Here you will find the latest UK & global service updates and a list of upcoming worldwide public holidays. This is updated throughout the week with latest information available.
UK Service Updates
Normal deliveries & collections of mail should be made in most parts of the UK today.
International Service Updates
Afghanistan – Afghan Post has informed us that a terrorist attack hit the Afghan Post headquarters on Saturday, 13th April 2019. As this facility processes all inbound mail coming into the country, delays are expected until their operations are fully up and running again. Ongoing (issue start date: 13/04/19)
Bangladesh – Bangladesh Customs have witnessed an increase in the number of wrongly declared shipments. This has led the Bangladesh Customs to scrutinise each and every shipment, which is causing delays in the release of all shipments including mail. Ongoing (issue start date: 03/01/17)
Belgium – Change of handling agent causes delays: Belgian Post have indicated on that it has been experiencing delays of up to 24 hours at the Brussels Airport due to the change of mail handling agent on September 1st. Ongoing (issue start date: 05/09/19)
Brazil – Please also note that the following with regards to delays in postal customs clearance. Ongoing (issue start date: 07/11/17 – updated 14/08/18)
- Currently receiving 300,000 parcels per day
- Upon arrival in Brazil all mail is sent to Curitiba for inspection and duty and tax assessment
- Once duties and taxes are paid items can take 10 to 40 business days to deliver
- 30% of items are abandoned for non-payment of duties
Botswana – The designated operator of Botswana, Botswana Post, informs that Botswana is holding national elections on 23rd October 2019. By presidential directive, 24th and 25th October 2019 have been declared national holidays. Botswana Post’s operations will therefore be closed on these dates; they will resume on 28th October 2019. Ongoing (issue start date: 24/10/19)
Brazil – Truck drivers strike disrupts road traffic: a nationwide strike by truck drivers has been disrupting road transportation across Brazil. The strike action was officially due to begin on September 4 at 6 am local time, however, disruptions associated with the strike have been ongoing since September 2nd, particularly in Curitiba and Barra Mansa. Roadblocks by truckers are expected to continue to affect ground transportation. Ongoing (issue start date: 02/09/19)
Brazil – Amazonian fires disrupt air traffic: Local media sources indicated that departures and arrivals have been suspended at Governador Jorge Teixeira International Airport in Porto Velho since the morning of August 26 due to low visibility resulting from the smoke of Amazonian fires. Some flights have been diverted to Eduardo Gomes International Airport but there is no indication as to when flights at Governador Jorge Teixeira International Airport will resume. Ongoing (issue start date: 30/07/19)
Brazil – Postal strike causes delivery delays: Local media sources indicate on September 13th that about 70% of Correios employees participate in the nationwide strike action that began on September 10 over unaddressed grievances during the course of negotiations related to salary adjustments and preserving rights. The government ordered the company to maintain at least 70 percent of services or face severe fines. According to reports, postal services such as Sedex 10, Sedex 12, and Sedex were suspended on September 12, causing delivery delays. Ongoing (issue start date: 10/09/19)
Chile – CorreosChile have informed of generic capacity concerns at customs due to increasing international volumes. Items can be queued up to 20 working days before being processed by Chilean customs. Ongoing (issue start date: 18/05/18)
China – China Post have informed us that owing to unprecedented volumes of parcels imported into Shanghai and Guangzhou, there are currently a number of issues with China Customs, resulting in large backlogs in their facilities. These problems are compounded by the high delivery volume within China, resulting in delays in mail delivery. Ongoing (issue start date: 14/07/16)
Congo (Republic) – Postal workers begin strike: workers with the Congolese Posts and Savings Company in the Republic of the Congo began an indefinite strike to demand the payment of unpaid salaries for April, May and June 2019. Expect associated disruptions to postal services. Ongoing (issue start date: 18/07/19)
Ecuador – UIO /Mariscal Sucre International Airport Ecuador is currently embargoed due to high baggage/cargo loads. Ongoing (issue start date: 07/01/19)
Eritrea – We have been informed that due to the domestic situation in the country, all mail services to this destination remain suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 08/10/18)
Finland – Finnish Post and Logistics Union (PAU) has announced industrial action, due to start in three weeks’ time unless a solution is negotiated. Posti is currently evaluating the potential effects of the strike; it will publish more information on the situation when a more accurate assessment is possible and PAU has issued an official notice of industrial action. According to PAU’s press release, the strike is set to commence on Monday, November 11th at 6.00 local time, and end on Sunday, November 24th at 24.00. Ongoing (issue start date: 11/11/19)
France – Ground staff strike in Paris: it has been reported on October 6th that the Orly Flight Service ground staff has called for a 1-day strike at Paris Orly Airport, starting at 3:00 am local time on October 7th. Employees strike over plans for liquidation. Associated disruptions to flight operations were likely to occur. Ongoing (issue start date: 07/10/19)
France – Farmers to block highways nationwide: On October 7th, media sources indicated that farmers with the FNSEA union planed to block highways and roads between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm local time on October 8th. Farmers protest against the effects of free trade agreements and strengthening of environmental standards in France. Road traffic congestion and delays were likely to occur. Ongoing (issue start date: 08/10/19)
Germany – Strike might disrupt air traffic: Media sources indicate that cabin crew labour union Ufo has called on its members to stage a strike between 6 am and 11 am local time on October 20th, which could disrupt Lufthansa’s flight operations at Munich and Frankfurt Airport. Around 160 flights are expected to be affected by the strike. Ongoing (issue start date: 20/10/19)
Greece – Hellenic Post ELTA (Greece) has informed that the Confederation of the Greek workers has announced a 24-hour strike on Wednesday 2nd October. As result, the processing and delivery of International mail will be affected on strike day and immediately after, due to a possible backlog from the strike with delivery delays expected. Ongoing (issue start date: 02/10/19)
Hong Kong – The designated operator of Hong Kong, China, Hongkong Post, informs that a series of public events, resulting in blockage of the streets and transportation network of major areas of Hong Kong, China since 1st October 2019, is seriously affecting the processing and delivery of all inbound, outbound and local mail (letter post, parcels and EMS items). Ongoing (issue start date: 21/09/19)
India – Main runway to close for repairs: the main runway at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai will be closed from November 1st until March 28th, 2020. The runway will be closed from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm local time every day except for Sundays. Expect flight disruptions during this period due to limited flight capacity.. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/11/19)
Iraq – Due to political developments in northern Iraq the government has issued an embargo on flights into the region. It is expected that no deliveries will be possible until the situation is resolved. Ongoing (issue start date: 02/11/17)
Italy – Cagliari Airport will be closed from 9:50 pm to 06:00 am from Sunday May 19th for urgent works. Poste Italiane has tried to find an alternative solution with airport authorities but the request was not accepted. Priority items addressed to the whole Sardinia Region (zip code from 07010 to 09199) are usually daily transported by air at night. During the above-mentioned period there will be an estimated delay of 24 hrs in collection and delivery in the whole Sardinia region. Ongoing (issue start date: 19/05/19)
Japan – Following a period of heavy rain and typhoons, the Japan Post facility in Kawasaki has been badly damaged. Subsequently, Japan Post put embargo on all international mail arriving. Whilst this has now been lifted, they are accepting mail but only on a limited basis. In addition, there is a significant backlog of mail taht needs to be processed. Delays should be accepted until these issues are fully resolved. Ongoing (issue start date: 30/10/19)
Japan – Japan Post informs that Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT) airports will be temporarily closed on Saturday, 12th October 2019 owing to Typhoon Hagibis, which is due to hit the east of Japan. The airports will resume operations on Sunday, 13th October. Japan Post is making every effort to maintain operational performance for international postal services as far as possible, and apologises for unavoidable delays. Ongoing (issue start date: 10/10/19)
Japan – Japan is strengthening their customs inspection of inbound mail as part of counter-terrorism measures. Therefore, Japan Post is reminding mail senders that all items containing goods are accompanied by the required documents and must not contain any hazardous or prohibited goods. Please attach a customs declaration form and any relevant documentation to postal items containing goods, and provide accurate information on the contents for customs declaration. – this must be completed in Japanese, English or French only. Failure to comply with these rules could lead to delays or the destruction/return of mail items sent to Japan. Ongoing (issue start date: 29/03/16)
Libya – All mail services to Libya are currently suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 16/07/14)
Malaysia – Flooding disrupts road traffic: Media sources report that flooding has been disrupting road traffic throughout Malaysia’s western coast since October 26th, with disruptions continuing to be reported in Selangor, Perak, and Kedah. Further disruptions should be expected until the flooding recedes. Ongoing (issue start date: 26/10/19)
Mexico – Transportation strike disrupts road traffic: it has been indicated that the Mexican Alliance of Carrier Organizations AC (AMOTAC) began a 24-hour national transportation strike at 8 am on October 29th. The strike action has been affecting road traffic significantly, particularly at the entrances and exits to Mexico City. Ongoing (issue start date: 29/10/19)
Mexico – All The designated operator of MEXICO, Correos de México, wishes to inform the designated operators of other Union member countries of new measures to strengthen import controls, in accordance with article 19 of the UPU Convention and article 3.7.1 of the General Rules of Foreign Trade of Mexico. These measures prohibit items in powder form, pharmaceutical products (pills, troches, tablets, granules, capsules and lozenges), and whey or serum proteins of animal origin. For a complete list of prohibited items, please consult
www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5545378&fecha=30/11/2018 (Spanish only). In addition, importers of food supplements require a licence in the form of a health certificate issued by the Government of Mexico. Further information regarding this certificate can be found at www.gob.mx/cofepris/acciones-y-programas/registrossanitarios-89343 (Spanish only). In the case of items already in the possession of Correos de México, commercial senders are requested to ask the addressees to comply with the applicable health regulation requirements. Ongoing (issue start date: 15/07/19)
North Macedonia – New customs system delays clearance: Industry sources reported that there have been significant customs clearance delays in North Macedonia due to the recent implementation of a new system in July. Average clearance times of 5-7 days have been reported for all types of imports. Ongoing (issue start date: 03/07/19)
Norway – Norwegian Post informs that following the modernisation of their International Mail Hub a proportion of Tracked mail is still experiencing delays daily. Norwegian Post has confirmed further enhancement activities are planned for processing improvement. Ongoing (issue start date: 23/07/19)
Philippines – The designated operator of the Philippines, Philippine Postal Corporation, informs that it is currently experiencing problems and the processing of outgoing and incoming international mail dispatches will be delayed until further notice. Resolved (issue start date: 02/09/19)
Saudi Arabia – Saudi Post wishes to inform that effective 1st January 2018, a value-added tax (VAT) of 5% will be applied to the total value of each individual item/waybill entering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to be paid by the consignee. This includes, without exception, all commodities being sent to Saudi Arabia, regardless of their purpose. It is therefore essential that each shipment provide clear and precise commodity details, including the name of the product/commodity and the total value under each item/waybill (preferably in USD). Ongoing (issue start date: 01/01/18)
Saudi Arabia – It has been advised that, with immediate effect, Saudi Arabian Customs has introduced some changes for all Non-Document shipments sent to Saudi Arabia. All B2C shipments that contain materials other than documents/printed matter will require the Consignee’s ID number. Where this is not provided, the parcel may be delayed in clearing customs until the ID number is obtained from the consignee. All B2B shipments of non-document materials will require a Commercial Registration Form from the consignee. This will be requested from the consignee when arriving in the country and upon receipt of the form, the parcel can be cleared through customs. Ongoing (issue start date: 15/04/16)
Somalia – All mail services to Somalia are currently suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 30/11/91)
South Africa – Poor service continues to be observed for all mail into South Africa. A significant part of the delay is the time between the mail arriving in South Africa and being delivered to the recipient. While improvements have been made and delivery times reduced, increased mail volumes have created bottlenecks in processing. Ongoing (issue start date: 12/08/19)
South Africa – With immediate effect that additional customs inspections have been implemented on all shipments to South Africa. Therefore, any shipments that are subject to inspection may experience further delays. Ongoing (issue start date: 05/10/17)
Spain – Protests affect ground and air traffic: protests have been affecting road and air traffic in Barcelona and Girona, with over 100 flights cancelled at El Prat Airport on October 14th. Expect further disruptions as more protests are planned for the week. Ongoing (issue start date: 14/10/19)
Spain – Transportation workers to go on strike: Media sources reported on October 23rd that transportation workers, together with the UGT and CCOO unions, have organised a 24-hour strike on October 30th to protest against Transcalit and UNO employers over a collective agreement. The strike will likely have an impact on the transport sector throughout Spain. Ongoing (issue start date: 30/10/19)
Spain – Heavy rain and subsequent flooding have severely affected mail services in the following areas: Alicante (03000-03999), Almería (04000-04999) and Murcia (30000-30999). As a result, delays to mail services in these areas are expected.. Ongoing (issue start date: 12/09/19)
Spain – Workers’ strike to affect highway traffic: Local media sources have indicated that workers working on the Huerna highway in Spain called a 19-day strike during weekends and holidays starting on July 26th. The highway between Asturias and Leon will be affected by work stoppages and this may delay mail transport in the region. Ongoing (issue start date: 26/07/19)
Syria – We have been informed that due to the domestic situation in the country, all mail services to this destination remain suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 08/10/18)
Tanzania – All mail/cargo going to DAR is embargoed until further notice. Ongoing (issue start date: 30/04/18)
Ukraine – Delivery of mail for the Crimea and Sevastopol (postal codes 95000 – 99999) regions remains suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 18/03/14)
USA – Critical to Extreme fire weather conditions continue to affect parts of northern and southern California. The fast moving Kincade fire in Sonoma County has resulted in the temporary closure of several United States Post Offices. Below is a list of impacted offices:
• Healdsburg Post Office, 160 Foss Creek Cir, Healdsburg, CA 95448
• Windsor Post Office, 8800 Lakewood Dr., Windsor, CA 95492
• Santa Rosa Annex Post Office, 2850 McBride Ln, Santa Rosa, Ca 95403
• Guerneville Post Office, 14060 Mill St, Guerneville, CA 95446
We have been informed that postal employees having been working overtime to ensure deliveries are still made in accessible areas. However, please be aware that delays are possible and non-delivery to affected or inaccessible areas is likely. Ongoing (issue start date: 28/10/19)
USA – Please be advised that US Customs have increased individual inspections on shipments arriving into airports across the country, which is causing clearance delays. The US customs authorities are currently stopping random flights to individually search all shipments. The situation is being monitored and updates will be provided as soon there will be further information. Ongoing (issue start date: 16/09/19)
Yemen – All mail services to Yemen have now been suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 27/03/15)
Upcoming Public Holidays
October 21st – British Virgin Islands, Burundi, India (regional), Jamaica, Kenya
October 22nd – Israel, Japan
October 23rd – Cambodia, Hungary, Libya, North Macedonia, Thailand
October 24th – Botswana, Zambia
October 25th – Botswana, Brazil (public sector only), Grenada, New Zealand, USA (regional & public sector only)
October 26th – Austria
October 27th – India (regional), Iran, Nepal, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Singapore
October 28th – Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, India (regional), Ireland, New Zealand, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Singapore, Various (Diwali)
October 29th – Cambodia, India (regional), Iran, Maldives, Turkey
October 30th – India (regional), Nepal
October 31st – Germany (regional), India (regional)
November 1st – Algeria, Antigua & Barbuda, Bhutan, Ecuador, Guam, India (regional), Malaysia (regional), Various (International All Saints Day)
November 2nd – Finland, India (regional), Italy (regional), Mauritius, Mexico, Sweden, Various (International All Souls Day)
November 3rd – India (regional), Japan, Maldives, Panama
November 4th – Bermuda, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Japan, Macau (public sector only), New Zealand (regional), Panama, Russia, Thailand (public sector only), Tonga
November 5th – Australia (regional), Dominica, Iran, Panama, Thailand (public sector only)
November 6th – Morocco, Tajikistan,
November 7th – Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia
November 8th – Belarus, India (regional), Kyrgyzstan
November 9th – Cambodia, Spain (regional), Various
November 10th – Bolivia (regional), Cambodia, Egypt, Myanmar, Panama, Various (Remembrance Sunday, Father’s Day, Mawlid)
November 11th – Angola, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Canada (regional), Colombia, Fiji, Laos, Malaysia (regional), Maldives, Panama, Poland, Sri Lanka, Saint Martin, USA (regional), Various (Armistice Day)
November 12th – Cambodia, East Timor, India (regional), Malaysia (regional), Myanmar, Sri Lanka
November 14th – Guinea-Bissau
November 15th – Austria (regional), Belgium (regional), Brazil, India (regional), Ivory Coast, New Zealand (regional)
November 16th – Bonaire, Saba and Saint Eustatius
November 17th – Czech Republic, Mali, Slovakia
November 18th – Argentina, Bolivia (regional), Haiti, Latvia, Mexico, Morocco, Oman
November 19th – Belize, Bhutan, India (regional), Monaco, Oman, Puerto Rico
