74 FR 36 pgs. 8473-8490 - International Product and Price Changes

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Type: RULEVolume: 74Number: 36Pages: 8473 - 8490

FR document: [FR Doc. E9-3962 Filed 2-24-09; 8:45 am]

Agency: Postal Service

Official PDF Version: PDF Version

POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 20

International Product and Price Changes

AGENCY:

Postal Service. TM

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Postal Service is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®), to reflect changes to the prices and product features for Mailing and Shipping Services.

DATES:

Effective Date: May 11, 2009. We will implement this international price change concurrent with our domestic Mailing Services price change.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Obataiye B. Akinwole at 703-292-5260 or Rick Klutts at 813-877-0372.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Governors of the Postal Service established new prices and product features for some of our Mailing and Shipping Services. This Federal Register final rule describes the international price and product changes by mail category as follows:

First-Class Mail International

First-Class Mail International service provides a reliable and economical means of sending correspondence ( e.g. , letters and postcards), documents, and lightweight merchandise weighing up to 4 pounds.

Postcards

Postcards consist of single cards sent without a wrapper or envelope. The price structure for postcards is expanded to include three separate prices: Canada, Mexico, and all other countries. Previously Canada and Mexico were priced the same.

International Priority Airmail (IPA)

IPA is a commercial service designed to meet the needs of the business mailer. It is available for volume mailings of all First-Class Mail International postcards, letters, large envelopes (flats), and packages (small packets). IPA service is more economical than regular First-Class Mail International service. Customers must tender only First-Class International items and must meet specified volume and sortation requirements. Each IPA mailing must weigh a minimum of 50 pounds. To achieve the 50-pound minimum, a mailing may consist of a combination of presorted mail, worldwide nonpresort mail, and M-bags.

To better capitalize on revenue opportunities and to reduce operational costs we have expanded our price groups from 9 to 15. In addition, there are also numerous IPA structural changes that include:

• Seven new country specific price groups. Previously, there were three country specific price groups (Canada, Mexico and Australia) and six other price groups containing multiple countries. There are now ten specific price groups, and five price groups that will contain multiple countries. The ten country specific price groups are:

Country	Price group
Canada	1
Mexico	2
Great Britain Northern Ireland	3
Germany	4
France	5
Switzerland	6
Italy	7
Netherlands	8
Australia	9
Japan	10

• To provide consistency and ease of use, we aligned eligibility and preparation requirements for International Priority Airmail TM (IPA®) and International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®) service where possible.

• Currently, both direct country and mixed country sacks can be entered at the full service or destination International Service Center (ISC) drop shipment prices. Effective May 11, 2009, only direct country sacks can be entered at the full service price. All other mail must be entered at the worldwide nonpresort price.

• The minimum weight for direct country and mixed country sacks (ISC drop shipment only) is now 5 pounds.

• The minimum volume requirements are now the same for IPA and ISAL mailings-50 pounds.

Direct Sacks of Printed Matter to One Addressee (IPA M-Bags)

M-bags are direct sacks of printed matter to one addressee. Prices are based on the total weight of the contents in the sack.

International Surface Air Lift (ISAL)

ISAL is a commercial service, which provides expedited dispatch and transportation for all types of First-Class Mail International items weighing up to 4 pounds. Each ISAL mailing must weigh a minimum of 50 pounds. To achieve the 50-pound minimum, a mailing may consist of a combination of presorted mail, worldwide nonpresort mail, and M-bags.

The structural changes noted above for IPA also apply to ISAL. In addition to those changes, the worldwide nonpresort price previously only available for IPA will now also be available for ISAL. This change will eliminate ISAL residual sacks.

Presort and drop shipment prices, as well as volume pricing, are still available for commercial customers who meet international customized mail program requirements. Postage for ISAL is based on country price groups.

Direct Sacks of Printed Matter to One Addressee (ISAL M-Bags)

M-bags are direct sacks of printed matter to one addressee. Prices are based on the total weight of the contents in the bag.

International Extra Services

Customers may add value to the way mail is shipped or received with a variety of extra services, including: Certificate of mailing, Registered Mail TM , restricted delivery, return receipt, business reply cards and envelopes, reply coupons, international postal money orders, and insurance for Global Express Guaranteed®, Express Mail International®, and Priority Mail International TM (parcels).

We revised the prices for the following international extra services: Express Mail International insurance, Priority Mail International insurance, Registered Mail, restricted delivery, and return receipt.

The Postal Service hereby adopts the following changes to Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM), which is incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 20.1

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 20

Foreign relations, International postal services.

Accordingly, 39 CFR Part 20 is amended as follows:

PART 20-[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for 39 CFR Part 20 continues to read as follows:

Authority:

5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 401, 404, 407, 408, 3622, 3632 and 3633.

2. Revise the following sections of Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM), as follows:

2Conditions for Mailing

220Express Mail International

221Description

221.3Insurance and Indemnity

221.31Express Mail International Merchandise Insurance

[Revise 221.31 to read as follows:]

Express Mail International merchandise insurance coverage against loss, damage, or rifling is provided up to $100 at no additional charge. Additional insurance coverage above $100 and up to a maximum of $5,000 may be purchased at the sender's option. See Individual Country Listings for merchandise insurance limits. The fee schedule for optional Express Mail International merchandise insurance coverage is as follows:

[Add new Express Mail insurance chart as follows:]

International Insurance

Indemnity limit not over	Fee
$0.01 to $100	$0.00
100.01 to 200	0.75
200.01 to 500	2.15
500.01 to 1,000	3.55
1,000.01 to 1,500	4.95
1,500.01 to 2,000	6.35
2,000.01 to 2,500	7.75
2,500.01 to 3,000	9.15
3,000.01 to 3,500	10.55
3,500.01 to 4,000	11.95
4,000.01 to 4,500	13.35
4,500.01 to 5,000	14.75

240First-Class Mail International

243Physical Characteristics

243.1Postcards

243.13Postage Prices and Fees

[Revise items 243.13a and b, and add new item c as follows:]

The postage prices for postcards are as follows:

a. Canada: $0.75.

b. Mexico: $0.79.

c. All other countries: $0.98.

290Commercial Services

[Delete current 292 in its entirety and replace to read as follows:]

292International Priority Airmail (IPA) Service

292.1Description

292.11General

International Priority Airmail (IPA) service is available for volume mailings of all First-Class Mail International postcards, letters, large envelopes (flats), and packages (small packets). The sender must prepare mailpieces in accordance with the shape-based requirements of First-Class Mail International service (see 240) and the requirements of this subchapter. Separate prices are provided for International Service Center (ISC) drop shipments, presorted mail, and worldwide nonpresort mail. Volume incentives are available through customized agreements.

292.12IPA M-Bags

IPA M-bags (direct sacks of printed matter to one addressee) may be entered in conjunction with an IPA mailing, are subject to the provisions of 260, and may be sent to all destination countries that are referenced in Exhibit 292.452. When using this method of mail preparation, the sender must complete PS Tag 115, International Priority Airmail, and PS Tag 158, M-bag Addressee Tag. Tags must be attached securely to the neck of the sack.

292.2Eligibility

292.21Qualifying Mailpieces

Any First-Class Mail International mailpiece that meets the characteristics as defined in 141.5 qualifies. Mailpieces do not have to be of the same size and weight to qualify. Any item sent by IPA must conform to the weight and size limits for First-Class Mail International postcards, letters, large envelopes (flats), and packages (small packets) as described in 240.

292.22Availability

IPA service is available to all foreign countries, as listed in Exhibit 292.452, which shows the price group assigned to each country.

292.23Minimum Quantity Requirements

292.231Minimum Quantity

All mailings must meet a minimum weight quantity of 50 pounds. To achieve the 50-pound minimum, mailings may include a combination of presorted mail, worldwide nonpresort mail, or M-bags.

292.232Presort Eligibility-Full Service

Only direct country sacks containing a minimum of 5 pounds in each sack qualify for the presort price. All remaining mail must be prepared and paid at the worldwide nonpresort price.

292.233Presort Eligibility-ISC Drop Shipment

Only direct country sacks and mixed country sacks containing a minimum of 5 pounds in each sack qualify for the presort price. Price groups containing less than 5 pounds must be prepared and paid at the worldwide nonpresort price.

292.24Dutiable Items

Dutiable items may be sent in accordance with the applicable rules in this subchapter for each respective category of mail. Priority Mail International items, either ordinary or insured, may not be mailed as IPA.

292.25Customs Forms Requirements

See 123 for customs forms requirements.

292.26Extra Services

Extra services are not available for items sent by IPA.

292.3Prices and Postage Payment Methods

292.31Prices

292.311General

IPA service has two price options: a presort price option with 15 price groups, and a worldwide nonpresort price (292.311a). Both options offer full service prices (292.311b) for mail deposited at offices other than the drop shipment offices listed in 292.531; and drop shipment prices (292.311c) for mail deposited at one of the drop shipment offices. The per-piece price and per-pound price are shown in Exhibit 292.311a. The per-piece price applies to each piece regardless of its weight. The per-pound price applies to the net weight (gross weight minus tare weight of sack or tray) of the mail for the specific price group. Fractions of a pound are rounded to the next whole pound for postage calculation.

Exhibit 292.311a

Direct country sacks	Price group	Per piece	Full service per lb.	ISC drop shipment per lb.	Per piece
1	$0.43	$7.12	$4.62
2	0.15	6.69	4.19
3	0.42	9.07	6.57
4	0.45	9.52	7.02
5	0.43	9.26	6.76
6	0.44	9.26	6.76
7	0.42	9.00	6.50
8	0.41	9.00	6.50
9	0.33	9.97	7.47
10	0.41	9.20	6.70
11	0.40	9.00	6.50	$0.42	$6.83
12	0.15	8.00	5.50	0.16	5.78
13	0.16	7.35	4.85	0.17	5.10
14	0.15	9.00	6.50	0.16	6.83
15	0.12	9.50	7.00	0.13	7.35

Price group	Per piece	Full service per lb.	ISC drop shipment per lb.
n/a	$0.47	$10.98	$8.09

Exhibit 292.311b

Price group	Full service per lb.
1	$4.60
2	5.20
3	6.10
4	6.10
5	6.10
6	6.10
7	6.10
8	6.10
9	8.10
10	7.65
11	6.10
12	6.90
13	6.70
14	7.45
15	7.35
Note: Full Service M-bags are subject to the minimum price for 11 lbs.

Exhibit 292.311c

Price group	5 lbs.	6 lbs.	7 lbs.	8 lbs.	9 lbs.	10 lbs.	11 lbs.	Each additional pound
1	$19.30	$19.75	$20.20	$20.65	$21.10	$21.55	$22.00	$2.00
2	25.00	25.60	26.20	26.80	27.40	28.00	28.60	2.60
3	30.85	31.85	32.85	33.85	34.85	35.85	36.85	3.35
4	30.85	31.85	32.85	33.85	34.85	35.85	36.85	3.35
5	30.85	31.85	32.85	33.85	34.85	35.85	36.85	3.35
6	30.85	31.85	32.85	33.85	34.85	35.85	36.85	3.35
7	30.85	31.85	32.85	33.85	34.85	35.85	36.85	3.35
8	30.85	31.85	32.85	33.85	34.85	35.85	36.85	3.35
9	47.75	49.60	51.45	53.30	55.15	57.00	58.85	5.35
10	44.50	46.25	48.00	49.75	51.50	53.25	55.00	5.00
11	30.85	31.85	32.85	33.85	34.85	35.85	36.85	3.35
12	38.75	39.90	41.05	42.20	43.35	44.50	45.65	4.15
13	38.65	39.45	40.25	41.05	41.85	42.65	43.45	3.95
14	44.80	45.95	47.10	48.25	49.40	50.55	51.70	4.70
15	42.50	43.85	45.20	46.55	47.90	49.25	50.60	4.60
Note: ISC Drop Shipment M-bags are subject to the minimum price for 5 lbs.

292.32Computation of Postage

Postage is computed on PS Form 3700, Postage Statement-International Mail.

292.321Computing Worldwide Nonpresort Prices

To compute postage at the worldwide nonpresort price multiply the number of pieces in the mailing by the applicable per-piece price, multiply the net weight (in whole pounds) of the entire mailing by the applicable per-pound price, and then add the two totals together.

292.322Computing Presort Prices

To compute postage at the presorted price multiply the number of pieces in the mailing destined for countries in a specific price group by the appropriate per-piece price, multiply the net weight (in whole pounds) of those pieces by the corresponding per-pound price, and then add the two totals together.

292.33Postage Payment Methods

292.331General

Postage must be paid by postage meter, permit imprint, or precanceled stamps (see DMM 604).

292.332Postage Meter

Payments made by postage meter are subject to the following standards:

a. Piece Price. The applicable per piece postage shown in 292.311a must be affixed to each mailpiece when paying with a meter. Mailers who have an ICM agreement must affix the applicable per piece postage as set forth in their ICM agreement.

b. Pound Price. Postage for the pound price portion must be paid either by meter stamp(s) attached to the postage statement or from the mailer's authorized permit imprint advance deposit account.

c. Postage Endorsement. Each piece must be legibly endorsed with the words "INTERNATIONAL PRIORITY AIRMAIL."

d. Specifications for Endorsement. The endorsement required in 292.332c must appear on the address side of each piece and must be applied by a printing press, hand stamp, or other similar printing device. It must be printed above the name of the addressee and to the left or below the postage, or it may be printed adjacent to the meter stamp in either the postal inscription slug area or ad plate area. If the postal endorsement appears in the ad plate area, no other information may be printed in the ad plate. The endorsement may not be typewritten or hand-drawn. The endorsement is not considered adequate if it is included as part of a decorative design or advertisement.

e. Unmarked Pieces. Unmarked pieces lacking the postage endorsement are subject to the First-Class Mail International single-piece price.

f. Drop Shipment of Metered Mail. Mailers who want to enter metered IPA mail at a Post Office facility other than where the meter is licensed must obtain a drop shipment authorization. To obtain an authorization, the mailer must submit a written request to the postmaster at the office where the mail will be entered (see DMM 705).

292.333Precanceled Stamps

Payments made by precanceled stamps are subject to the following standards:

a. Piece Price. The same denomination of stamp must be affixed to every piece in the mailing.

b. Pound Price. Additional postage is paid at the time of mailing by advance deposit account or meter stamp affixed to the back of the accompanying postage statement.

c. Postage Endorsement. Each piece must be legibly endorsed with the words "INTERNATIONAL PRIORITY AIRMAIL."

d. Specifications for Endorsement. The endorsement required in 292.333c must appear on the address side of each piece and must be applied by a printing press, hand stamp, or other similar printing device. It must be printed above the name of the addressee and to the left or below the postage, or it may be printed adjacent to the precanceled stamp. The endorsement may not be typewritten or hand-drawn. The endorsement is not considered adequate if it is included as part of a decorative design or advertisement.

e. Unmarked Pieces. Unmarked pieces lacking the postage endorsement are subject to the First-Class Mail International single-piece price.

292.334Permit Imprint

Mailers may use a permit imprint for mailings that contain identical weight pieces. Any of the permit imprints shown in Exhibit 152.44 are acceptable. Postage is calculated as described in 292.32 and is deducted from the mailer's advance deposit account. Permit imprints must not denote bulk mail, nonprofit, or other domestic or special mail. Mailers may use permit imprint with nonidentical weight pieces only if authorized to use postage mailing systems under DMM 705.

292.4Mail Preparation

292.41Addressing

International Priority Airmail is subject to the addressing requirements contained in 122.

a. Exception-Canada: International Priority Airmail items destined for Canada must have the applicable alphanumeric postcode included in the delivery address. See 122.1k for the address formatting requirements that generally apply to mailpieces sent to Canada.

b. Exception-Direct Country Sacks: International Priority Airmail in direct country sacks (see 292.461) is not subject to the interline addressing requirement that is specified in 122.1d. At the sender's risk, the English translation of the destination Post Office or city name may be omitted from printed addresses that are in Russian, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Cyrillic, Japanese, or Chinese characters. An English translation of the country name ( e.g. , Japan) is still required on the individual mailpieces.

292.42Marking

292.421Letter-Size and Flat-Size Mailpieces

The sender should mark "PAR AVION" or "AIR MAIL" on the address side of each piece. Use of bordered airmail envelopes is optional and may be used for items sent in this service if the envelope contains the "AIR MAIL" endorsement.

292.422Packages (Small Packets)

Items that might be mistaken for another class of mail due to size, weight, or appearance should be marked "LETTER-POST" on the address side.

292.43Sealing

Mail that is sent via IPA service may be sealed at the sender's option. See 244.4 for the packaging methods that are applicable to all First-Class Mail International items.

Exception: For direct country sacks only, First-Class Mail International folded mailpieces, without envelopes, are permitted provided one of the following methods is used:

1. All of the open sides are secured with tape, tabs, or wafer seals of sufficient quantity and strength to prevent the mailpieces from opening or being damaged during postal handling.

2. The mailpieces meet the physical standards and tabbing requirements in DMM 201.3.

292.44Physical Characteristics and Requirements for All Bundles

The following standards apply:

a. Thickness. Bundles of letter-size mail must be no thicker than approximately a handful of mail (4 to 6 inches thick). Bundles of flat-size mail may be thicker than 6 inches but must not weigh more than 11 pounds.

b. Securing Bundles. Each bundle must be securely tied to withstand normal transit. Placing rubber bands around the length and then the girth is the preferred method of securing bundles of letter-size mail. Plastic strapping placed around the length and then the girth is the preferred method of securing bundles of flat-size mail.

c. Separation of Bundles. Letter-size and flat-size mail must be bundled separately.

d. Facing of Pieces. All pieces in bundles must be faced in the same direction.

292.45Sortation

292.451Presort Mailings-General

Follow these steps when preparing IPA presort mail (except for mail to Canada):

a. Full Service. For presort mailings, all mail addressed to an individual country that contains 5 pounds or more must be sorted into direct country bundles and sacked in direct country sacks. Mail that cannot be made up into direct country sacks must be prepared and entered at the worldwide nonpresort price.

b. ISC Drop Shipment. For presort mailings, all mail addressed to an individual country that contains 5 pounds or more must be sorted into direct country bundles and sacked in direct country sacks. Next, all mail addressed to individual countries within a single price group containing 5 pounds or more must be bundled separately and prepared in mixed country sacks. Mail that ultimately cannot be made up into direct country sacks or mixed country sacks must be prepared and entered at the worldwide nonpresort price.

Note:

There are separate preparation requirements for mail to Canada. See 292.47.

292.452Presorted Mail-Direct Country Bundle Label

A label (facing slip) for direct country bundles prepared in mixed country sacks must be completed and placed on the address side of the top piece of each bundle in such a manner that it will not become separated from the bundle. The pressure-sensitive labels and optional endorsement lines used domestically for presort mail are prohibited for IPA. Bundle labels (see Exhibit 292.452) must contain the following:

Line 1: Foreign Exchange Office.

Line 2: Country of Destination.

Line 3: Mailer, Mailer Location.

Example:

1150 VIENNA FLUG

AUSTRIA

RBA COMPANY, WASHINGTON DC

Exhibit 292.452

Price group	Country	Destination code	Exchange office name
15	Afghanistan	KBL	Kabul.
12	Albania	TIA	Tirana.
15	Algeria	ALG	Algiers.
11	Andorra¹
15	Angola	LAD	Luanda.
13	Anguilla	AXA	The Valley.
13	Antigua and Barbuda	ANU	St. John's.
13	Argentina	BUE	Buenos Aires Avion.
15	Armenia	EVN	Yerevan.
13	Aruba	AUA	Oranjestad.
12	Ascension¹
9	Australia²	SYD	Sydney.
11	Austria	VIE	1000 Wien.
15	Azerbaijan	BAK	Baku.
11	Azores¹
13	Bahamas	NAS	Nassau.
15	Bahrain	BAH	Bahrain.
15	Bangladesh	DAC	Dhaka Apt.
13	Barbados	BGI	Bridgetown.
12	Belarus	MSQ	Minsk PI 2.
11	Belgium	BRU	Brussels EMC.
13	Belize	BZE	Belize City.
15	Benin	COO	Cotonou.
13	Bermuda	BDA	Hamilton.
15	Bhutan¹
13	Bolivia	LPB	La Paz.
13	Bonaire¹ ³
12	Bosnia and Herzegovina	SJJ	Sarajevo.
15	Botswana	GBE	Gabrone.
13	Brazil	RIO	Rio de Janeiro.
13	British Virgin Islands	RAD	Roadtown.
14	Brunei Darussalam	BWN	Bandar Seri Begawan.
12	Bulgaria	SOF	Sofia.
15	Burkina Faso	OUA	Ouagadougou.
15	Burundi	BJM	Bujumbura.
14	Cambodia	PNH	Phnom Penh.
15	Cameroon	DLA	Douala.
1	Canada	See 292.47 Canadian Labeling Information.
15	Cape Verde	RAI	Praia.
13	Cayman Islands	GCM	Grand Cayman.
15	Central African Republic	BGF	Bangui.
15	Chad	NDJ	N'Djamena.
13	Chile	SCL	Santiago Avion.
14	China	BJS	Beijing.
13	Colombia	BOG	Bogota Aeropuerto.
15	Comoros Islands¹
15	Congo, Dem. Rep. of the	FIH	Kinshasa CTT.
15	Congo, Rep. of the	BZV	Brazzaville.
	Cook Islands	RAR	Rarotonga.
5	Corsica¹
13	Costa Rica	SJO	San Jose.
15	Cote d'Ivoire	ABJ	Abidjan.
12	Croatia	ZAG	Zagreb.
13	Cuba	HAV	Havana Avion.
13	Curacao³	CUR	Willemstad.
15	Cyprus	NIC	Nicosia.
12	Czech Republic	PRG	Prague 120.
11	Denmark	CPH	Copenhagen INC.
15	Djibouti	JIB	Djibouti.
13	Dominica	DOM	Roseau.
13	Dominican Republic	SDQ	Santo Domingo.
13	Ecuador	UIO	Quito.
15	Egypt	CAI	Cairo Int'l Airport.
13	El Salvador	SAL	San Salvador.
15	Equatorial Guinea	SSG	Malbo.
15	Eritrea	ASM	Asmara.
12	Estonia	TLL	Tallinn.
15	Ethiopia	ADD	Addis Ababa.
13	Falkland Islands¹
12	Faroe Islands¹
14	Fiji	NAN	Nadi.
11	Finland	HEL	Helsinki.
5	France	CDG	Roissy CI.
13	French Guiana	CAY	Cayenne.
14	French Polynesia	FAA	PPT Centre Traitement Courier Air.
15	Gabon	LBV	Libreville.
15	Gambia	BJL	Banjul.
15	Georgia, Republic of	TBS	Tbilisi.
4	Germany	FRA	Frankfurt/M.
15	Ghana	ACC	Accra.
11	Gibraltar	GIB	Gibraltar.
3	Great Britain (includes England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and The Isle of Man)	LON	Great Britain.
11	Greece	ATH	Athens.
11	Greenland¹
13	Grenada	GND	St. George's.
13	Guadeloupe	PTP	Pointe-a-Pitre.
13	Guatemala	GUA	Guatemala.
15	Guinea	CKY	Conakry.
15	Guinea-Bissau	OXB	Bissau.
13	Guyana	GEO	Georgetown.
13	Haiti	PAP	Port-au-Prince.
13	Honduras	TGU	Tegucigalpa.
14	Hong Kong	HKG	Victoria.
12	Hungary	BUD	Budapest 1005.
11	Iceland	REK	Reykjavik.
15	India	DEL	Delhi Air.
14	Indonesia	JKT	Jakarta Soekarnohatta.
15	Iran	THR	Tehran.
15	Iraq	BGW	Baghdad.
11	Ireland	DUB	Dublin.
11	Israel	TLV	Tel Aviv-Yafo.
7	Italy	MIL	Milan.
13	Jamaica	KIN	Kingston.
10	Japan	NRT	Narita AP A.
15	Jordan	AMM	Amman.
15	Kazakhstan	ALA	Almaty PCI-5.
15	Kenya	NBO	Nairobi.
14	Kiribati	TRW	Tarawa.
14	Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North)¹
14	Korea, Republic of (South)	SEL	Seoul IPO.
15	Kuwait	KWI	Kuwait MSC.
12	Kyrgyzstan	FRU	Bichkek PI-1.
14	Laos	VTE	Vientiane.
12	Latvia	RIX	Riga OE Letters.
15	Lebanon	BEY	Beirut.
15	Lesotho	MSU	Maseru.
15	Liberia	MLW	Monrovia.
15	Libya	TIP	Tripoli.
11	Liechtenstein¹
12	Lithuania	VNO	Vilnius.
11	Luxembourg	LUX	Luxembourg Ville.
12	Macao	MFM	Macau.
12	Macedonia	SKP	1003 SKOP JEB.
15	Madagascar	TNR	Antananarivo TRI.
15	Malawi	LBE	Limbe.
14	Malaysia	KUL	Kuala Lumpur.
15	Maldives	MLE	Male.
15	Mali	BKO	Bamako.
15	Malta	MAR	Valletta.
13	Martinique	FDF	Fort de France.
15	Mauritania	NKC	Nouakchott.
15	Mauritius	MRU	Port Louis SSR.
2	Mexico	MEX	Mexico Aereo DF.
15	Moldova	KIV	Kishinev.
11	Monaco	MCM	Monte Carlo.
14	Mongolia¹	ULN	Ulaanbaatar CPO.
13	Montenegro	TGD	Montenegro Post.
15	Montserrat	MNI	Plymouth.
15	Morocco	CAS	Casablanca CCI.
15	Mozambique	MPM	CPI Maputo.
15	Namibia	WDH	Windhoek.
14	Nauru	INU	Nauru.
14	Nepal	KTM	Kathmandu.
8	Netherlands	AMS	Amsterdam EXP.
13	Netherlands Antilles¹ ³
14	New Caledonia	NOU	Noumea CTC.
11	New Zealand	AKL	Auckland.
13	Nicaragua	MGA	Managua.
15	Niger	NIM	Niamey CNTLC.
15	Nigeria	LOS	Lagos.
11	Norway	OSL	Oslo Letter Centre.
15	Oman	MCT	Muscat.
15	Pakistan	ISB	Islamabad IM.
13	Panama	PTY	Panama City.
14	Papua New Guinea	BOR	Boroko.
13	Paraguay	ASU	Asuncion.
13	Peru	LIM	Lima Transito.
14	Philippines	MNL	Manila.
14	Pitcairn Island¹
12	Poland	WAW	Warsaw Wer.
11	Portugal	LIS	Lisbon Province.
15	Qatar	DOH	Doha.
15	Reunion	RUN	St. Denis.
12	Romania	BUH	Bucuresti C.
12	Russia	MOW	Moscow PCI-1.
15	Rwanda	KGL	Kigali.
13	Saba¹ ³
13	Saint Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis	SKB	Basseterre.
13	Saint Eustatius¹ ³
13	Saint Helena¹
13	Saint Lucia	SLU	Castries.
13	Saint Maarten³	SXM	Philipsburg.
13	Saint Pierre and Miquelon¹
13	Saint Vincent and The Grenadines	KTN	Kingstown.
11	San Marino¹
12	Sao Tome and Principe¹
15	Saudi Arabia	DMM	Dammam Central Post.
15	Senegal	DKR	Dakar Centre de Tri Postal.
12	Serbia, Republic of	BEG	Belgrad C 11003 Letters.
15	Seychelles	SEZ	Victoria Seychelles Post Office.
15	Sierra Leone	FNA	Freetown.
14	Singapore	SIN	Singapore.
12	Slovak Republic (Slovakia)	BTS	Bratislava 090.
12	Slovenia	LJU	Ljubljana 1003.
14	Solomon Islands	HIR	Honiara.
15	Somalia	MGQ	Mogadishu.
15	South Africa	JNB	Johannesburg.
11	Spain	MAD	Madrid Airport.
15	Sri Lanka	CMB	Colombo.
15	Sudan	KRT	Khartoum.
13	Suriname	PBM	Paramaribo.
15	Swaziland	MTS	Manzini.
11	Sweden	STO	Stockholm Flug.
6	Switzerland	ZRH	Zurich 1.
15	Syria	DAM	Damascus.
14	Taiwan	TPE	Taipei.
15	Tajikistan	DYU	Dushanbe.
15	Tanzania	DAR	Dar es Salaam.
14	Thailand	BKK	Suvarnabhumi Mail Centre.
15	Togo	LFW	Lome.
14	Tonga	TBU	Nukualofa.
13	Trinidad and Tobago	POS	Port of Spain.
15	Tristan da Cunha¹
15	Tunisia	TUN	Tunis.
12	Turkey	IST	Istanbul Uluslararasi Posta Isleme.
12	Turkmenistan	ASB	Achgabat PI-1.
13	Turks and Caicos Islands	GDT	Grand Turk.
14	Tuvalu¹
15	Uganda	KLA	Kampala.
15	Ukraine	IEV	Kiev PI-1.
15	United Arab Emirates	DXB	Dubai.
13	Uruguay	MVD	Montevideo.
15	Uzbekistan	TAS	Tashkent.
14	Vanuatu	VLI	Port Vila.
11	Vatican City	VAT	Vatican City.
13	Venezuela	CCS	Caracas.
14	Vietnam	SGN	Ho Chi Minh Ville.
14	Wallis and Futuna Islands¹
14	Western Samoa	APW	Apia.
15	Yemen	SAH	Sanaa.
15	Zambia	LUN	Lusaka Airmail.
15	Zimbabwe	HRE	Harare CSO.
Footnotes:
¹ Direct country sacks are not made to these destinations. Prepare direct country packages and include in mixed direct country sacks labeled to the assigned U.S. exchange office listed in 292.462.
² At the mailer's option, a finer sortation for IPA items addressed to Australia may be used. If this option is chosen, items addressed with postal codes beginning with 0, 1, 2, 4, and 9 and uncoded mail should be sorted and packaged to Sydney. Direct country sacks should be tagged to Sydney as well. Both the three-letter exchange office code, "SYD," and the country name, Australia, should be entered in the "TO" block of Tag 178. Items addressed with postal codes beginning with 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8 should be sorted and packaged to Melbourne. Direct country sacks should be tagged to Melbourne as well. Both the three-letter exchange office code, "MEL," and the country name, Australia, should be entered in the "TO" block of Tag 178.
³ Netherlands Antilles includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten.

292.453Worldwide Nonpresort Mail-Bundles

IPA mail paid at the worldwide nonpresort price must be made into bundles as defined in 292.44. Letters and flats must be bundled separately, although nonidentical pieces may be commingled within each of these categories. Pieces that cannot be bundled because of their physical characteristics must be placed loose in the sack and do not require labeling (facing slips).

292.46Sacking Requirements

292.461Direct Country Sack (5 Pounds or More)

The following standards apply:

a. General. When there are 5 pounds or more of mail addressed to the same country, the mail must be enclosed in a Direct Country Sack. All types of mail, including letter-size bundles, flat-size bundles, and loose items, can be commingled in the same sack for each destination and counted toward the 5-pound minimum. The maximum weight of the sack and contents must not exceed 66 pounds.

b. Direct Country Sack Tags. Direct country sacks must be labeled with PS Tag 155, Surface Airlift Mail , showing the destination country. The mailer must also specify the price group on the back of PS Tag 155.

c. Direct Country Sack Label. The sack label must be completed as follows. (See Exhibit 292.462 for list of U.S. International Exchange Offices.)

Line 1: Appropriate U.S. Exchange Office and Routing Code

Line 2: Contents-DRX COUNTRY

Line 3: Mailer, Mailer Location

Example:

ISC NEW YORK NY 003

IPA-DRX COUNTRY

ABC STORE, ALBANY, NY

292.462Mixed Country Sacks (5 Pounds or More-ISC Drop Shipment Only)

The following standards apply:

a. General. When mail is prepared under the ISC drop shipment option, direct country bundles destined to a specific country that cannot be made up in direct country sacks must be prepared in a mixed country sack. A mixed country sack must be prepared for each price group. Only countries in price groups 11 through 15 are eligible for this price. The maximum weight of the sack and the contents must not exceed 66 pounds.

b. Mixed Country Sack Tags. Mixed country sacks must be labeled with PS Tag 155, Surface Airlift Mail , which identifies the mail to ensure it receives priority handling. The mailer must specify the price group on the back of PS Tag 155.

c. Mixed Country Sack Label. The sack label must be completed as follows.

(See Exhibit 292.462 for list of U.S. International Exchange Offices.)

Line 1: Appropriate U.S. Exchange Office and Routing Code

Line 2: Contents-DRX MIXED

Line 3: Mailer, Mailer Location

Example:

ISC NEW YORK NY 003

IPA-DRX MIXED

ABC STORE, ALBANY NY

Exhibit 292.462

IPA acceptance office 3-digit ZIP code prefix	U.S. exchange office and routing code for line 1
004-005, 010-089, 100-268, 270-297, 400-418, 420-427, 470-471, 476-477	ISC NEW YORK NY 003.
006-009, 298-339, 341-342, 344, 346-347, 349-397, 399	ISC MIAMI FL 33112.
424, 430-469, 478-516, 520-528, 530-531, 534-535, 537-567, 570-588, 600-620, 622-631, 633-641, 644-658, 660-662, 664-681, 683-693, 700-708, 710-799, 885	ISC CHICAGO IL 60290.
590-599, 821, 832-838, 970-986, 970-999	AMC SEATTLE WA 980.
800-816, 820, 822-831, 840-847, 893-898, 937-961	ISC SAN FRANCISCO CA 94013.
850, 852-853, 855-857, 859-860, 863-865, 870-875, 877-884, 889-891, 900-908, 910-928, 930-936	ISC LOS ANGELES CA 900.
967-969	PDC HONOLULU HI 967.

292.463Worldwide Nonpresort Mail Sacks

The following standards apply:

a. General. The working bundles of mixed country mail and loose items must be enclosed in sacks unless other equipment is specified by the acceptance office. Nonpresorted letter-size mail may be presented in trays if authorized by the acceptance office. The maximum weight of the sack, or tray, and the contents must not exceed 66 pounds.

Note:

Working bundles of mixed country mail cannot be enclosed in mixed country sacks.

b. Worldwide Nonpresort Sack Tags. Sack tags for worldwide nonpresort sacks must be labeled with PS Tag 155, Surface Airlift Mail that identifies the mail to ensure it receives priority handling. The mailer must specify "WW" (worldwide) on the back of PS Tag 155.

c. Worldwide Nonpresort Mail Sack Label. The sack label must be completed as follows: (See Exhibit 292.462 for list of U.S. International Exchange Offices.)

Line 1: Appropriate U.S. Exchange Office and Routing Code

Line 2: Contents WKG

Line 3: Mailer, Mailer Location

Example:

ISC MIAMI FL 33112

IPA-WKG

ABC COMPANY, MIAMI FL

292.47Mail Preparation for Canada

Letter-size, flat-size, and package-size items must be prepared in separate containers. To qualify for the presort price, the same eligibility requirements for full service (see 292.232), or ISC drop shipment (see 292.233) apply. If the total mailing contains less than 5 pounds of mail for Canada, then the mail only qualifies for the worldwide nonpresort price but may be included with mail for other countries. Mailings that only contain worldwide nonpresort mail for Canada (50 pound minimum) are prepared under 292.453 and 292.463. The preparation requirements of presorted mail to Canada are as follows.

a. Letter-Size and Flat-Size Mail . Letter-size items are prepared in letter trays, either 1-foot or 2-foot, depending on volume. Flat-size items are prepared in flat trays. All items must be faced in the same direction, and all trays must be full enough to keep the mail from mixing during transportation. Do not prepare the content of the tray in bundles. Letter-size and flat-size trays must be sleeved or covered and secured with strapping. The mailer must identify each tray label to show the destination in Canada, content and the dispatching U.S. international exchange office in the following format: See Exhibit 292.47 for Canadian labeling information.

Line 1: Canadian Destination, U.S. Exchange Office Code

Line 2: Contents

Line 3: Mailer, Mailer Location

Example:

MONTREAL QC FWD 003

IPA

ABC COMPANY, NEW YORK NY

In addition, the mailer must complete PS Tag 115, International Priority Airmail . Write "Canada" on the reverse and tape the tag to the tray sleeve. All trays must be banded.

b. Packages . Items that cannot be prepared in trays because of their size or shape must be placed loose in sacks. Mailers must complete PS Tag 115, International Priority Airmail . Write "Canada" on the reverse side of the tag and label. In addition, mailers must also attach a completed PS Tag 178, Airmail Bag Label .

Exhibit 292.47

Origin ZIP code	Exchange office	Canadian destination	U.S. exchange office code
004-005, 010-089, 100-268, 270-297, 400-418, 420-427, 470-471, 476-477	JFK	MONTREAL QC FWD	003
298-339, 341-342, 344, 346-347, 349-397, 399, 723	MIA	MONTREAL QC FWD	33112
430-469, 472-475, 478-516, 520-528, 530-567, 570-588, 600-631, 633-641, 644-658, 660-662, 664-681, 683-693, 700-708, 710-722, 724-816, 822-831, 840-847, 870-885, 893, 898	ORD	TORONTO ON FWD	60290
590-599, 821, 832-838, 970-999	SEA	VANCOUVER BC FWD	98158
820, 894-895, 937-961	SFO	VANCOUVER BC FWD	94013
850, 852-853, 855-857, 859-860, 863-865, 889-891, 900-908, 910-928, 930-936	LAX	VANCOUVER BC FWD	90899
967-969	HNL	VANCOUVER BC FWD	96820

292.5Enter and Deposit

292.51Separation by Price Group

The mailer must specify the price group on the back of PS Tag 115, International Priority Airmail , with ( e.g. , "1" for Canada, and "WW" for Worldwide nonpresort), and must physically separate the sacks by price group at the time of mailing.

292.52Full Service

Mailings must be deposited at a Post Office facility where bulk mail is accepted and the mailer holds an advance deposit account or postage meter license.

292.53Drop Shipment

To qualify for the drop shipment price, mailers must present the mail to one of the locations in 292.531. The mailer must pay postage at the drop shipment location either through an advance deposit account or postage meter license at the serving Post Office facility. As an alternative, mailers who are participating in the Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) program may have the mail verified, accepted, and paid for at the mailers plant or at the origin Post Office facility serving the mailers plant if authorized under DMM 705. Plant-verified drop shipment mail must be transported by the mailer to the drop shipment location and the mail must be accompanied by PS Form 8125, Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) Verification and Clearance.

292.531Drop Shipment Locations

Drop shipments are available through the following offices:

New York: John F Kennedy Airport Mail Ctr, US Postal Service, John F Kennedy International Airport Bldg 250, Jamaica, NY 11430-9998.

Florida: Miami International Service Ctr*, US Postal Service, 11698 NW 25th St., Miami, FL 33112-9997.

Miami Processing and Distribution Ctr, US Postal Service, 2200 NW 72nd Ave., Miami, Fl 33152-9997.

Texas: North Texas PDC, US Postal Service, 951 W Bethel Rd, Coppell, TX 75099-8811.

Illinois: JT Weeker International Service Center, US Postal Service, O'Hare International Airport, 514 Express Center Dr., Chicago, IL 60688-9998.

California: Los Angeles ISC, US Postal Service, 5800 W Century Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90009-9998.

San Francisco ISC, US Postal Service, 2650 Bayshore Blvd., Daly City, CA 94013-1631.

* Only plant-verified mail is transported to these facilities by the mailer.

[Delete current 293 in its entirety and replace to read as follows:]

293International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) Service

293.1Description

293.11General

International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) is a bulk mailing system that provides fast, economical international delivery of First-Class Mail International items. The cost is lower than First-Class Mail International service. ISAL shipments are flown to the foreign destinations and entered into that country's surface or nonpriority mail system for delivery. Separate prices are provided for International Service Center (ISC) drop shipments, presorted mail, and nonpresorted mail. Volume incentives are available through customized agreements.

293.12ISAL M-Bags

ISAL M-bags (direct sacks of printed matter to one addressee) may be entered in conjunction with an ISAL mailing, are subject to the provisions of 260, and may be sent to all destination countries that are referenced in Exhibit 293.452. When using this method of mail preparation, the sender must complete PS Tag 155, Surface Air Lift Mail , and PS Tag 158, M-Bag Addressee Tag . Tags must be securely attached to the neck of the sack.

293.2Eligibility

293.21Qualifying Mailpieces

Any First-Class Mail International mailpiece that meets the characteristics defined in 141.5 qualifies to be mailed as ISAL. Mailpieces do not have to be of the same size and weight. Any item sent by ISAL must conform to the weight and size limits for First-Class Mail International postcards, letters, large envelopes (flats), and packages (small packets) as described in 240.

293.22Availability

ISAL service is available to all foreign countries, as listed in Exhibit 293.452, which shows the price group assigned to each country.

293.23Minimum Quantity Requirements

293.231Minimum Quantity

All mailings must meet a minimum weight quantity of 50 pounds. To achieve the 50-pound minimum, mailings may include a combination of presort mail, worldwide nonpresort mail, or M-bags.

293.232Presort Eligibility-Full Service

Only direct country sacks containing a minimum of 5 pounds in each sack qualifies for the presort price. All remaining mail must be prepared and paid at the worldwide nonpresort price.

293.233Presort Eligibility-ISC Drop Shipment

Only direct country sacks and mixed country sacks containing a minimum of 5 pounds in each sack qualifies for the presort price. Price groups containing less than 5 pounds must be prepared and paid at the worldwide nonpresort price.

293.24Dutiable Items

Dutiable items may be sent in accordance with the applicable rules in this subchapter for those classes of mail. Priority Mail International items, either ordinary or insured, may not be mailed as ISAL.

293.25Customs Forms Requirements

See 123 for customs forms requirements.

293.26Extra Services

Extra services are not available for items sent by ISAL.

293.3Prices and Postage Payment Methods

293.31Prices

293.311General

ISAL service has two price options: a presort option with 15 price groups and a worldwide nonpresort option (293.311a). Both offer full service prices (293.311b) for mail deposited at offices other than the drop shipment offices listed in 293.531; and drop shipment prices (293.311c) for mail deposited at one of the drop shipment offices. The per-piece price and per-pound price are shown in Exhibit 293.311a. The per-piece price applies to each piece regardless of its weight. The per-pound price applies to the net weight (gross weight minus tare weight of sack or tray) of the mail for the specific price group. Fractions of a pound are rounded to the next whole pound for postage calculation.

Exhibit 293.311a

Direct country sacks	Price group	Per piece	Full service per lb.	ISC drop shipment per lb.	Per piece
1	$0.43	$3.85	$2.85
2	0.12	4.86	3.86
3	0.43	4.49	3.49
4	0.43	4.59	3.59
5	0.43	4.56	3.56
6	0.43	4.45	3.45
7	0.44	4.66	3.66
8	0.43	4.45	3.45
9	0.31	4.76	3.76
10	0.46	4.67	3.67
11	0.43	4.49	3.49	$0.46	$3.67
12	0.15	5.45	4.45	0.16	4.68
13	0.15	5.55	4.55	0.16	4.78
14	0.15	5.45	4.45	0.16	4.68
15	0.12	6.60	5.60	0.13	5.88

Price group	Per piece	Full service per lb.	ISC drop shipment per lb.
n/a	$0.51	$7.63	$6.47

Exhibit 293.311b

Price group	Full service per lb.
1	$1.60
2	1.70
3	2.00
4	2.00
5	2.00
6	2.00
7	2.00
8	2.00
9	3.00
10	2.80
11	2.03
12	2.35
13	2.35
14	2.60
15	3.25
Note: Full Service M-bags are subject to the minimum price for 11 lbs.

Exhibit 293.311c

Price group	5 lbs.	6 lbs.	7 lbs.	8 lbs.	9 lbs.	10 lbs.	11 lbs.	Each additional pound
1	$15.90	$16.00	$16.10	$16.20	$16.30	$16.40	$16.50	$1.50
2	14.30	14.85	15.40	15.95	16.50	17.05	17.60	1.60
3	11.45	12.75	14.05	15.35	16.65	17.95	19.25	1.75
4	11.45	12.75	14.05	15.35	16.65	17.95	19.25	1.75
5	11.45	12.75	14.05	15.35	16.65	17.95	19.25	1.75
6	11.45	12.75	14.05	15.35	16.65	17.95	19.25	1.75
7	11.45	12.75	14.05	15.35	16.65	17.95	19.25	1.75
8	11.45	12.75	14.05	15.35	16.65	17.95	19.25	1.75
9	18.25	20.25	22.25	24.25	26.25	28.25	30.25	2.75
10	16.25	18.40	20.55	22.70	24.85	27.00	29.15	2.65
11	11.65	12.99	14.33	15.67	17.01	18.35	19.69	1.79
12	12.90	14.60	16.30	18.00	19.70	21.40	23.10	2.10
13	14.40	15.85	17.30	18.75	20.20	21.65	23.10	2.10
14	12.05	14.35	16.65	18.95	21.25	23.55	25.85	2.35
15	16.20	19.00	21.80	24.60	27.40	30.20	33.00	3.00
Note: ISC Drop Shipment M-bags are subject to the minimum price for 5 lbs.

293.32Computation of Postage

Postage is computed on PS Form 3700, Postage Statement-International Mail.

293.321Computing Worldwide Nonpresort Prices

293.322Computing Presort Prices

To compute postage at the presorted price, first multiply the number of pieces in the mailing destined for countries in a specific price group by the appropriate per-piece price, then multiply the net weight (in whole pounds) of those pieces by the corresponding per-pound price, and then add the two totals together.

293.33Postage Payment Methods

293.331General

Postage must be paid by postage meter, permit imprint, or precanceled stamps (see DMM 604).

293.332Postage Meter

Payments made by postage meter are subject to the following standards:

a. Piece Price. The applicable per piece postage shown in 293.311a must be affixed to each mailpiece when paying with a meter. Mailers who have an ICM agreement must affix the applicable per piece postage as set forth in their ICM agreement.

b. Pound Price. Postage for the pound price portion must be paid either by meter stamp(s) attached to the postage statement or from the mailer's authorized permit imprint advance deposit account.

c. Postage Endorsement. Each piece must be legibly endorsed with the words "INTERNATIONAL SURFACE AIR LIFT" or "ISAL".

d. Specifications for Endorsement. The endorsement required in 293.332c must appear on the address side of each piece and must be applied by a printing press, hand stamp, or other similar printing device. It must be printed above the name of the addressee and to the left or below the postage, or it may be printed adjacent to the meter stamp in either the postal inscription slug area or ad plate area. If the postal endorsement appears in the ad plate area, no other information may be printed in the ad plate. The endorsement may not be typewritten or hand-drawn. The endorsement is not considered adequate if it is included as part of a decorative design or advertisement.

e. Unmarked Pieces. Unmarked pieces lacking the postage endorsement are subject to the First-Class Mail International single-piece price.

f. Drop Shipment of Metered Mail. Mailers who want to enter metered ISAL mail at a Post Office facility other than where the meter is licensed must obtain a drop shipment authorization. To obtain an authorization, the mailer must submit a written request to the postmaster at the office where the mail will be entered (see DMM 705).

293.333Precanceled Stamps

Payments made by precanceled stamps are subject to the following standards:

a. Piece Price. The same denomination of stamp must be affixed to every piece in the mailing.

b. Pound Price. Additional postage is paid at the time of mailing by advance deposit account or meter stamp affixed to the back of the accompanying postage statement.

c. Postage Endorsement. Each piece must be legibly endorsed with the words "INTERNATIONAL SURFACE AIR LIFT" or "ISAL".

d. Specifications for Endorsement. The endorsement required in 293.333c must appear on the address side of each piece and must be applied by a printing press, hand stamp, or other similar printing device. It must be printed above the name of the addressee and to the left or below the postage, or it may be printed adjacent to the precanceled stamp. The endorsement may not be typewritten or hand-drawn. The endorsement is not considered adequate if it is included as part of a decorative design or advertisement.

e. Unmarked Pieces. Unmarked pieces lacking the postage endorsement are subject to the First-Class Mail International single-piece price.

293.334Permit Imprint

Mailers may use a permit imprint for mailings that contain identical weight pieces. Any of the permit imprints shown in Exhibit 152.44 are acceptable. Postage is calculated as described in 293.32 and is deducted from the mailer's advance deposit account. Permit imprints must not denote bulk mail, nonprofit, or other domestic or special mail. Mailers may use permit imprint with nonidentical weight pieces only if authorized to use postage mailing systems under DMM 705.

293.4Mail Preparation

293.41Addressing

International Surface Air Lift is subject to the addressing requirements contained in 122.

Exception-Canada: International Surface Air Lift items destined for Canada must have the applicable alphanumeric postcode included in the delivery address. See 122.1k for the address formatting requirements that generally apply to mailpieces sent to Canada.

Exception-Direct Country Sacks: International Surface Air Lift in direct country sacks (see 293.451) is not subject to the interline addressing requirement that is specified in 122.1d. At the sender's risk, the English translation of the destination Post Office or city name may be omitted from printed addresses that are in Russian, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Cyrillic, Japanese, or Chinese characters. An English translation of the country name ( e.g. , Japan) is still required on the individual mailpieces.

293.42Marking

293.421Letter-Size and Flat-Size Mailpieces

The sender should mark "INTERNATIONAL SURFACE AIR LIFT" or "ISAL" on the address side of each piece. Use of bordered airmail envelopes is prohibited.

293.422Packages (Small Packets)

Items that might be mistaken for another class of mail because of their size, weight, or appearance should be marked "LETTER-POST" on the address side.

293.43Sealing

Mail that is sent via ISAL service may be sealed at the sender's option. See 244.4 for the packaging methods that are applicable to all First-Class Mail International items.

Exception: For direct country sacks only, First-Class Mail International folded mailpieces, without envelopes, are permitted provided one of the following methods is used:

1. All of the open sides are secured with tape, tabs, or wafer seals of sufficient quantity and strength to prevent the mailpieces from opening or being damaged during postal handling.

2. The mailpieces meet the physical standards and tabbing requirements in DMM 201.3.

293.44Physical Characteristics and Requirements for All Bundles

The following standards apply:

c. Separation of Bundles. Letter-size and flat-size mail must be bundled separately.

d. Facing of Piece. All pieces in bundles must be faced in the same direction.

293.45Sortation

293.451Presort Mailings-General

Follow these steps when preparing ISAL presort mail:

b. ISC Drop Shipment. For presort mailings, all mail addressed to an individual country that contains 5 pounds or more must be sorted into direct country bundles and sacked in direct country sacks. Next, all mail addressed to individual countries within a single price group containing 5 pounds or more must be bundled separately and sacked in mixed country sacks. Mail that ultimately cannot be made up into direct country sacks or mixed country sacks must be prepared and entered at the worldwide nonpresort prices.

293.452Presorted Mail-Direct Country Bundle Label

A label (facing slip) for direct country bundles prepared for mixed country sacks must be completed and placed on the address side of the top piece of each bundle showing the country of destination. The pressure-sensitive labels and optional endorsement lines used domestically for presort mail are prohibited for ISAL.

Exhibit 293.452

ISALCountry Price Groups and Foreign Exchange Offices

Country	City	3-Letter exchange office code	Price group
Argentina	Buenos Aires	BUE	13
Australia	Sydney	SYD	19
Austria	Vienna	VIE	11
Belgium	Brussels	BRU	11
Belize	Belize City	BZE	13
Bolivia	La Paz	LPB	13
Brazil	Rio de Janeiro	RIO	13
Canada	See 292.47		1
Chile	Santiago	SCL	13
China	Beijing (Peking)	PEK	14
Colombia	Bogota	BOG	13
Costa Rica	San Jose	SJO	13
Czech Republic	Prague	PRG	12
Denmark	Copenhagen	CPH	11
Dominican Republic	Santo Domingo	SDQ	13
Ecuador	Guayaquil	GYE	13
Egypt	Cairo	CAI	15
El Salvador	San Salvador	SAL	13
Finland	Helsinki	HEL	11
France	Paris	PAR	5
Germany	Frankfurt	FRA	4
Great Britain	London	LON	3
Greece	Athens	ATH	11
Guatemala	Guatemala City	GUA	13
Guyana	Georgetown	GEO	13
Haiti	Port-au-Prince	PAP	13
Honduras	Tegucigalpa	TGU	13
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	HKG	14
Hungary	Budapest	BUD	12
India	Mumbai	BOM	15
Indonesia	Jakarta	JKT	14
Ireland	Dublin	DUB	11
Israel	Tel Aviv	TLV	11
Italy	Rome	ROM	7
Japan¹	Osaka Int'l	OSA	10
	Tokyo	TYO	10
Jordan	Amman	AMM	15
Kenya	Nairobi	NBO	15
Korea, Rep. of (South)	Seoul	SEL	14
Mexico	Mexico City	MEX	2
Netherlands	Amsterdam	AMS	8
Netherlands Antilles	Curacao	CUR	13
New Zealand	Auckland	AKL	11
Nigeria	Lagos	LOS	15
Norway	Oslo	OSL	11
Panama	Panama City	PTY	13
Peru	Lima	LIM	13
Philippines	Manila	MNL	14
Poland	Warsaw	WAW	12
Portugal	Lisbon	LIS	11
Romania	Bucharest	BUH	12
Russia	Moscow	MOW	12
Saudi Arabia	Dhahran	DHA	15
Singapore	Singapore	SIN	14
South Africa	Johannesburg	JNB	15
Spain²	Madrid	MAD	11
Sweden	Stockholm	STO	11
Switzerland	Basel	BSL	6
Taiwan	Taipei	TPE	14
Thailand	Bangkok	BKK	14
Trinidad and Tobago	Port of Spain	POS	13
Turkey	Istanbul	IST	12
United Arab Emirates	Dubai	DXB	15
Uruguay	Montevideo	MVD	13
Venezuela	Caracas	CCS	13
¹ To expedite handling, Japan Post has requested that U.S. shippers make the following optional separation of their ISAL mail:
-Mail destined for locations in Japan with post code prefixes 52-93 should be labeled to Osaka International (OSA).
-Mail destined for all other post code prefixes should be labeled to Tokyo (TYO).
All ISAL mail that is not optionally separated as specified above should be labeled to Tokyo (TYO).
² Including the Canary Islands.

293.453Worldwide Nonpresort Mail-General

ISAL mail paid at the worldwide nonpresort price must be made into bundles as defined in 293.44. Letters and flats must be bundled separately, although nonidentical pieces may be commingled within each of these categories. Pieces that cannot be bundled because of their physical characteristics must be placed loose in the sack and do not require labeling (facing slips).

293.46Sacking Requirements

293.461Direct Country Sack (5 Pounds or More)

The following standards apply:

a. General . When there are 5 pounds or more of mail addressed to the same country the mail must be enclosed in a Direct Country Sack. All types of mail, including letter-size bundles, flat-size bundles, and loose items, can be commingled in the same sack for each destination and counted toward the 5-pound minimum. The maximum weight of the sack and contents must not exceed 66 pounds.

b. Direct Country Sack Tags . Direct country sacks must be labeled with PS Tag 155, Surface Airlift Mail, showing the destination country. The mailer must also specify the price group on the back of PS Tag 155.

c. Direct Country Sack Label . The sack label must be completed as follows. (See Exhibit 293.462 for list of U.S. International Exchange Offices.)

Line 1: Appropriate U.S. Exchange Office and Routing Code

Line 2: Contents-DRX

Line 3: Mailer, Mailer Location

Example:

ISC NEW YORK NY 003

ISAL-DRX COUNTRY

ABC STORE, ALBANY NY

293.462Mixed Country Sacks (5 Pounds or More-ISC Drop Shipment Only)

The following standards apply:

a. General . When mail is prepared under the ISC drop shipment option, direct country bundles destined to a specific country that cannot be made up in direct country sacks must be prepared in a mixed country sack. A mixed country sack must be prepared for each price group. Only countries in price groups 11 through 15 are eligible for this price. The maximum weight of the sack and the contents must not exceed 66 pounds.

b. Mixed Country Sack Tags . Mixed country sacks must be labeled with PS Tag 155, Surface Airlift Mail , which identifies the mail to ensure it receives priority handling. The mailer must specify the price group on the back of PS Tag 155.

c. Mixed Country Sack Label . The sack label must be completed as follows. (See Exhibit 293.462 for list of U.S. International Exchange Offices.)

Line 1: Appropriate U.S. Exchange Office and Routing Code

Line 2: Contents-DRX MIXED

Line 3: Mailer, Mailer Location

Example:

ISC NEW YORK NY 003

ISAL-DRX MIXED

ABC STORE, ALBANY NY

Exhibit 293.462

ISAL acceptance office 3-Digit ZIP code prefix	U.S. exchange office and routing code for line 1
004-005, 010-089, 100-268, 270-297, 400-418, 420-427, 470-471, 476-477	ISC NEW YORK NY 003.
006-009, 298-339, 341-342, 344, 346-347, 349-397, 399	ISC MIAMI FL 33112.
424, 430-469, 478-516, 520-528, 530-531, 534-535, 537-567, 570-588, 600-620, 622-631, 633-641, 644-658, 660-662, 664-681, 683-693, 700-708, 710-799, 885	ISC CHICAGO IL 60290.
590-599, 821, 832-838, 970-986, 970-999	AMC SEATTLE WA 980.
800-816, 820, 822-831, 840-847, 893-898, 937-961	ISC SAN FRANCISCO CA 94013.
850, 852-853, 855-857, 859-860, 863-865, 870-875, 877-884, 889-891, 900-908, 910-928, 930-936	ISC LOS ANGELES CA 900.
967-969	PDC HONOLULU HI 967.

293.463Worldwide Nonpresort Mail Sacks

The following standards apply:

Note:

Working bundles of mixed country mail cannot be enclosed in mixed country sacks.

b. Worldwide Nonpresort Sack Tags. Sack tags for worldwide nonpresort sacks must be labeled with PS Tag 155, Surface Airlift Mail, that identifies the mail to ensure it receives priority handling. The mailer must specify "WW" (worldwide) on the back of PS Tag 155.

c. Worldwide Nonpresort Mail Sack Label. The sack label must be completed as follows: (See Exhibit 293.462 for list of U.S. International Exchange Offices.)

Line 1: Appropriate U.S. Exchange Office and Routing Code

Line 2: Contents WKG

Line 3: Mailer, Mailer Location

Example:

ISC MIAMI FL 33112

ISAL-WKG

ABC COMPANY, MIAMI FL

293.5Enter and Deposit

293.51Separation by Price Group

The mailer must specify the price group on the back of PS Tag 155, Surface Airlift Mail, with ( e.g. , "1" for Canada, and "WW'' for Worldwide nonpresort), and must physically separate the sacks by price group at the time of mailing.

293.52Full Service

Mailings must be deposited at a Post Office facility where bulk mail is accepted and the mailer holds an advance deposit account or postage meter license.

293.53Drop Shipment

To qualify for the drop shipment price, mailers must present the mail to one of the locations in 293.531. The mailer must pay postage at the drop shipment location either through an advance deposit account or postage meter license at the serving Post Office facility. As an alternative, mailers who are participating in the Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) program may have the mail verified, accepted, and paid for at the mailers plant or at the origin Post Office facility serving the mailers plant if authorized under DMM 705. Plant-verified drop shipment mail must be transported by the mailer to the drop shipment location and the mail must be accompanied by PS Form 8125, Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) Verification and Clearance.

293.531Drop Shipment Locations

Drop shipments are available through the following offices:

New York: John F. Kennedy Airport Mail Ctr, US Postal Service, John F Kennedy International Airport Bldg 250, Jamaica, NY 11430-9998.

Florida:

Miami International Service Ctr*, US Postal Service, 11698 NW 25th St, Miami, FL 33112-9997.

Miami Processing And Distribution Ctr, US Postal Service, 2200 NW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL 33152-9997.

Texas: North Texas PDC, US Postal Service, 951 W Bethell Rd, Coppell, TX 75099-8811.

Illinois: JT Weeker International Service Center, US Postal Service, O'Hare International Airport, 514 Express Center Dr., Chicago, IL 60688-9998.

California: Los Angeles ISC, US Postal Service, 21750 Arnold Center Rd, Carson, CA 90810-9998.

San Francisco ISC, US Postal Service, 2650 Bayshore Blvd., Daly City, CA 94013-1631.

*Only plant-verified mail is transported to these facilities by the mailer.

3Extra Services

310Certificate of Mailing

313Fees

313.1Individual Pieces

[Revise 313.1 by changing the certificate of mailing fee from $1.10 to $1.15 (in two places); and the Firm Mailing Book fee from $0.40 to $0.42.]

313.2Bulk Pieces

[Revise the table in 313.2 as follows:]


Up to 1,000 pieces	$6.50
Each addition 1, 000 pieces or fraction	0.75
Duplicate copy	1.15

330Registered Mail

333Fees and Indemnity Limits

333.1Registration Fees

[Change the registry fee to $11.50.]

340Return Receipt

343Fee

[Revise 343 by changing the fee to $2.30.]

350Restricted Delivery

353Fee

[Revise 353 by changing the fee to $4.50.]

Index of Countries and Localities

Country Conditions for Mailing

[Replace the current price tables in the Individual Country Listings with the following:]

Weight not over (oz.)	Price groups	1	2	3, 4, 5
1	$0.75	$0.79	$0.98	$0.98
2	1.00	1.34	1.82	1.76
3	1.25	1.89	2.66	2.54
3.5	1.50	2.44	3.50	3.32
Postcards	0.75	0.79	0.98	0.98

Weight not over (oz.)	Price groups	1	2	3, 4, 5
1	$1.03	$1.03	$1.24	$1.24
2	1.29	1.59	2.08	2.03
3	1.55	2.15	2.92	2.82
4	1.81	2.71	3.76	3.61
5	2.07	3.27	4.60	4.40
6	2.33	3.83	5.44	5.19
7	2.59	4.39	6.28	5.98
8	2.85	4.95	7.12	6.77
12	3.83	6.50	8.84	8.44
16	4.81	8.05	10.56	10.11
20	5.79	9.60	12.28	11.78
24	6.77	11.15	14.00	13.45
28	7.75	12.70	15.72	15.12
32	8.73	14.25	17.44	16.79
36	9.71	15.80	19.16	18.46
40	10.69	17.35	20.88	20.13
44	11.67	18.90	22.60	21.80
48	12.65	20.45	24.32	23.47
52	13.63	22.00	26.04	25.14
56	14.61	23.55	27.76	26.81
60	15.59	25.10	29.48	28.48
64	16.57	26.65	31.20	30.15

Weight not over (oz.)	Price groups	1	2	3, 4, 5
1	$1.23	$1.23	$1.44	$1.44
2	1.49	1.79	2.28	2.23
3	1.75	2.35	3.12	3.02
4	2.01	2.91	3.96	3.81
5	2.27	3.47	4.80	4.60
6	2.53	4.03	5.64	5.39
7	2.79	4.59	6.48	6.18
8	3.05	5.15	7.32	6.97
12	4.03	6.70	9.04	8.64
16	5.01	8.25	10.76	10.31
20	5.99	9.80	12.48	11.98
24	6.97	11.35	14.20	13.65
28	7.95	12.90	15.92	15.32
32	8.93	14.45	17.64	16.99
36	9.91	16.00	19.36	18.66
40	10.89	17.55	21.08	20.33
44	11.87	19.10	22.80	22.00
48	12.85	20.65	24.52	23.67
52	13.83	22.20	26.24	25.34
56	14.81	23.75	27.96	27.01
60	15.79	25.30	29.68	28.68
64	16.77	26.85	31.40	30.35

[Replace the current tables in the Individual Country Listings for countries with Express Mail International merchandise insurance with current fees to read as follows:]

Insured amount not over	Fee	Insured amount not over	Fee
$100	No fee	For insurance coverage above $2,000, add $1.40 for each $500 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $5,000 per shipment.
200	$0.75
500	2.15
1,000	3.55
1,500	4.95
2,000	6.35	$5,000 max	$14.75

[Revise the Canada Country Listing as follows:]

Canada

Insurance (320)

Available for Priority Mail International parcels only (see 344.3 for markings).

Insured amount not over	Fee
$50	$1.75
100	2.25
200	2.75
300	4.70
400	5.70
500	6.70
600	7.70
675	8.70

[Revise all other country listings to which Priority Mail International parcel insurance is offered up to the amount available as follows:]

Insured amount not over	Fee	Insured amount not over	Fee
$50	$2.50	Add $1.00 for each additional $100 or fraction of insurance coverage.
100	3.40
200	4.40
300	5.40
400	6.40
500	7.40	$5,000 max	$52.40

[Revise the following Extra Services fees in the Individual Country Listings:]

Registered Mail (330)Fee: $11.50

Restricted Delivery (350)Fee: $4.50

Return Receipt (340)Fee: $2.30

Neva R. Watson,

Attorney, Legislative.

[FR Doc. E9-3962 Filed 2-24-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7710-12-P