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Royal Mail announces recommended latest Christmas 2019 posting dates for international mail around the globe.
- Royal Mail today announced the latest Christmas posting dates for International Standard (air) mail, as well as International Tracked and Signature services
- Royal Mail reminds customers that they should observe the latest international recommended Christmas posting dates if letters and parcels are to arrive in time for Christmas Day
- Customers should also post early to help Royal Mail manage the bumper festive postbag
Royal Mail today announced its latest recommended international posting dates for overseas destinations to ensure mail arrives in time for Christmas 2019.
The first international recommended posting date is for mail to Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central & South America, the Far East, and the Middle East, which should be sent by Monday 9 December.
Those wanting to send cards or gifts to Cyprus and Malta, they should post no later than Tuesday 10 December.
For Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) cards and gifts should be sent no later than Wednesday 11 December.
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 12 December.
Letters and parcels to Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Finland, Sweden and the USA should be posted no later than Saturday 14 December to arrive in time for Christmas.
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 16 December.
Season’s Greetings going to Belgium, France, Ireland and Luxembourg should be posted by Wednesday 18 December.
The last posting dates apply to both standard international services and those which have tracking and signature.
All latest recommended posting dates are detailed in the table below:
| Last Posting Date | Destinations |
| Monday 9 Dec | Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central & South America, Far and the Middle East |
| Tuesday 10 Dec | Cyprus, Malta |
| Wednesday 11 Dec | Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) |
| Thursday 12 Dec | Australia, New Zealand, Greece or Turkey |
| Saturday 14 Dec | Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Finland, Sweden, USA |
| Monday 16 Dec | Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland |
| Wednesday 18 Dec | Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg |
A History of Overseas Delivery by Air with Royal Mail
The world’s first scheduled service for transporting mail by air took place in the United Kingdom on 9 September 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.
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