Runway work may lead to postal delivery delay

Postal deliveries may be delayed to parts of Otago and Southland during the next six weeks, as Dunedin International Airport is temporarily closed in the evenings to upgrade the runway.

New Zealand Post spokesman Michael Tull said the airport would be closed to evening flights between February 13 and March 26. That included a service which normally delivered letters and packages sent using FastPost, BoxLink, international priority letters and parcels, and courier services.

New Zealand Post would prioritise these items to earlier transport, where possible, during the runway upgrade, Mr Tull said.

''However, where this is not possible, a delay in delivery may result,'' he said.

''Items which cannot not be moved to earlier transport will be trucked down from Christchurch to Dunedin and, as a consequence, may arrive for processing at the Dunedin mail centre one hour later than is usually the case.''

Some mail which was transported by truck would still be processed for delivery on the same day, including all courier items.

However, the later arrival in Dunedin of mail addressed to certain parts of the region meant delivery would need to occur the next day, he said.

Delivery of FastPost, BoxLink, and inbound international priority letters were expected to be delayed at all postal services in Waitati, Waikouaiti, Warrington, Karitane, Palmerston, Balclutha, Kaitangata, Brighton, Owaka, Milton and Waihola during the six-week period.

All other deliveries were expected to be made as usual, unless conditions caused further delays for the truck to Dunedin, he said.

''The time for the delivery of standard mail - mail sent from one place in New Zealand to another, but not FastPost - should not be affected by the Dunedin Airport runway upgrade.

''While the runway closure is outside our control, New Zealand Post apologises for any inconvenience during this time,'' Mr Tull said.