Stansted Airport private flights now under police assessment for Epstein links.

Essex Police has confirmed it is assessing information concerning private flights at London Stansted Airport (STN) following the recent publication of court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The assessment, which is not yet a formal investigation, follows renewed calls for scrutiny into Epstein's activities in the United Kingdom.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged police to re-examine potential trafficking links, highlighting the significant number of flights connected to the convicted sex offender. A previous BBC investigation found that 87 Epstein-linked flights either arrived at or departed from UK airports between the early 1990s and 2018, with at least 15 of those occurring after his 2008 conviction.

How Private Aviation Operates at Stansted

In response to the inquiries, Stansted Airport clarified its operational structure for private aviation. The airport stated that all private aircraft are handled by independent companies known as Fixed Base Operators (FBOs). These FBOs manage all aspects of private flights from dedicated, separate terminals.

This means private jet passengers do not enter the main airport terminal. According to the airport, immigration and customs checks are conducted directly by UK Border Force personnel at these private facilities. This process is standard across the UK and is governed by regulations requiring pilots to submit a General Aviation Report (GAR) with passenger details before arrival. The airport authority itself does not manage or have visibility of passenger manifests on these privately operated flights, a role that falls to the FBOs and government agencies like Border Force.

A Coordinated National Response

The assessment at Stansted is part of a broader effort. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) has established a new national group to support UK forces that are assessing allegations related to the Epstein case. This coordinated approach involves multiple police forces, including Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police, who are looking into separate but related allegations.

The situation highlights the unique operational environment of private aviation, which offers discretion but is still subject to oversight from regulatory bodies like the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and law enforcement. While the current focus is on a criminal matter, it has brought renewed attention to the procedures and security protocols governing private jet travel in the UK.

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