PHLPost temporarily suspends outbound mail to 35 countries due to regional airspace closure
The Philippine Postal Corporation will temporarily suspend all international outbound mail services to 35 countries due to regional airspace closures.
In a public advisory issued on March 3, PHLPost announced the immediate and temporary suspension of all international outbound mail services bound for countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and South America.
The suspension covers all classes of mail, including letters, parcels, and Express Mail Service (EMS).
Per the agency, the suspension is a precautionary step due to regional airspace closures at major transit hubs, particularly in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Doha, Qatar, following recent military conflict in the Middle East.
These airspace restrictions have affected key flight routes used by PHLPost and its international airline partners for mail transport.
The suspension applies to the following 35 countries:
- Middle East & Africa: Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh), South Africa, UAE (Dubai), Israel, and Iran
- Europe: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland
- Asia: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka
- South America: Colombia and Brazil
PHLPost assured the public that it remains committed to safeguarding customers’ mail while carrying out the necessary measures to minimize potential service disruptions at this time.
It added that they are closely coordinating with international postal administrations and customs authorities to ensure the secure handling and transport of mail items and to help gradually restore services until full resumption, until further notice.
The Middle East conflict escalated this week after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iranian targets, prompting retaliation from Hezbollah and Iran, which also attacked Gulf states, including Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE.
This occurred amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The Philippine Embassy earlier confirmed that a Filipina was killed in an airstrike in Tel Aviv.
Local carriers Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have earlier canceled flights to Dubai and to and from Doha. PAL has also suspended PR 685 from Doha to Manila.
Dubai, the world's busiest international hub, Doha, and Abu Dhabi airports were still closed as Iran launched retaliatory strikes on Gulf cities.
