Mail carrier Posti says Covid has disrupted its international mail routes, causing it to service fewer than 20 countries outside of Europe.
"Passenger flights to far-off countries carry bags of mail in their cargo. But planes aren’t taking off now," explained Posti vice president Sami Finne.
Posti has been rerouting mail since the pandemic began, shifting deliveries from planes to trucks. Land transport now covers deliveries to most of mainland Europe, according to the company.
Posti says delivery is still smooth for parcels destined for the US, China, South Korea and Japan. The Finnish postal service has, however, halted deliveries to many countries in South America and Africa as well as New Zealand, among many others.
"We have no way of making these connections at a reasonable price," Finne said, adding that customers can consult Posti's country list for the most up-to-date information.
Customers wishing to send mail to a country not serviced by Posti should contact a courier service, according to Finne.
Posti now transports around a million pieces of mail each week--a figure it said it expects to double as the year draws to a close. The company has some 2,000 self-service pick-up points, which it says will grow to 2,200 by year’s end.