AIR MAIL AND AIR PARCEL POST [Chapter 61 of Title 39, United States Code, 74 Stat. 664, as amended by Act of October 11, 1962, 76 Stat. 832] * § 4301. Definitions As used in this chapter * (1) "domestic air mail" means matter bearing postage at the rates of postage prescribed in sections 4303 and 4304 of this title which is mailed in the United States Postal Service for transportation by air and delivery by the United States Postal Service. (2) "air parcel post" means domestic air mail of any class weighing in excess of eight ounces. § 4302. Treatment of air mail (a) Except with respect to the postage required, domestic air mail, other than air parcel post, shall be treated as first class mail. (b) The Postmaster General shall prescribe the conditions under which air parcel post shall be— (1) forwarded or returned to the sender; (2) charged with forwarding or return postage; and (3) registered, insured, or given C.O.D. service. § 4303. Postage rates on air mail (a) Except as provided in section 4304 of this title and subsection (b) of this section the rate of postage on domestic air mail weighing not more than eight ounces is eight cents for each ounce or fraction thereof. (b) The rate of postage on each postal card and post card sent as domestic air mail is six cents. (c) The rate of postage on letters in business reply envelopes and on business reply cards sent as domestic air mail is the regular rate prescribed in subsection (a) or (b) together with an additional charge thereon of two cents for each piece weighing two ounces or less and five cents for each piece weighing more than two ounces. The postage and charge shall be collected on delivery. (d) (1) The rates of postage on air parcel post are based on the eight zones established for fourth class mail in accordance with the following table: (2) The rate of postage on airmail of the first class weighing in excess of eight ounces shall be the rate provided by subsection (a) for each ounce not in excess of eight ounces, but in no case less than the rate provided under paragraph (1) for air parcels. (3) In addition to parcels to which it is otherwise applicable, the eighth zone includes, for purposes of this section only, parcels transported as follows: (A) between the United States, its Territories and possessions or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Canal Zone. (B) between the United States, its Territories and possessions or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and Army and Air Forces post offices and naval vessels and commands, when the address is in care of Fleet Post Offices, New York, New York, or San Francisco, California. (e) Air parcel post of light weight in relation to size is subject to such surcharge as the Postmaster General determines to be warranted by reason of the extra space and care required in handling and transporting it. § 4304. Postage on Alaskan air mail Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4303 of this title, the Postmaster General may fix the postage at rates not exceeding 30 cents per ounce or 15 cents per one-half ounce for airmail sent to, from, or within Alaska. § 4305. Size and weight limits The maximum size and weight of domestic airmail and air parcel post is 100 inches in length and girth combined and 70 pounds. AUTHORITY TO TRANSPORT MAIL [Chapter 93 of Title 39, United States Code, 74 Stat. 687] § 6101. Provisions for carrying the mail (a) The Postmaster General shall provide for the transportation of mail by land, air or water as often as he deems proper under the circumstances (1) within, among and between, the United States, its Territories, territories under trusteeship, possessions, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and Armed Forces; and (2) between the United States, its Territories, territories under trusteeship, possessions, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or its Armed Forces, and any foreign country. (b) The Postmaster General shall provide for the transportation of mail to the courthouse of every county in the United States. § 6102. Emergency mail service in Alaska The Postmaster General may provide difficult or emergency mail service in Alaska, including the establishment and equipment of relay stations, in such manner as he deems advisable, without advertising therefor, at a total annual cost not exceeding $25,000. § 6103. Transportation of mail of adjoining counties through the United States The Postmaster General, by and with the advice and consent of the President, may make arrangements to allow the mail of countries adjoining the United States to be transported over the territory of the United States from one point in that country to any other point therein, at the expense of the country to which the mail belongs, upon obtaining a like privilege for the transportation of the United States mail through the country to which the privilege is granted. The President or Congress may annul the privilege at any time. The privilege shall terminate one month succeeding the day on which notice of the act of the President or Congress is given to the chief executive or head of the post office department of the country whose privilege is to be annulled. § 6104. Mails to be carried on United States registered vessels Mail of the United States shall, insofar as practicable, be carried on vessels of United States registry between ports between which it is lawful under the navigation laws for a vessel not documented under the laws of the United States to carry merchandise. § 6105. Establishment of post roads The following are post roads (1) the waters of the United States, during the time the mail is carried thereon; (2) railroads or parts of railroads and air routes in operation; (3) canals, during the time the mail is carried thereon; (4) public roads, highways, and toll roads during the time the mail is carried thereon; and (5) letter-carrier routes established for the collection and delivery of mail. § 6106. Discontinuance of service on post roads The Postmaster General may discontinue service on a post road or part thereof when, in his opinion (1) the postal service cannot safely be continued; (3) the laws cannot be maintained; or § 6107. Preferred treatment of letter mail The Postmaster General may provide for the preferential treatment of first class mail, without unnecessary delay to other mail, when the quantity of mail to be transported over any route (1) seriously retards the progress or endangers the security of the mail; or (2) materially increases the cost of transportation at the ordinary rate of speed. 678-948-63- -14 TRANSPORTATION OF MAIL BY AIR [Chapter 97 of Title 39, United States Code, 74 Stat. 693, as amended by Act of September 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 442] § 6301. Rules and regulations The Postmaster General may make such rules, regulations and orders not inconsistent with sections 1301-1542 of title 49, or any order, rule, or regulation made by the Civil Aeronautics Board thereunder, as may be necessary for the safe and expeditious carriage of mail by aircraft. § 6302. Special arrangement in Alaska (a) When in the opinion of the Postmaster General the postal service requires the transportation of mail by aircraft in Alaska, and where transportation of mail by aircraft has not been authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Board under sections 1371-1386 of title 49, the Postmaster General, notwithstanding any other provision of law, after advertisement in accordance with law, may contract for the carriage of any class of mail by aircraft. The transportation of mail under contracts entered into under this section, is not, except for sections 1371(k) and 1386 (b) of title 49 and "air transportation" as that term is defined in section 1301 of title 49, and the rates of compensation therefor may not be fixed under sections 1301-1542 of title 49. The Postmaster General shall transmit a copy of each contract made pursuant to this section to the Board at the time it is let. He shall cancel such a contract upon the issuance by the Board of an authorization under sections 1371-1386 of title 49 to any air carrier to engage in the transportation of mail by aircraft between any of the points named in the contract. (b) An air carrier authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Board under sections 1371-1386 of title 49 to engage in the transportation of mail by aircraft in Alaska, may be required by the Postmaster General to transport, within the limits of the authorization, any class of mail. The Board shall determine and fix the rates of compensation to be paid for the transportation in accordance with the provisions of sections 1301-1542 of title 49. § 6303. Air star routes (a) The Postmaster General may contract for the transportation of any class of mail by aircraft upon star routes (1) whenever he finds it to be in the public interest because of the nature of the terrain or the impracticability or inadequacy of surface transportation; and (2) where the cost is reasonably compatible with the service to be performed. |