Package from the UK to Greece stopped at Germany (GLS)

[Fou Zou]

hi everyone ,

i will try to be as much detailed as i can requesting any help available, tracking numbers are available upon request.

i sent my smartphone with a built-in battery (non removable) to a mobile repair shop at Bradford. Post it in Greece on the 18/08 using the Greek post office, got there on the 22/08. Repair shop claims to ship same day after receipt and repair of the phone. I was given info throughout the process, tracking number etc, indeed the phone was posted back to Greece on the very same day and was anxious to get it back. According to the tracking info, parcel arrived at Germany to GLS handler where the parcel was scanned, given a new tracking code of a greek courier company and when it got to Greece it was scanned with that new tracking code for further delivery to me. Parcel was finally received on the 28/08.

To my surprise the repair shop did something wrong during the repair and i had to sent it back. Same procedure again, post office, registered (or Signed for) and express to Bradford again.

Parcel arrives on the 03/09 at Bradford and was posted back to Greece on the 05/09. GLS in Germany again receives the parcel on the 09/09 and that's the starting point of my problems, unsolved up to now.....

GlS scans the parcel, understands there's a battery inside the smartphone and decides to return the parcel to the sender at Bradford!!!!!!!! GLS was the same who let the phone go through and make it to Greece before!!!! Anyway, phone finally received back at Bradford on the 17/09.

i was trying to figure out a way for this parcel to get here, i knew already that some items considered ''dangerous goods'' needed some kind of documentation to accompany the parcels proving that they are ok to fly, sometimes referred to as MSDS's or PSDS's (Material or Product Safety Data Sheet's) . After i managed to get one for the smartphone i sent it to the repair shop to include it in the parcel and avoid stopping it at Germany again.

phone is posted back for a third time from Bradford on the 24/09. Arrives at GLS on the 26/09 where it passes to a retention status according to GLS, same excuse again, the battery...... . Parcel's status, still at GLS, changes to ''RETURN TO SENDER-ITEM UNCLAIMED" and it spents many days there. Parcel was finally posted back from GLS to UK on the 30/09 and arrives at Heathrow the day before yesterday 09/10.

To my further surprise and frustration.... , the parcel in now at Belfast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I 've called the past month so many times both GLS and Royal Mail to seek for their info or assistance to do what is necessary to get the phone back. Unfortunately, the sender is not too muck talkative any longer which makes my effort much more difficult.

So, from what i understand and googled already is that in such cases where parcels are received in Belfas, items are opened, either sent back to the senders, or kept there since there's nothing they can do to remove the batteries which, if true, how can you hold something that valuable and never deliver it?

I m really sorry for such a long message, please understand the situation i m in for so long....

The point is, can i take it back , or, will i?

Thanking you in advance,

Nikos

[SpacePhoenix]

Another thread about a similar problem mentions that the airline that GLS uses to fly stuff between Greece and their central hub in Germany no longer accepts items containing batteries. Do you mind posting all the tracking entries for both of the tracking numbers?

My gut feeling is that the item has been classed as a no-fly item and either the CAA or the German or Greek equivilant have not allowed it to fly, they may have seized the item. If they have then there is nothing that either Royal Mail or GLS will be able to do as they don't have any say as to if something is allowed to fly

[Fou Zou]

Do you mind posting all the tracking entries for both of the tracking numbers?

Nope, i don't :) Understand you will not need the one that managed to get here the first time (How on earth GLS let it go then?)

Here is the first one that stopped at GLS RN106630055GB. Once scanned at GLS, i forgot to mention, that the parcel is given and a GLS tracking code 98275249752

Here's the one that's at Belfast right now RN106630342GB and GLS code 98275352026

My gut feeling is that the item has been classed as a no-fly item and either the CAA or the German or Greek equivilant have not allowed it to fly, they may have seized the item. If they have then there is nothing that either Royal Mail or GLS will be able to do as they don't have any say as to if something is allowed to fly

Sorry to say this but, you are kidding me, right? They decide just like that to keep a product that they personally use everyday? I mean, it's not rocket science, it's only a phone....

Is there anything than can be done, i wonder...

ps1. i managed to get a document describing if the battery, any battery, is either attached to an electronic device, or in a sealed packaging etc . It's like a multiple choice document, plus a sticker that says ''attention - lithium ion batteries'' both of these should accompany such parcels, then the handler (GLS in this case) pays more attention or decides to forward it by truck, correct me if i 'm wrong.

ps2. anyway i could contact them and ask for their assistance?

[Minischoles]

The problem is as I stated in another thread.

The carrier GLS use for sending items from their hub in Germany to Greece suddenly announced in mid-september that they weren't going to let anything with a battery on their flights anymore - and GLS are returning all items to sender. Unfortunately currently that problem hasn't been resolved and senders will have to use other services.

[Fou Zou]

Understood, however, is there anything that can be done from where i stand to get the parcel out of there? Like calling a courier and have it collected from there? or just wait and see what happens?

Furthermore, royal mail's site has 2 different tracking pages
first one : https://www.royalmail.com/track-your-item" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
second one : http://www.royalmail.com/trackdetails" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

First one says ''on its way''
Second one says is at Belfast and nothing further.

Which one is to be taken into consideration?

Edit,

What actions, if any, can be taken by either me or the sender to have this returned to either one of us?


edit
Sorry for the multiple editings!

i understood that the package will be opened at Belfast. The parcel contains a mobile phone with a non removable battery. Which means no user without technical experience can remove it. Is there any chance that they will take out the phone and only return an empty bubble wrap envelope????

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The sender could call RM and describe the product etc this will get entered on the database and, in theory at least, Belfast will check it and return it to them.

You yourself could try contacting royal mail directly on twitter @RoyalMail.

[Fou Zou]

after RM's advice, only the sender should get in touch with them for any further steps. the lady who asnwered the phone kept saying ''ask from the sender to contact us'' , i kept on asking her ''can i do anything from here?'' the sender the sender....

right now my main concern is that the phone leaves Belfast, i don't mind seeing the parcel flying around Europe again as long it gets out of there....

[Fou Zou]

status changed to

13/10/14 13:12 IN ADDRESSEE PO BOX NATIONAL RETURN CENTRE

what is this and what does it mean please?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thats belfast -keep an eye on it as if it's returned to the sender they should still sign for it, or at least it should be scanned at the door.

Then hopefully they should return it to you by a courier who can fly it to you.

[Fou Zou]

it's been the 3rd day since the last status change... should i expect it to change again at some point?

[Fou Zou]

status now changed to 17/10/14 11:03 DELIVERED17/10/14 BRADFORD NORTH PDO

which means after one month finally got to the sender and will take it from there with him.

i would like to thank everyone that shared their RM knowledge with me, keep up the good work helping people out.

Once again, i thank you very much.

Nick

[Snaggletooth]

This might be a stupid question but...

Germany is one of the few European countries which bans all lithium batteries in the mail. So, if a parcel between two countries which do accept lithium batteries gets routed via Germany, what is supposed to happen?

Let's assume that the battery is inside the equipment and all the packaging is correct according to the IATA rules.

[geo_stef]

Kinda of same problem here, a friend send me a phone from uk to Greece, now gls stoped and says return. Today he will contact RM in order to lean what happened :)

[Fou Zou]

You 'll need a sticker on the the outer envelope (or parcel) http://www.compliancesigns.com/DOT-15002.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and the transport form which should also accompany the parcel-envelope

http://www.dhl.com/content/dam/download ... cument.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

you should tick the appropriate field, depending on what is being sent to you.

Hope this helps.

Ta leme.

[Minischoles]

Usually items were forwarded fine by GLS I'm unsure how but I imagine as it technically doesn't enter the country ( that is it never has to be cleared by German customs) it can be handled by GLS to other countries as normal