Deutsche Post DHL has halted its air mail service within Germany after more than six decades, citing economic and ecological necessities.
“The era draws to a close after 63 years. Deutsche Post is abandoning its overnight air mail network in Germany,” a company press release from Bonn stated.
Final flights from partner carriers Eurowings and Tui Fly conducted several round-trip routes in Germany (Stuttgart-Berlin, Hanover-Munich and Hanover-Stuttgart) to deliver bundles of letters, placed on passenger seats.
“Air transportation of letters within Germany can no longer be justified in this era of climate change, especially as letters are no longer as urgent as they were several decades ago before the advent of email,” said Marc Hitschfeld, head of the Mail and Parcel division.
Signalling a decline in paper letters, Deutsche Post recently transported an average of 53 tonnes of mail – equivalent to 1.5 million letters – with six aircraft each night, compared to 430 tonnes with 26 aircraft in 1996. In the future, letters will only be transported via roads throughout Germany, a move expected to save “over 80% of the CO2” emitted during air transport.
The company had relied on flights for decades due to legal delivery deadlines, but ongoing legislative reform is set to ease current requirements to deliver mail the day after it is sent.
