Australia: No Airletter Service to the US in 1946

Airletter (Stein #A-2) uprated with a 1 d stamp and sent from MELBOURNE (17 JAN 1946) to Los Angeles, US.

Before the 1952 Brussels UPU congress decisions came into effect on July 1, 1953, airletter service between countries was subject to bilateral agreements. Airletter service from Australia to the US only started on February 10, 1947 (and from the US to Australia on April 29, 1947).

The 8 d postage paid for surface mail to the US and transfer by air within the US. Hence, the type designation "AIRLETTER" was crossed out with blue crayon and "WITHIN AMERICA" was endorsed below the "BY AIR MAIL" routing instruction.


References
Breckon, Pre-Decimal Postal Rates
Stein, The Aerogrammes of Australia and Its Dependencies, 1944-1980