Christmas mail leaving the country may be delayed by the international travel restrictions imposed after the discovery of the Covid-19 variant Omicron.
This is according to the SA Post Office (Sapo), which urged people posting items to foreign countries to send them as soon as possible to avoid delays.
How long is the delay?
Sapo estimates that mail leaving SA may be delayed by up to 14 days.
This is due to the cargo space on aeroplanes being limited owing to the cancellation of some international flights.
“Only surface mail is currently available to the US. The Post Office expects that the air mail option will again become available in January,” said Sapo.
Urgent items to other countries can be sent using the cost-effective EMS [expedited mail service] system. These items are delivered within 24 hours of arrival in the destination country.
Which countries are not affected by the travel restrictions?
Mail to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Lesotho, Namibia, Eswatini and Mozambique is not affected at this time.
Items posted from SA by December 5 to the above-mentioned countries might reach their destination before Christmas.
“Customers should package international items securely as mail is transported in bulk, and include the mobile phone number of the recipient with the address details,” said Sapo.
What items are prohibited from being posted?
Prohibited items include money, jewellery, precious stones or metals, asbestos, living animals, biological substances, firearms or parts thereof, fur, ivory or any other animal product, and human remains, including ashes.
“This delays outgoing mail dramatically,” said Sapo. “Airlines scan all mailbags before loading them for prohibited items using an X-ray machine similar to that used to scan hand luggage.
“Should a single prohibited item be detected in a mailbag, the entire mailbag is returned to the sorting centre to be opened and searched until the offending parcel is found. All the items in the mailbag miss the flight and are delayed until the next flight departs,” it said.
Which items are potentially dangerous on an aircraft?
Liquids, explosives, compressed gas, flammable liquids and solids, oxidising material, radioactive material and magnetised materials are potentially dangerous on an aircraft.
Poisons, including drugs and medicine, are also potentially dangerous. An import permit is required for all countries.
“It is best to state the contents on the parcel and to include the word “Gift” if it is an item sent by one individual to another. This facilitates customs clearance in the country of arrival.
“Write the mobile phone number of the receiver on the parcel. That allows the postal administration in the receiving country to send the receiver a text message for collecting the item,” said Sapo.
Planning on sending Christmas cards to loved ones? They may be delayed by the international travel bans
Image: SA Post Office/Twitter
Christmas mail leaving the country may be delayed by the international travel restrictions imposed after the discovery of the Covid-19 variant Omicron.
This is according to the SA Post Office (Sapo), which urged people posting items to foreign countries to send them as soon as possible to avoid delays.
How long is the delay?
Sapo estimates that mail leaving SA may be delayed by up to 14 days.
This is due to the cargo space on aeroplanes being limited owing to the cancellation of some international flights.
“Only surface mail is currently available to the US. The Post Office expects that the air mail option will again become available in January,” said Sapo.
Urgent items to other countries can be sent using the cost-effective EMS [expedited mail service] system. These items are delivered within 24 hours of arrival in the destination country.
Which countries are not affected by the travel restrictions?
Mail to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Lesotho, Namibia, Eswatini and Mozambique is not affected at this time.
Items posted from SA by December 5 to the above-mentioned countries might reach their destination before Christmas.
“Customers should package international items securely as mail is transported in bulk, and include the mobile phone number of the recipient with the address details,” said Sapo.
What items are prohibited from being posted?
Prohibited items include money, jewellery, precious stones or metals, asbestos, living animals, biological substances, firearms or parts thereof, fur, ivory or any other animal product, and human remains, including ashes.
“This delays outgoing mail dramatically,” said Sapo. “Airlines scan all mailbags before loading them for prohibited items using an X-ray machine similar to that used to scan hand luggage.
“Should a single prohibited item be detected in a mailbag, the entire mailbag is returned to the sorting centre to be opened and searched until the offending parcel is found. All the items in the mailbag miss the flight and are delayed until the next flight departs,” it said.
Which items are potentially dangerous on an aircraft?
Liquids, explosives, compressed gas, flammable liquids and solids, oxidising material, radioactive material and magnetised materials are potentially dangerous on an aircraft.
Poisons, including drugs and medicine, are also potentially dangerous. An import permit is required for all countries.
“It is best to state the contents on the parcel and to include the word “Gift” if it is an item sent by one individual to another. This facilitates customs clearance in the country of arrival.
“Write the mobile phone number of the receiver on the parcel. That allows the postal administration in the receiving country to send the receiver a text message for collecting the item,” said Sapo.
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