Seeking Clarity on Australia Post’s Express Delivery Services

As someone who frequently relies on Australia Post for my shipping needs, I’ve come across a puzzling issue that I hope to clarify. While I prefer using Australia Post over alternative options that often fall short, I find certain aspects of their express delivery service quite frustrating.

I often send urgent items from Melbourne and Sydney, opting for express shipping to ensure timely arrivals. For instance, when an order is placed from Melbourne, the supplier generates the tracking label, and Australia Post marks it as “created” but not yet collected. Following this, they pick up the package, which is usually logged into their system at Melbourne Airport. However, here’s where the confusion arises: the tracking information shows that the package remains at Melbourne Airport for a full 24 hours—often until around 7:30 PM—before updating.

This prolonged wait time means that my items typically take around four days to reach Cairns via air freight. Given my background in airport operations, I am aware that mail planes operate daily, making scheduled runs from Cairns along the coast to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and further to Adelaide, before returning.

This leads me to wonder: Is “express” truly indicative of a fast service? Have the internal benchmarks for express delivery changed, now categorizing anything within a seven-day window as express? What exactly are we paying for when selecting this service?

I would greatly appreciate any insights from those with experience in Australia Post operations or anyone who has encountered similar frustrations. Understanding what to expect from express shipping is essential for both personal and business needs, and clarity in this area would be incredibly helpful.