Airsure from Great Britain: Not same as US Registered Mail?

[cocollectibles]

I had two packages lost in the past six months, both sent by Airsure from the UK to the US. In both cases the USPS agent I spoke with said they could not track this type of mail through our system after it enters the US; tracking is only updated when it reaches the destination (as with our delivery confirmation service, not as with our Registered Mail service). However, this is the Royal Mail blurb on Airsure; implies it can be tracked:

Airsure® can be up to one day faster than Airmail. Your item will receive priority handling at home and overseas and benefits from an online tracking facility so you can check your mail's progress along the way. We work closely with our international partners to ensure and maintain a high quality of service for our customers. For that reason, Airsure® is only available to selected destinations.

Airsure costs about twice as much to three times as much as regular mail (my packages are all small envelope sized). My question to my British (and other!) friends is, should I request Recorded Mail, or take a chance on the cheaper regular mail, which has never lost a shipment of similar sized packets?

Thanks.
Peter

[LickinGoodStamps]

Peter,

I have mailed numerous orders Internationally via Air Mail (even though we do provide the service of Registered Mail ($$$ Canada Post!)). To date, we have never lost a package either incoming or outgoing (International or specifically, the UK).

I would opt for regular First Class Air Mail. It has worked like a charm for us!

Also, from what you have shared with us Peter, it looks as though your package arrived safely to your Sorting Hub in the States. From there to your place it looks as though it has gone astray.

Hope this helps you out.

[cocollectibles]

Hi Michael and Andrea. Yes, that's what happened on both counts; it arrived in the NY station and never left; one is over four months old, the other two months old. For each, I called the USPS representative and was told, both times, it was NOT Customs that held it up; it was that they can't track Airsure packages but to contact Royal Mail. I did, and they said they can't track Airsure packages once it leaves the UK! So it doesn't sound very sure while in the air!

I got refunds from both sellers but they and I are not happy that they lost out on this "secure" service; the max insurance was about half of the final price!

[LickinGoodStamps]

Gone are the days of Fast, Friendly & Dependable mail services. All around everyone is a looser, all of course but the thiefs at the USPS!

That is what I most enjoy about our postal service here in the middle of no where, Saskatchewan! Our post is highly respected! I've seen some interesting videos on YouTube that is just shocking to see how USPS, UPS & DHL treat packages! Wont find that treatment up here.

What a shame that there is no PRIDE in the service any longer. Gone are the days when the Postman came by wearing his Forge Cap and Pressed Uniform! Worn with PRIDE!!! Now with ball caps & pepper spray. Says alot. Oh, and with the advent of email, the posties carry less in their satchels too! Wonder why they "Go Postal"???

I feel for the Sellers from the UK too. Who reimburses them for the negligence of a few bad apples in the USPS bushel?

Which does bring up yet another topic... Why are our Postal Rates so high? (need not answer, just tossed that one out to ponder upon a bit).

[richd4549]

Gone are the days of Fast, Friendly & Dependable mail services. All around everyone is a looser, all of course but the thiefs at the USPS!

That is what I most enjoy about our postal service here in the middle of no where, Saskatchewan! Our post is highly respected! I've seen some interesting videos on YouTube that is just shocking to see how USPS, UPS & DHL treat packages! Wont find that treatment up here.

What a shame that there is no PRIDE in the service any longer. Gone are the days when the Postman came by wearing his Forge Cap and Pressed Uniform! Worn with PRIDE!!! Now with ball caps & pepper spray. Says alot. Oh, and with the advent of email, the posties carry less in their satchels too! Wonder why they "Go Postal"???

I feel for the Sellers from the UK too. Who reimburses them for the negligence of a few bad apples in the USPS bushel?

Which does bring up yet another topic... Why are our Postal Rates so high? (need not answer, just tossed that one out to ponder upon a bit).

I can not help but to disagree with you. Why is it the only country I have had a problem with numerous times is Canada. I could swim across Lake Huron and deliver a parcel in Ontario faster than it takes for your packagee do be delivered by Canadian Post Office. I had numerous packages misplaced during your infamous postal strike of last year. I get outstanding service from my local USPS, a small town in NE Michigan. I have had the carrier drive up my ice laden hill of a drive way to deliver mail and packages a number of times so I would not have to slip slide down the driveway. Oh by the way the pepper spray is for dogs encountered on their routes. They also carry doggie treats and generously give them to well mannered dogs. Delays at points of entries are usually held up by customs not USPS. I had a package lost in Australian customs over over 6 months.It was found in the back of a retired agent's desk when his replacement was finally hired.
People who livein glass house should not walk around bare assed.

[LickinGoodStamps]

Gone are the days of Fast, Friendly & Dependable mail services. All around everyone is a looser, all of course but the thiefs at the USPS!

That is what I most enjoy about our postal service here in the middle of no where, Saskatchewan! Our post is highly respected! I've seen some interesting videos on YouTube that is just shocking to see how USPS, UPS & DHL treat packages! Wont find that treatment up here.

What a shame that there is no PRIDE in the service any longer. Gone are the days when the Postman came by wearing his Forge Cap and Pressed Uniform! Worn with PRIDE!!! Now with ball caps & pepper spray. Says alot. Oh, and with the advent of email, the posties carry less in their satchels too! Wonder why they "Go Postal"???

I feel for the Sellers from the UK too. Who reimburses them for the negligence of a few bad apples in the USPS bushel?

Which does bring up yet another topic... Why are our Postal Rates so high? (need not answer, just tossed that one out to ponder upon a bit).

I can not help but to disagree with you. Why is it the only country I have had a problem with numerous times is Canada. I could swim across Lake Huron and deliver a parcel in Ontario faster than it takes for your packagee do be delivered by Canadian Post Office. I had numerous packages misplaced during your infamous postal strike of last year. I get outstanding service from my local USPS, a small town in NE Michigan. I have had the carrier drive up my ice laden hill of a drive way to deliver mail and packages a number of times so I would not have to slip slide down the driveway. Oh by the way the pepper spray is for dogs encountered on their routes. They also carry doggie treats and generously give them to well mannered dogs. Delays at points of entries are usually held up by customs not USPS. I had a package lost in Australian customs over over 6 months.It was found in the back of a retired agent's desk when his replacement was finally hired.
People who livein glass house should not walk around bare assed.

Oh, Peter I was just having a little Postal Humor. I know you knew that. My worst postal indecent was in February 2009, I purchased a lot worth thousands. It looked as though the bottom fell out of the box! Couldn't believe it, but CAN/USA Customs took their time and taped up the box, ensuring all items were inside the box, and they must have used a whole roll of tape to secure it back up! Sure was the worst looking package I had ever received (good thing it wasn't glassware!), but upon my inspection, all items were inside!!! (just not where they originated).

Enjoy the weekend All!

[cocollectibles]

Hi. That wasn't I who had the issue with what you said; it was Rich.

In any event, I'd still like to hear from folks in the UK who use Airsure and if they can clarify if this is truly a trackable service and if not, what advantage does this get you over, for example, registered/recorded mail, which I understand, is trackable all the way through to the destination.

Cheers all!

[LickinGoodStamps]

Very good Peter, I'll step aside and lets see what others have to offer on this important topic.

[topkat]

I am located in Canada.
I use first class mail to UK and France (goes by air) - usually under 50 grams enveloppes.

It consistently take 3 days either way. It's been like that for the past several years.

[boppolis]

Now with ball caps & pepper spray. Says alot. Oh, and with the advent of email, the posties carry less in their satchels too! Wonder why they "Go Postal"???

WOW!!
Your posties only carry pepper spray??

Ours carry automatic weapons....
:^)

[boppolis]

I had two packages lost in the past six months, both sent by Airsure from the UK to the US. In both cases the USPS agent I spoke with said they could not track this type of mail through our system after it enters the US; tracking is only updated when it reaches the destination (as with our delivery confirmation service, not as with our Registered Mail service). However, this is the Royal Mail blurb on Airsure; implies it can be tracked:

Airsure® can be up to one day faster than Airmail. Your item will receive priority handling at home and overseas and benefits from an online tracking facility so you can check your mail's progress along the way. We work closely with our international partners to ensure and maintain a high quality of service for our customers. For that reason, Airsure® is only available to selected destinations.

Airsure costs about twice as much to three times as much as regular mail (my packages are all small envelope sized). My question to my British (and other!) friends is, should I request Recorded Mail, or take a chance on the cheaper regular mail, which has never lost a shipment of similar sized packets?

Thanks.
Peter

Hey Peter,
The short answer is NO, not even close.

As of a couple years ago it seems that both the US & OZ no longer treat incoming international registered mail securely. I'd found a thread here at BS about lost registered mail with a few links to some other forums & found there's hundreds of complaints about both countries for just that (not to mention a slew about registered mail being dropped in the box without a sig).

Domestic registration is still treated securely, same as it always was, it's just the incoming stuff from elsewhere that isn't.
Someone mentioned that the big red "R" can be translated in Aussie as "steal me, I'm valuable". Ditto for American translation.

So I quit having it done from elsewhere when I order a pricey pack or collection, & just go 1st-class. But I used to love Airsure when I was in FL, I'd get a letter-size mailing faster from the UK than from someone in the US (at 1/3 the cost of USPS' In'tl Priority flat-rate envelope), usually within 3 days.

[cocollectibles]

Thanks Greg; so Airsure IS their registered mail and it is at our end where the "tracked until delivered" part falls down flat. Typical.

I will look for the old thread here; thanks again.

[RazzmatazzComics]

You think you have shipping problems?

LINK

The ashes were mailed in a light green shoebox that was wrapped in brown shipping paper and sealed with masking tape. Inside the shoe box is a white cardboard box that is 4 inches wide, 4 inches tall and 6 inches long.

"The post office said that in the future I should put an address inside the box. Well if you can’t find the box, how you gonna find the address that's inside? In hindsight, it's nice advice but there is a label on top of the white box that says, 'This box contains the cremated remains of Joshua William Lindsay' so it's not like it's void of any description," Lindsay said.

[estampshop]

Hi Peter,

Been away for a while otherwise you would have a UK perspective on this before now. This is based on my experience of sending about 5 "registered" packages per month to various destinations (mainly USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand).

Royal Mail offer two products that traditionally we would have have called "registered".

1. International Signed For (ISF)
This is the replacement servcie for "Registered" and is available to all countries. It requires a signature upon delivery but tracking is ONLY until it leaves the UK. For letters within most of Europe there is also tracking available to its destination. Oddly tracking abroad is also available in New Zealand.

Although they are not required to, in some instances, other recipient countries do put the tracking reference on their system so it is possible to track items using their website rather than Royal Mail's. Australia and Canada seem to do this occasionally but US hardly ever - but I have seen them do it, just not very often.

2. Airsure
This is only availble to a small number (about 30) of countries and IIRC the US has only recently (within the last 12 months) been added to the list.

No signature is taken on delivery but as letters are tracked to the point of delivery, there is online delivery confirmation. Usually, this tracking information is available from Royal Mail's site but there is always a delay in it appearing (sometimes weeks). The tracking information is also almost always available on the recipient country's website and sooner.

Whilst not perfect, it is better than ISF. I would estimate that it is possible to track at least 50% of Airsure items, but only about 10% of ISF's if you are lucky.

From a seller's perspective, Paypal accept Airsure tracking references as proof of delivery but do not accept those for ISF. I always use Airsure (where it is available).

[cocollectibles]

Thank you Chris.