receipt of the application.
4.6 The application shall contain:
- air carrier’s name, address, legal form, name of the person authorized, telephone number and email address;
- type, nationality and registration marks of an aircraft;
- flight number;
- charter type;
- number of passengers, amount of cargo and its description;
- flight charterer’s name, address, legal form, name of the person authorized, telephone number and email address;
- whole route of the flight;
- full schedule of the flight.
4.7 LTSA may request additional information if necessary.
4.8 The application shall be submitted in Lithuanian or English.
4.9 A permit for the conduct of a non-scheduled commercial flight to the Republic of Lithuania may be issued to a foreign aircraft, provided the State in which the aircraft is registered allows the aircraft of the Republic of Lithuania to perform the same flights into its territory.
4.10 LTSA may refuse or revoke a permit for operation of a non-scheduled commercial flight, or impose restrictions on the frequency, timing, route and capacity of flights, provided that:
- flight may cause damage to the scheduled air services operated by the carriers of the Republic of Lithuania;
- a flight between the Republic of Lithuania and a foreign State is carried out by the aircraft of that State or another foreign State;
- the State in which the aircraft is registered does not allow the aircraft of the Republic of Lithuania to perform the same flights;
- a permit does not contain all necessary data and information;
- a permit contains erroneous data;
- the carrier has been included into the List of Air Carriers Subject to an Operating Ban within the Community, drawn up by the Commission in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005;
- the carrier has been subject to more than three administrative penalties within the past year for violations of the rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in cases of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or long delays, as established by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004;
- a non-EU air carrier does not meet the conditions provided for in Regulation No 452/2014;
- the carrier, intending to transport, on a non-scheduled basis, cargo and (or) mail into the airport of the Republic of from a third country airport, has not been granted ACC3 status, as envisaged by Regulation (EU) No 2015/1998.
4.11 LTSA shall inform the air service provider and the Commander of Air Force or the authorized officer without delay of the issued permits and shall provide them with the information referred to in Paragraph
4.6.
4.12 In case there is reason to conclude that an aircraft engaged in non-scheduled air services is carrying prohibited cargo, such aircraft, on instruction from the officer authorized by the Minister of National Defense, may be refused entrance into the Republic of Lithuania or it may be landed for the purpose of examination. The officer authorized by the Minister of National Defense shall inform LTSA and the air service provider immediately thereof.
5 NON–COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS
For non-commercial flights of foreign civil aircraft operating to and from the Republic of Lithuania no permit is required.
6 FLIGHTS OF FOREIGN STATE AIRCRAFT
6.1 Flights of foreign state aircraft into, from or over the territory of the Republic of Lithuania shall be operated by permit only (except for cases provided for in Paragraph
6.4).
6.2 Permits for flights operated by state aircraft of EU and NATO member states are issued by the Minister of National Defence or a person authorized by the Minister. Permits for flights operated by state aircraft of other foreign states are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, in coordination with the Minister of National Defence or a person authorized by the Minister. In cases of urgent necessity, defined in a list approved by joint order of the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the permit is issued by the Minister of National Defence or a person authorized by the Minister. Upon issuing the permit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must be informed without delay.
| MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
STATE AND DIPLOMATIC PROTOCOL DEPARTMENT |
| J. Tumo-Vaižganto Str. 2 |
| LT-01511 VILNIUS, LITHUANIA |
| Tel.: | +370 706 52 461 |
| Fax: | +370 5 236 24 62 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| URL: | www.urm.lt |
6.3 The procedure for issuing permits for flights operated by state aircraft of foreign states also applies to flights operated by non-state aircraft transporting military equipment, weapons, or military materials.
6.4 Giving regard to the co-operation of the Lithuanian Armed Forces with the institutions of NATO and the Armed Forces of its States, the military aircraft of NATO and its States, at the decision of the Minister of National Defense, may operate flights within the airspace of the Republic of Lithuania to fulfill the functions of airspace surveillance, control and defense. No permits are required for these flights.
When performing such flights, the military aircraft of NATO and its States shall have the right to use military and, if necessary, civil aerodromes and to react to the violations of the sovereignty of the Republic of Lithuania in the airspace following the procedure prescribed by the legal acts.
6.5 In accordance with the international agreements and other obligations of the Republic of Lithuania, foreign state aircraft may perform reconnaissance (inspection) flights as well as transit flights for reconnaissance (inspection) purposes.
6.6 The procedure and conditions for submission, refusal, cancellation of the applications for the issue of permits for flights of foreign state aircraft to, from and over the territory of the Republic of Lithuania shall be established by the joint order of the Minister of National Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
6.7 In cases where a request to issue a flight permit for an aircraft carrying very important persons is received through diplomatic channels, the permit is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in accordance with the requirements applicable to state aircraft flights, and in coordination with the Minister of National Defence or a person authorized by him.The procedure for conducting flights carrying very important persons, as well as the list of such persons for whom a flight permit is issued under the procedure set out in this section, taking into account international practice and traditions, is approved by the Government.
6.8 The air traffic service provider shall be promptly informed about issued and cancelled permits for foreign state aircraft flights, as well as refusals to issue such permits, by:
- the Minister of National Defence or a person authorized by him – regarding permits for flights of state aircraft from the countries specified in Paragraph 6.2;
- the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – regarding permits for flights specified in Paragraphs 6.2 and 6.7.
The Minister of National Defence shall immediately notify the air service provider about the flights specified in Paragraph 6.4.
7 DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR CLEARANCE OF AIRCRAFT
7.1 It is necessary that the under mentioned aircraft documents be submitted by airline operators for clearance on entry and departure of their aircraft to and from the Republic of Lithuania. All documents listed below must follow the ICAO standard format as set forth in the relevant Appendixes to Annex 9 and are acceptable when completed in English or Lithuanian in legible handwriting.
7.2 Aircraft documents required (arrival/departure)
| Required by | General declaration | Passenger manifest | Cargo manifest |
|---|
| Custom Officer | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Immigration Officer | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Medical Officer | 1 | 1 | 1 |
8 FINAL PROVISIONS
8.1 Priority in the use of the airspace shall be given in accordance with the flight safety requirements of civil aviation.
8.2 For military operations of the Republic of Lithuania and other NATO and EU states, and in wartime, priority in the use of the airspace shall be given to military aircraft.
8.3 The permits issued for flights, except for those specified in Paragraph
8.4, shall be valid for 4 hours before the expected departure time and 48 hours beyond.
8.4 Annual permits for flights of state aircraft of EU and NATO member states, as well as other foreign state aircraft conducted under international treaties, agreements, and commitments of the Republic of Lithuania, issued under the procedures and conditions established by the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, are valid for one calendar year from the date of issuance.
8.5 Communications between crews and air traffic controllers, flight information services, ground service personnel, as well as inter-crew communications and coordination procedures between local air traffic control centers, shall be conducted in English or Lithuanian, using the prescribed radio communication phraseology.
9 PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES APPLIED TO AIRCRAFT
9.1 The arriving and departing aircraft to and from the Republic of Lithuania shall be checked by the officials of the Public Health Service.
9.2 Permission allowing the aircraft a free passage, is given over the radio before arrival or verbally upon arrival by the Public Health Service, or by a Public Health Service officer authorized to do so.
9.3 As regards aircraft engaged in scheduled and non scheduled air traffic the pilot in command will not be required to ask permission for free passage, unless the aircraft:
- arrives from, or has made intermediate stops in an area which according to the announcement from the health authorities, is declared contaminated by such disease against which sanitary precautions have been taken to avoid contagious diseases, or
- is registered in, arrives from, or has made inter-mediate stops in states which are not members of the World Health Organization (WHO).