Ash cloud affecting international orders

[Blush]

Our airspace is still on lockdown and we have a pile of international orders to go out this morning. I know they are not going to go anywhere so debating whether to just hold onto them until it is ok again or still try and post them. But if Royal Mail are just going to have to sit on them then there is going to be backlog and thats when parcels go missing.
Doubt parcels will take priority either in the run of things either as so many people still stuck abroad aslo.

 

[quikshop]

Good point, we've sold a bag full of gear to Denmark over the weekend but we'll put it into the system anyway and let the couriers worry about fulfillment.

Anyone know how to say 'Its because of the Volcano' in Danish :|

 

[deadgoodundies]

Depends where overseas they are going.
Some Royal Mail stuff they are taking by Road, some stuff to USA they were taking by Road to Spain and then flying it out of Madrid.

 

[urisjerry]

Hope customers will understand this situation on the seller.

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

For Europe, I would recommend a Road parcel delivery, because these are as close to normal as could be expected, if you allow for an extra day or so's transit time to be on the safe side.

For Air; I totally agree with you. UPS have been using Israel as a intermediate point for Euro destination international deliveries, but I think that that too has reached capacity now, as well as Israel now also being grounded.

 

[deniser]

It's not just international orders but the UK too as they rely on flights to move post around the country.

Nothing I posted to Scotland last Thursday has arrived.

And special delivery has been suspended.

This flight ban is going to have far worse consequences than any postal strike or snow.

 

[GreenLaser]

Get it in the PILE , get it into the system , last thing you want is your packages at the back of the pile

PAUL

 

[deniser]

Get it in the PILE , get it into the system , last thing you want is your packages at the back of the pile

PAUL

There's no such thing as the back of the pile. The ones that can't go anywhere now will get warehoused and left for weeks. The new ones that can go through when the backlog is cleared will go straight through.

This is my experience anyway of the snow and last 3 postal strikes!

 

[enigma1]

Hope customers will understand this situation on the seller.

Most likely customers will file a dispute with their cc companies if they don't receive the merchandise. And I think it's better, as the more they do, the faster this lame stray of excuses posted in the media evaporates.

Although it is unlikely an official will end up paying for the mess.

 

[JN-WebDesign]

I just sent a package to England this morning (I live in Northern Ireland) and was told it could be weeks before it is recieved... Disaster

 

[quikshop]

Most likely customers will file a dispute with their cc companies if they don't receive the merchandise. And I think it's better, as the more they do, the faster this lame stray of excuses posted in the media evaporates.

There is a blanket of volcanic material that has been building up for months from an erupting Scandinavian volcano, and has drifted South West towards us.

If a plane with a jet engine flies through this covering, the volcanic material gets sucked into the jet engine which could cause a failure... followed by a crash and most likely deaths.

Most aircraft used to ferry people around these days are propelled by jet engines (thank the Germans for that).

What excuses are you referring to, or do you think they should just fly and take their chances?

 

[enigma1]

If a plane with a jet engine flies through this covering, the volcanic material gets sucked into the jet engine which could cause a failure... followed by a crash and most likely deaths.

Well that's your opinion in-line with the mainstream. In a nutshell for each problem you can find lots excuses but there are always solutions...that's what I know, that's what I am after. If an official admits he cannot do his job he should resign and let someone else do that.

Most aircraft used to ferry people around these days are propelled by jet engines (thank the Germans for that).

I don't see the point, you mean a technology pioneered in WWII does not evolve? You need to get out of the "cannot be done" mentality.

 

[quikshop]

In a nutshell for each problem you can find lots excuses but there are always solutions.

Yes, the solution is not to fly through volcanic debris in a jet propelled air plane.

 

[Lorro2]

My solution is to build tunnels under the Atlantic and Pacific oceans so all the land masses are joined up without all this niff naffing about flying through the air stuff.

 

[enigma1]

Yes, the solution is not to fly through volcanic debris in a jet propelled air plane.

Stay where you are is not a solution in this case, its more like

I don't know what to do therefore I do what I do best, getting laid.

 

[Kev Jaques]

Why can't we have teleporters? heheh .Star Trek had them 20 odd years ago and we're still stuck with this flying malarkey?

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

I think it was quite telling that the CEO of British Airways got on the test flight last night. Shows that he at least has faith in his company putting safety before profits (Either that, or he needed to get back to negotiate the rescue bail out).

 

[quikshop]

Why can't we have teleporters? heheh .Star Trek had them 20 odd years ago and we're still stuck with this flying malarkey?

We've been using them in Wolverhampton for the last 15 years... you still getting about in automobiles :|

 

[Kev Jaques]

I went green and got rid of the 2nd car with the govt scrappage scheme to buy just one car
I walk to work (apart from the odd occasion when the left foot doesn't know what the right foot is doing (and that's without any drinking lol)) - hows that

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

I live 5mins taxi from Prestwick airport, 1/2 hr from Glasgow airport, 5mins walk from the P&O irish ferry terminal, on a local and main bus route, and within walking distance of a train station that connects to the west coast (and east coast) main lines. We have one car for the family. And we all have bikes!

I like to keep me options open!! And last thursday/Friday, I was very very glad that I did so!!

 

[Blush]

Great another ash cloud on its way!
We use fedex and royal mail, wondering if it may be better to switch all orders to fedex? The use road only don't they I think? this is for uk orders that is. I sent an order to malta today, not really sure whether I should just hold onto these.
Does anyone know if Fedex are having any delays? I should just ring my account manager in the morning!

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

Great another ash cloud on its way!
We use fedex and royal mail, wondering if it may be better to switch all orders to fedex? The use road only don't they I think? this is for uk orders that is. I sent an order to malta today, not really sure whether I should just hold onto these.
Does anyone know if Fedex are having any delays? I should just ring my account manager in the morning!

Within the UK, all carriers use pretty much the same mix of road and air services. Partic for the further flung outreaches of the UK.

If they are international orders, then all of the carriers are in the same position, which is by land/sea to somewhere where they can get an international air connection (Israel or Spain most recently). However, at these hubs though there are huge backlogs because they are dealing with far more than the usual volumes.

If your orders are European orders, then I would recommend a road delivery service. Most of these are pretty much business as normal, and delivery times are 2-5 days, which is equivalent to what you'll be getting on an air service at the moment.

If you need a carrier that deals on a PAYG basis with European parcels then PM me and i'll send over details.

 

[jelly3]

• ROYAL MAIL - SERVICE ALERT "OPSFLASH" - 20th April, 2010
  Royal Mail issued the following update Tuesday 20th April 2010.

Operational general synopsis
The closure of UK airspace and airspace in parts of Europe continues to affect the transport of mail by air. This is impacting upon some UK domestic mail and mail due to either leave or enter the country via UK airports.
We have robust contingency plans in place to keep as much mail moving as possible, using alternative and additional road and rail services to replace air services.
In those parts of the country to which a high proportion of mail would normally travel by air, including Scotland, Northern Ireland, the South West and North East England, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, there may be a short delay to mail at this time. Some delays may also be being experienced in other parts of the UK.
We're really sorry for any inconvenience this situation is causing; please be assured we're doing all we can to keep disruption to an absolute minimum. We will get all services back to normal as soon possible.
Special Delivery™ services - temporary suspension of next day guarantee
As we use the air network to transport a proportion of our mail around the country, the continued closure of UK airspace is impacting on our ability to transport mail between the more remote parts of the UK. We are continuing to accept and prioritise Special Delivery™ items and we are confident that if customers use this service, the vast majority of Special Delivery™ items will arrive on time. Because the air network is not available to us at the moment, we cannot guarantee that every Special Delivery™ item will be delivered on time in all areas.
In order to provide customers with clear guidance, we have temporarily suspended the next day guarantee for Special Delivery ™ items.
We will continue to make every effort to deliver these items and will restore the guarantee of next day delivery as soon as we can be sure we can honour the Special Delivery™ service promise in all areas.

 

[ICEY]

We are awaiting four stock orders from four orders from different corners of the globe and all had been dispatched (so much for putting one day aside to receive orders and get everything put away)!!

Whilst our stock situation isn't quite critical yet it will be in a week or two. All orders are paid for and we need to convert the stock back into cash before we can purchase any more stock. I've spent a good proportion of today trying to find a "Plan B" for stock but so far any solutions are not quite ideal.

I think stock shortages are going to become very prominent shortly.

In the past few years as business owners we have had to cope with:-

* Ad hoc postal strikes
* The devaluation of the £ and Euro which has had a major impact when purchasing from abroad.
* Recession
* Snow & more delivery issues
* All credit completely drying up with thanks to the poor banking practices.

... and now this!

 

[mycoolgadget]

Good point, we've sold a bag full of gear to Denmark over the weekend but we'll put it into the system anyway and let the couriers worry about fulfillment.

Anyone know how to say 'Its because of the Volcano' in Danish :|

Hi Dave, here's the translation you asked for:

"Det er på grund af vulkanen"

Thomas

 

[deniser]

We are awaiting four stock orders from four orders from different corners of the globe and all had been dispatched (so much for putting one day aside to receive orders and get everything put away)!!

Whilst our stock situation isn't quite critical yet it will be in a week or two. All orders are paid for and we need to convert the stock back into cash before we can purchase any more stock. I've spent a good proportion of today trying to find a "Plan B" for stock but so far any solutions are not quite ideal.

I think stock shortages are going to become very prominent shortly.

In the past few years as business owners we have had to cope with:-

* Ad hoc postal strikes
* The devaluation of the £ and Euro which has had a major impact when purchasing from abroad.
* Recession
* Snow & more delivery issues
* All credit completely drying up with thanks to the poor banking practices.

... and now this!

I have the same problem. Going to put some orders in tonight hoping that they get here before the next ash cloud! Will time my delivery from China that was despatched yesterday - wonder if it will beat my 5 week delay to parcel from USA in January (snow)?