---
title: "SERA.4020 Closing a flight plan — ANNEX: Rules of the Air, SERA · Avioverse"
description: "An arrival report shall be made in person, by radiotelephony, via data link or by other means as prescribed by the competent authority at the earliest…"
url: "https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/sera/annex-rules-of-the-air/section-4/sera-4020"
---

# SERA.4020 Closing a flight plan

ANNEX: Rules of the Air · Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 · EAR revision 26 Aug 2025

IR Implementing rule

## SERA.4020 Closing a flight plan

(a) An arrival report shall be made in person, by [radiotelephony](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/radiotelephony), via data link or by other means as prescribed by the [competent authority](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/competent-authority) at the earliest possible moment after landing, to the appropriate [air traffic](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/air-traffic) services unit at the arrival [aerodrome](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aerodrome), by any flight for which a [flight plan](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/flight-plan) has been submitted covering the entire flight or the remaining portion of a flight to the destination aerodrome.

(1) Submission of an arrival report is not required after landing on an aerodrome where air traffic services are provided on condition that radio communication or visual signals indicate that the landing has been observed.

(b) When a flight plan has been submitted only in respect of a portion of a flight, other than the remaining portion of a flight to destination, it shall, when required, be closed by an appropriate report to the relevant air traffic services unit.

(c) When no air traffic services unit exists at the arrival aerodrome or [operating site](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/operating-site), the arrival report, when required, shall be made as soon as practicable after landing and by the quickest means available to the nearest air traffic services unit.

(d) When communication facilities at the arrival aerodrome or operating site are known to be inadequate and alternate arrangements for the handling of arrival reports on the ground are not available, the following action shall be taken. Immediately prior to landing the [aircraft](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aircraft) shall, if practicable, transmit to the appropriate air traffic services unit, a message comparable to an arrival report, where such a report is required. Normally, this transmission shall be made to the [aeronautical station](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aeronautical-station) serving the air traffic services unit in charge of the [flight information region](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/flight-information-region) in which the aircraft is operated.

(e) Arrival reports made by aircraft shall contain the following elements of information:

(1) aircraft identification;

(2) departure aerodrome or operating site;

(3) destination aerodrome or operating site (only in the case of a diversionary landing);

(4) arrival aerodrome or operating site;

(5) time of arrival.

IR · SERA.4020 — Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 · ​Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 · SERA Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 26 Aug 2025

GM Guidance material

## GM1 SERA.4020 Closing a flight plan

ARRIVAL REPORTS

Whenever an arrival report is required, failure to comply with the provisions of SERA.4020 may cause serious disruption in the [air traffic](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/air-traffic) services and incur great expenses in carrying out unnecessary search and rescue operations.

GM · GM1 SERA.4020 — Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 · ED Decision 2013/013/R · SERA Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 26 Aug 2025

[All rules in SECTION 4 Flight plans](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/sera/annex-rules-of-the-air/section-4)

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 26 Aug 2025, extracted 13 Oct 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.