Ross residents get reminder on last posting dates for Christmas; Royal Mail reveals latest recommended international posting dates for festive season
Royal Mail has announced its latest recommended international posting dates for overseas destinations to ensure mail arrives in time for Christmas.
The first international recommended posting date is for mail to Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Far East, and the Middle East, which should be sent by Monday, December 9.
Those wanting to send cards or gifts to Cyprus and Malta should post no later than Tuesday, December 10.
For Eastern Europe – except the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia – cards and gifts should be sent no later than Wednesday, December 11.
Those wishing to send festive greetings to friends and family in Australia, New Zealand, Greece or Turkey, will need to make sure everything is good to go by Thursday, December 12.
Letters and parcels to Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Finland, Sweden and the USA should be posted no later than Saturday, December 14.
Festive greetings being sent to Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland, will need to be in the mail by Monday, December 16.
Season’s greetings going to Belgium, France, Ireland and Luxembourg should be posted by Wednesday, December 18.
The last posting dates apply to both standard international services and those which have tracking and signature.
Did you know?
The world’s first scheduled service for transporting mail by air took place in the United Kingdom on September 9, 1911 and was called the Aerial Post. It celebrated the coronation of King George V, and saw cards and letters transported by air between Hendon in North London and Windsor in Berkshire. The airplane was flown by British aviation pioneer Gustav Hamel.
The first scheduled airmail service between England and France took place on November 10, 1919. A pilot from the airline Aircraft Transport and Travel flew from Hounslow to Paris in an Airco DH4A de Havilland biplane with a Royal Mail pennant proudly attached to its rudder.
The pilots were under some pressure to deliver the mail on time given the several variables that could lead to delays including high winds and inclement weather. With unheated, open cockpits and before the age of radio, pilots would rely on compasses for navigation as well as following landmarks such as railway lines to ensure they were on the right route.
