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# Wednesday, 18 February 2009

At PC2paper one of the options we offer in our extras menu is Royal Mail Recorded Signed For. We are often asked what this service is. Below we have given an overview of this service.

Is Recorded Signed For Mail Guaranteed?
It is a common misunderstanding that the Recorded Delivery option provides a guaranteed service, It doesn't. Recorded Delivery items are not processed any differently to normal 1st or 2nd class letters.

How is Recorded Signed For Different to Regular mail?
The difference is that with this service you receive a tracking number whereas 1st and 2nd class mail is not tracked.

How Long Does Recorded Signed For Take?
Royal Mail aim to deliver First Class Recorded item the next working day, or Second Class items within three days.

How do I track my Recorded Signed For Item?
You can use your tracking number to check the status of your mail online at www.royalmail.com and when a signature is obtained on delivery this is made available to for you view online. Tracking can take some time to be available online and this is often not available until the item has reached its destination. If a signature cannot be obtained and the item is not collected or redelivery rearranged within seven working days, it is returned to the sender where a return address has been specified.

Can I Send Valuable Items Using this Service?
As Recorded Signed For is not a guaranteed delivery service Royal Mail do not recommend sending valuable items using this service.

Can I claim Compensation if My Item is Lost?
Compensation is available with this service if an item is lost providing that it has been correctly addressed by the recipient. An item is not considered lost until 15 working days have passed. If after this time your Recorded Signed For item has still not be delivered then you can contact Royal Mail to make claim if you have proof of postage. Alternatively if you have sent the item via PC2Paper you can contact us directly and we will raise a claim for lost mail and issue a refund for the lost letter depending on whether the claim is successful.

posted on Wednesday, 18 February 2009 14:40:34 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #    Trackback
# Monday, 16 February 2009

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has introduced an entry fee for the first time since it opened more than 100 years ago in 1896. Visitors will now have to pay either the £3 entry fee or purchase an unlimited ride wristband. The charges were brought in from the beginning of February 2009.

posted on Monday, 16 February 2009 12:01:09 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #    Trackback
# Wednesday, 11 February 2009

British Airways has suffered its worst winter ever as more passengers choose to fly economy rather than pay for the more expensive business class or first class tickets. They are currently losing up to £3 million a day, that's about £20 million per week. BA has traditionally relied on its premium and much more lucrative business flyers who are the key to the their profitability. However, as recession hits it appears people are simply not prepared to pay for them. I wonder whether it might make sense for BA to reduce the cost of the business class service to a more affordable level in the hope that more people will be tempted to upgrade. I would certainly be happy to pay a little more for the extra room but think the prices for business class are currently over inflated.

posted on Wednesday, 11 February 2009 10:05:16 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #    Trackback
# Tuesday, 10 February 2009

British Airways have said that they are considering a pay freeze for its staff. The new comes as the group reported a £70 million loss in the first nine months of the financial year. They are also looking at possible redundancies and have started talks with unions over pay and productivity. BA has warned that it expects to report a full year loss of around £150 million after taking into account the slump in Sterling.

posted on Tuesday, 10 February 2009 13:05:44 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #    Trackback
# Monday, 09 February 2009

Two of the leading British holiday camp operators have announced thousands of new jobs in what could be a revival of the British holiday camp. The multi million pound investment comes as travel experts predict holiday makers will stay in Britain this summer because of the recession and the high value of the Euro. During the 1960's when British holiday camps were at their most popular they attracted around more than a million visitors a week. Pontin's have announced a £50 million investment in its six seaside holiday camps, this will include hiring 2,000 new staff over the new three years. Butlins will also invest £20 million in a new hotel at Bognor Regis and will also hire more staff for the summer. The moves come after they experienced a 15% increase in booking so far this year. At between £414 and £800 a family of four can enjoy a week's holiday in a family chalet during August.

posted on Monday, 09 February 2009 10:41:43 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #    Trackback
# Friday, 06 February 2009

Passengers aboard a flight from Moscow stopped the flight over fears that the pilot was drunk. Shortly before take off the passengers were concerned by the pilots slurred comments and complained to flight attendants. Their concerns were ignored and airline staff threatened to expel the passengers for making trouble. As the situation spread Aeroflot representatives were called in to try and calm the passengers with one announcing it "not such a big deal". The pilot did nothing to allay the passengers fears when he appeared from the cockpit unsteady on his feet with bloodshot eyes and eventually the airline gave in to demands of the passengers and has the pilots replaced. The flight eventually took off three hours late but with a sober pilot at the controls. The pilot told the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda that he had been celebrating his 54th birthday with friends the night before the flight on December 28, but said that he not been drinking.

posted on Friday, 06 February 2009 10:34:25 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #    Trackback
# Wednesday, 04 February 2009

This article suggests that choosing a window seat on a plane could be fatal. Research has shown that people sitting by the window face double the risk of deep vein thrombosis, a condition which can cause blot clots. The risk is even more pronounced for those passengers who are obese, they are six times more likely to develop a blockage if they choose a window seat. It is not clear why the risk is greater for passengers who choose a window seat but one theory is that passengers find it easier to fall asleep by a window and it is already known that sleeping for several hours at a time on a long flight raises the chance of a blot clot. It might also be that passengers near the window experience more cramped conditions that those who choose an aisle seat. Preventative methods such as drinking water were found to have little difference to the study. It's not all bad news, if you can afford to fly business class then you are 30 per cent less likely to develop the condition.

posted on Wednesday, 04 February 2009 13:35:01 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #    Trackback
# Tuesday, 03 February 2009

Councils opposing Heathrow expansion have prepared a blueprint showing how the airport could also become a rail hub. The coalition of 22 local authorities have launched plans for a new rail network around the airport that could serve large areas of London and south east England. If it went ahead it would allow 40 trains an hours to pass through the airport, the equivalent of one train for every plane. The proposed rail network could offer connections to 150 stations within a 25 mile radius and has the potential to take 1 million cars of the road every year.

posted on Tuesday, 03 February 2009 14:44:01 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #    Trackback