Air mail packets to US not arriving

[Mary Woodcock]

I have now 4 small packets sent to the US air mail on the 31st Dec. that have still not been delivered. I have contacted customer services all they tell me is that when I send in a claim they will investigate and will do nothing until then. Can anyone advise me if I can do anything else? and has anyone else got this problem. I am losing all these regular customers and have now had to return their money, as a small business I feel that I may well have to stop selling to the US. as the Post Office is not providing me with the service I have paid for.

[SpacePhoenix]

I have now 4 small packets sent to the US air mail on the 31st Dec. that have still not been delivered. I have contacted customer services all they tell me is that when I send in a claim they will investigate and will do nothing until then. Can anyone advise me if I can do anything else? and has anyone else got this problem. I am losing all these regular customers and have now had to return their money, as a small business I feel that I may well have to stop selling to the US. as the Post Office is not providing me with the service I have paid for.

From Royal Mails Site (http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/cont ... 88#1600085" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

USA
Start date: 18th November
End date: Ongoing

Update 28th January 2011:

The United States Department of Homeland Security is continuing to require increased security measures for items carried on passenger airlines. As a result, some mail entering the USfrom around the world, and including the UK, that would normally be sent via passenger aircraft must now travel by other means, including ships and cargo planes.

Most items, including personal letters and cards, magazines, CDs, DVDs and lightweight packets, will be delivered in the USwithin a few days of posting. However, there are delays of about two weeks for some heavier packets. These delays are currently affecting stamped items, franked items, and items posted under contract, with the exception of Destination Sort and/or M-Bag* items.

Royal Mail is very sorry for these unavoidable delays. We have implemented a number of contingency plans to ensure as much of our customers’ mail reaches the USas quickly as possible and are continuing to work to minimise disruption to our customers, whilst ensuring we comply fully with the USdirectives and regulations.

Possibly the 4 packets contain something that the US isn't allowing to arrive by air any more so would have been sent surface.

[moyas slave]

i ordered a sheet music book from the states via ebay in dec, last week i asked the seller if it had been sent.

i got an appology and he said he would send another out, 2 days later the first one turned up.

so it does seem to be both ways and the only way find out where the fault is would be to send a tracked test item, i think you can only track them to leaving the UK but at least you would then know which side of the water the problem lies.

[POSTMAN]

They now have the snow problem that we had a while back.

[ajda]

Royal Mail are NOT being candid on their international updates page (link given above by SpacePhoenix) about the true extent of delays to the USA.

They say there: "Most items, including personal letters and cards, magazines, CDs, DVDs and lightweight packets, will be delivered in the US within a few days of posting. However, there are delays of about two weeks for some heavier packets."

Since early December 2010 my partner and I have sent out 100+ small packets (RM Jiffy Bag size 000 - avr weight less than 20g) airmail to the USA, each containing one or two or a few handmade glass beads. Only one of these has arrived within the expected time of 5 working days. All the rest have been seriously delayed, generally by at least 2-4 weeks, in some cases 7-8 weeks.

It would help us to pacify disgruntled customers if RM would give realistic information that we could link to. Most people are perfectly reasonable if they do not feel they are being fobbed off with false or partial explanations. In the absence of such information I am sending them links to pages such as this, where eBay sellers discuss blacklisting the USA along with the likes of Nigeria and Iran because of the massive increase in disputes and negative feedback: http://forums.ebay.com/db2/topic/Intern ... /510305788" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - not great for international relations, perhaps, but helping to cover our backs!

[Postman Plodd]

i sent a windcheater to the US via airmail and it took nearly 40 days to arrive. Can i claim my exhorbitant postage charge back?

[not me]

i sent a windcheater to the US via airmail and it took nearly 40 days to arrive. Can i claim my exhorbitant postage charge back?

because US customs delayed it?

[westham67]

Seems common , As a del driver i have a customer on my round who over last 2 months has had probs with US DELS, tracked as well,doesnt seem to be our end from what i can tell.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

i sent a windcheater to the US via airmail and it took nearly 40 days to arrive. Can i claim my exhorbitant postage charge back?

because US customs delayed it?

or Homeland Security AKA

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