Post Office charging for Blueys!!

[SaddamsLoveChild]

Can anyone help advise my parents via this page. They are rather upset that they went to their local town post office and asked for some blueys only to be told that they have to pay 32 pence for each one!!!! I can only think that this would be for franking the bluey with some sort of stamp but surely this cant be ethical, arent they supposed to be free.

They are senior citizens who have 2 sons Overseas and this has got to be wrong. I know you can do the ebluey thing but it is nice to have tangible comms and something handwritten........call me old fashioned.

Is this another case of British Commerce supporting our troops (Not):\ .

[dallas]

Hadn't heard they were selling them, but then charging for blueys is hardly something the PO is likely to issue a press release for. To be honest I'm amazed they've been free for so long. 32p seems a bit steep though.

The alternative is e-blueys, although I admit I don't have first hand knowledge of how good they are.

http://www.bfpo.mod.uk/

[snowball1]

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1?catId=19100179&mediaId=19100247


Bluey's are free

[SaddamsLoveChild]

Snowball,

Many thanks will pass this to the olds so they can send me some more morale.

TVM

[MReyn24050]

From Royal Mail website

"Standard HM Forces Mail and Airletters


HM Forces Airletters (or “blueys”) are an all-in-one letter and envelope. They are available from all Post Office branches and may be sent free of charge to Forces personnel on operational duty at the following BFPO addresses*:
538, 543, 545, 551, 554, 555, 559, 567, 598, 634, 635, 637, 639, 641, 645, 647, 649, 654, 655, 660, 662, 664, 669, 673, 676, 678, 681, 758, 767, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825

*Airletters sent to other BFPO addresses not listed above must be paid for at normal BFPO postage rates."

[joe2812]

I've used eBlueys and whilst I can't vouch for how well they were received by the person I sent them to in Iraq. The reply was quite swift and was delivered in a printed letter in the post, in the style of a bluey.

Still, you can't beat having something hand written. Dad still has the numerous fire engines I used to draw and send him!

[El Mirador]

Hubby has been away for just on a month now ( 3 left to do!) and the ebluey system to the hot and sandy place has been really good so far...Worth a go!:p

[FJJP]

I've used e-blueys in the past - very good. They are received at a central point [comcen?], printed and dispatched to the recipient.

[FormerFlake]

A lot of POs don't know what Blueys are, my parents had the same problem. They probably got given airmail envelopes!! Make sure they don't put stamps on blueys too, that is normaly a round of beer on most dets:D

The E-Bluey works well, I used to cut and paste form Word mainly coz I cant Speel.:)

[Mr C Hinecap]

Still, you can't beat having something hand written. Dad still has the numerous fire engines I used to draw and send him!

That seems an unusual thing to do when you're on det :O Still - whatever keeps your pecker up as it were. I'll have to try that myself next time I'm away. :ok:

[The Rocket]

Make sure they don't put stamps and blues too, that is normaly a round of beer on most dets

And an excellent way of making the more unpopular members of the Sqn dip their hand into their pocket while spending some time at HMP MPA:E

[Pontius Navigator]

A lot of POs don't know what Blueys are, my parents had the same problem. They probably got given airmail envelopes!! Make usre they don't put stamps and blues too, that is normaly a round of beer on most dets:D

The E-Bluey works well, I used to cut and paste form Word mainly coz I cant Speel.:)

Nothing new, my wife had the same problem just after the Falklands. Yes, if that post office is new to blueys then they may not know the rules.

There are also special rules on other mail including parcels (or their used to be). We had a real brick of an RLC Major. He used to check the mail and advise where it had been overcharged. We had a regular stream of claims forms going back to UK for refunds :}