Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Booking and Handling of Prohibited Items for Air Transmission

Introduction: Safe and proper handling of prohibited items is very important for the Department of Posts, especially when sending parcels by air. Certain items are dangerous and must not be sent by air. This SOP explains the steps to follow when booking parcels, the role of the Airport Transit Mail Offices (APTMO) / TMOs exchanging bags for airlines functioning at departmental offices / RMS Offices, and how to report any incidents to ensure that prohibited items are not sent by air.

1. Booking Process

Speed Post Parcels are presented at the counter of the Post Office or booked through the Click & Book service by retail customers for transmission through the postal network. Similarly, Speed Post Parcels inducted by bulk customers are booked at the authorized booking Post Office, BNPL office, or BPC.
The list of prohibited items must be displayed prominently in the office / booking counters for creating wider awareness among the customers and the staff as well. List of Prohibited Items is enclosed as Annexure A for reference. These items should not be allowed to be booked or sent by air as per DGCA and IATA regulations.
In all cases of booking of parcels, the contents of the parcel shall be declared as per process defined in India Post Regulations. The Counter PA shall ensure that the declared contents are properly entered in the system at the time of booking. In case of bulk customers, the necessary information shall be obtained through the Excel file or API, as applicable.
In case while booking the item declared to contain anything prohibited to be transmitted by air, the sender of such items shall be informed and the same may be booked as India Post Parcel.
Necessary training shall be provided to the Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant whenever he/she is assigned duties at the MPCM counter, particularly in cases of transfer or replacement.
CEPT shall provide the necessary report in the APT 2.0 MIS portal for the purpose of content review at Directorate / Circle / Regional / Divisional / Office level.

3. Transmission / Dispatch from APTMO

Transmission of Parcel bags between Booking Post Offices / BNPL / BPCs and Origin APTMO / TMO would be done as per the existing process.
To connect with the available flight, ATMO must handover all the Parcel Bags having Speed Post Parcels through departmental vehicles at the cargo place of airlines at least 3 hrs. before the scheduled departure of the identified flight, under proper receipt and track the same till its final loading in the identified flight.

Cases:

a. X-ray screening available at APTMO but scanning not done

Detection of prohibited contents during airline security screening → detained and offloaded.
Offloaded bag handed to Origin APTMO, dispatch cancelled in APT 2.0.
Mandatory X-ray screening, extraction of prohibited parcels, re-closing and re-dispatch of remaining parcels.
Detained parcels transmitted via surface mode, marked “Speed Post Parcel – Surface (Air Detained).”
Customer communication only after parcel-level confirmation.

b. X-ray screening available at APTMO premises

Bag opened under supervision, prohibited parcels extracted.
Remaining parcels re-closed and dispatched by air.
Detained parcels transmitted via surface mode.
Customer communication after parcel-level confirmation.

c. X-ray screening not available at APTMO premises

Airline offloading, bag handed to Origin APTMO.
Dispatch cancelled, bag transmitted via surface route.
Customer communication with article number and delivery impact.

d. Special Provisions for 24 Speed Post Parcel

Departmental staff accompanies bags.
If prohibited contents detected, DoP staff removes them.
Bag re-closed and dispatched by air, prohibited parcels sent via surface.
Customer communication after parcel-level confirmation.

e. Monitoring, Accountability, KPIs and Reporting Framework

All actions (offloading, cancellation, opening, removal, re-closing, re-dispatch) must be captured in the system with user ID, timestamp, and reason codes.
Monitoring at Divisional, Regional, and Circle MMU levels.
Reporting formats provided for APTMO, Divisional, Regional, and Circle levels.
Monthly reports to be sent up the chain (Division → Region → Circle → Directorate).

4. Training of Staff