Postal services to certain destinations suspended
Hongkong Post today (April 9) announced the need to suspend Speedpost services to the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA) starting from April 14 owing to the substantial reduction in flight frequencies by airlines, which has resulted in a nearly complete inability to provide any air traffic capacity to cope with the volume of Speedpost items conveyed to the UK and the USA. Hongkong Post had previously made an announcement about the service suspension of air mail to the UK and the USA on March 27. Members of the public may consider using surface mail for posting items to the UK and the USA as the frequencies of the shipping schedules to the two destinations have been increased to once per week. It is estimated that the journey time for posting through surface mail to the UK and the USA would take about 25 days and 31 days respectively.
Destinations | Service types available | Estimated journey time for surface mail | |
Europe | UK | Surface mail | 25 days |
North America | USA | Surface mail | 31 days |
In addition, destinations in Europe listed below are also suffering from insufficient air traffic capacity as a result of continued flight reductions. Hongkong Post will try to maintain the Speedpost service to these destinations as far as possible to facilitate the posting of urgent mail by the public. Notwithstanding this, Speedpost items handed to airlines for conveyance to these destinations are still subject to delays of more than one week despite the completion of handling procedures by Hongkong Post subsequent to posting.
Destinations | Service types available | |
Europe |
France | Speedpost |
Italy | Speedpost and surface mail | |
Netherlands | Speedpost and surface mail |
Moreover, mail items to be sent to the following destinations are required to transit via the above destinations, therefore services for them will also be affected to varying degrees:
Destinations | Service types available | |
Africa | Réunion | Speedpost and surface mail |
Algeria | Speedpost | |
Côte d'Ivoire | Speedpost | |
Senegal | – | |
Central and South America | El Salvador | Speedpost and air parcel |
Guatemala | Speedpost and air parcel | |
Puerto Rico | Surface mail | |
Virgin Islands (USA) | Surface mail | |
Europe | San Marino | Speedpost |
Vatican | – |
Members of the public may visit the Hongkong Post website and refer to the links: www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about_us/whats_new/notices/index_id_909.html, www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about_us/whats_new/notices/index_id_910.html
and www.hongkongpost.hk/en/preparation/posting/latest_dates/index.html for all the destinations affected and the latest dates of posting for forthcoming surface despatches.