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.