Deadline for shipping packages to troops nears
By Catharin Shepard
Published in News on November 16, 2009 1:46 PM
Deadlines are creeping up for sending holiday letters and packages to domestic, international and military addresses in time for Christmas delivery.
The United States Postal Service expects receive more than 16 billion cards, letters and packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and getting parcels shipped out early is key to making sure they will be under the tree on Christmas Eve.
Mail going to service members in Iraq or Afghanistan should be mailed by Dec. 4, to be on the safe side. To ensure all outgoing mail gets to its destination safely and in a timely manner, be sure to check the basics, USPS spokesperson Carl Walton said.
"Make sure it's addressed properly, both the originating and destination address. The return address should be on the package because anything can happen," Walton said. "We're expecting nothing to happen, but we want to make sure it gets to the rightful place. Also, make sure the zip code is proper. It really ensures that it'll get where it has to go to properly."
Also, shippers should make sure the carton being used to ship items is sturdy enough and big enough to allow for interior packaging and cushioning, especially for delicate or fragile items, he said. Any marks on the package from previous uses, such as warning labels or old addresses, should be completely crossed out and not visible, to prevent any confusion during delivery.
And there are some items the USPS simply does not ship, but that people often try to sneak past the counters, Walton said. Liquids and perishable food such as fruit baskets are two of the most frequent offenders, he said.
To keep costs down while shipping, the USPS flat rate box is a good deal, especially for shipping to military addresses, Walton said.
"The military boxes, if you're sending it priority mail, actually cost a little bit less," he said. "With all of our large flat rate boxes, the slogan is pretty much true. If it fits, it ships. If you can get it in there, we'll get it over there."
Although it isn't recommended, for people who need to ship a package to a major city as late as Dec. 23, the USPS will be delivering Express Mail to most major cities even on Dec. 24-25. However, there may be a surcharge for the service, and not all areas are certain to offer it.
"Your best bet is to either check with that post office or call the 1-800 number," Walton said.
And to help save time during the busy holiday season, the postal service will even pick up packages at customers' homes free of charge.
The draw down of troops in Iraq will not affect the holiday mailing deadline for packages going to people stationed there. A personal e-mail from a service member in Iraq had started a misunderstanding that there would be an early cutoff this year, but that is not true, a statement from James Clark of the Military Postal Service Agency said.
"No such announcement has been made to the troops," he said.
The public should be aware, however, that mail going to Iraq takes an average of 7-10 days of transit time, Clark said.
The USPS will offer a discount on the largest size Priority Mail flat rate box, dropping the price from $13.95 to $11.95, for packages going to APO/FPO addresses overseas. Additional discounts may be available for customers printing Priority Mail postage labels online at Click-N-Ship. Mail sent to overseas military addresses is charged the domestic price.
Flat rate boxes are free at any post office, or can be ordered online at http://shop.usps.com. Post-age, labels and customs forms can be printed online any time using the Click-N-Ship service.
The USPS also offers free Military Care Kits, designed to help families sending packages overseas. The mailing kits include two large Priority Mail flat rate boxes, four medium boxes, six mail labels, one roll of tape and six customs forms. To order the kits, call 1-800-610-8734, or visit the USPS Web site.
Domestic and International Deadlines:
*Domestic (within United States)
Priority, Dec. 21; First Class, Dec. 21; Express Mail, Dec. 23; Parcel Post, Dec. 16.
*Canada
Priority Mail International, Dec. 14; First Class Mail, Dec. 11; Express Mail International, Dec. 18.
*Mexico
Priority Mail International, Dec. 11; First Class Mail, Dec. 11; Express Mail International, Dec. 17.
*Europe
Priority Mail International, Dec. 14; First Class Mail, Dec. 11; Express Mail International, Dec. 17.
*Australia
Priority Mail International, Dec. 11; First Class Mail, Dec. 11; Express Mail International, Dec. 17.
Military Mailing Deadlines
*APO/FPO AE ZIPs 090-092
Space Available Mail, Nov. 28; Priority Mail, Dec. 11; First Class Mail, Dec. 11; Express Mail Military Service, Dec. 18.
*APO/FPO AE ZIP 093 (Including Iraq and Afghanistan)
Space Available Mail, Nov. 21; Priority Mail, Dec. 4; First Class Mail, Dec. 4.
*APO/FPO AE ZIPs 094-098
Space Available Mail, Nov. 28; Priority Mail, Dec. 11; First Class Mail, Dec. 11; Express Mail Military Service, Dec. 18.
*APO/FPO AA ZIP 340
Space Available Mail, Nov. 28; Priority Mail, Dec. 11; First Class Mail, Dec.11; Express Mail Military Service, Dec. 18.
*APO/FPO AP ZIPs 962-966
Space Available Mail, Nov. 28; Priority Mail, Dec. 11; First Class Mail, Dec. 11; Express Mail Military Service, Dec. 18.