How reduced flight capacity has affected HK airmail services

I refer to the letter, “Why no airmail to some destinations?” (November 23).

The coronavirus pandemic poses a great challenge to the global aviation industry as well as postal operators.

Many of Hongkong Post’s airline contractors have substantially reduced their flights to various destinations and are only gradually scaling up their capacities lately, following the recent relaxation of the quarantine requirement for inbound travellers.

Hongkong Post has been working closely with the airline contractors to secure sufficient air capacity and has resumed airmail services to most of our top destinations.

Given that flight capacity has not fully resumed, we have not yet been able to resume services to certain destinations despite our tireless efforts

in seeking assistance from overseas postal administrations for transit arrangements.

For Ireland, we have resumed air letter and packet services as of November 25.

As regards airmail services to Iceland, Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, there is at present no air service or air capacity available to Hongkong Post from our airline contractors, nor transit assistance offered by overseas postal administrations.

San Marino and Vatican City both require transit assistance through Italy’s postal administration with whom we have been following up to seek resumption of services.

We fully understand members of the public expect an early full resumption of airmail services.

We will continue to spare no effort in working towards this as soon as the situation permits.

Sammy Cheng, senior manager (public relations), Hongkong Post