Australia: Airletter Service Not Available to France in September 1946

This airletter (Stein A-2) was sent from SYDNEY (machine slogan cancel 11 SEP 1946) to Paris, France.

An instructional marking "NOT ELIGIBLE FOR / AERIAL MAIL. FEE / DEFICIENT / SYDNEY NO. 2" was applied and the “By Air Mail” routing instruction crossed out with blue crayon.

Airletter servies became a regular UPU service only with the 1952 Brussels UPU congress. Before, the availability of airletter services were subject to bilateral agreements between countries. In September 1946 air letter service between Australia and France has not yet been started. Air letter services between the two countries only commenced August 17, 1948.

Hence, the airletter was treated as an ordinary airmail letter for which it was short paid (1 s 6 d rate). Consequently, the air letter was diverted to surface mail.


Reference:
Stein, The Aerogrammes of Australia and Its Dependencies, 1944-1980