You’re expecting a delivery from Australia Post and have received a “Processed by Air Carrier” tracking update.
What does this mean exactly? Where is your mail item when you receive this alert and is there anything you need to do?
Let’s take a look…
Summary: Processed by Air Carrier
The “Processed by Air Carrier” tracking alert from Australia Post means that the package has been scanned by the air carrier service responsible for shipping the item overseas. The scan normally takes place as the item is loaded onto the aircraft or processed between aircraft at intermediate transit points.
Processed by Air Carrier – Guide
This update essentially means that the air carrier service has the package and it is moving through that network toward the destination.
Shipments to and from Australia will often pass through intermediate countries on the way to the destination country, and during that process, the package will be scanned at different points.
As the package is processed and loaded onto the carrier plane, as well as when it is unloaded and awaits the next step in the delivery network, the “Processed by Air Carrier” can be triggered.
- Related Content: Delayed Waiting to be Processed for Delivery (AU Post)
So Where is my Package?
It can be difficult to ascertain exactly where your package is because the “Processed by Air Carrier” is actually quite vague.
At the very least you know that the airline carrier has the item in its network.
However, whether the shipment is on its way to the destination country or will be stopping at an intermediate transit country will remain unclear.
In fact, until you receive an update with details of the package clearing import customs, or even arriving at a ground facility with location details provided, the most you will know is that the air carrier has it.
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Tracking Stuck on “Processed by Air Carrier”
Okay, there is a good chance that you have reached this page because your tracking is stuck on this update or it has been triggered several times and you want to know why.
Hopefully, the section above has answered the latter… You will often see this update more than once as it travels through the network via air carrier to the destination country.
However, if your tracking really does seem stuck, you have to consider what’s going on at this stage.
- Related Content: Shipping Information Received by APG – Tracking Guide
The air transit (and potentially hopping between two or more countries before the destination country is reached), can understandably take time.
If you have opted for an economy shipment with Australia Post, you may end up seeing this update with no further information for well over 7 business days.
When you also take into account that the next step after a “Processed by Air Carrier” update is often customs in the receiving country, this variable can also add delay.
Your package may sit inside a warehouse at the import location waiting to be cleared by customs.
Add all this together, and it is not unusual for a package to be stuck on this alert for up to two weeks.
- Related Content: What Does “Shipping Information Approved by Australia Post” Mean?
What to do if Tracking is Stuck?
You don’t have much in the way of options, to be honest.
While the package is in the air, a representative at Australia Post will not be able to provide you with much information.
They certainly won’t be able to speed things along for you.
If you suspect that the item has landed in the destination country and it is a problem stemming from a lack of updates, you could try contacting the carrier responsible for delivery to the recipient’s address, (normally the local postal service).
- Related Content: Parcel Processing at Final Carrier Hub – APG Tracking
Before doing that I would recommend that you try the tracking details in a universal tracker such as 17Track or ParcelsApp.
These free services will able to check whether your package is being tracked elsewhere, (i.e by the postal service in the receiving country).
With any luck, it may actually be moving again and a universal tracker will show these details.
If there is no sign of delivery and several weeks have passed, you will need to contact Australia Post for more information and potentially begin a claim for a lost package.
- Related Content: Onboard for Delivery – Australia Post Tracking
I’m a 25 year veteran of USPS. I’m retired now, but as the editor of Mailbox Master, I can’t quite remove myself from the carrier industry just yet. 🙂
