PHOENIX – With only two days left until Christmas, people are tracking their packages in the same way that they track Santa Claus.
Many Arizonans are expressing frustration at weeks’ delays, sometimes even after their package has arrived in Phoenix.
This is an unprecedented time due to the pandemic. The USPS says they face many obstacles: reduced airline capacity and an above-average package volume, along with climate-related impacts.
Sierra Bluitt has been waiting weeks for her signature packages to arrive, telling ABC15: “It’s kind of annoying because I don’t know if they are going to arrive before Christmas or not.”
Since Phoenix is a larger center, packages are constantly entering and leaving the West Valley Processing Center. Many people now say, these packages are not going anywhere.
Gene Sandy sent his granddaughter Erin something from Illinois. Erin says he arrived in Phoenix, but has not yet arrived at his home in Arcadia.
“She sent it in two days on December 9th. Do you think if there are any delays due to the holidays, everything is fine. But, you know, two weeks later, with absolutely no updates on that, it is a little ridiculous”, says Erin Michelle, a resident of Arcadia.
ABC15 asked the USPS to examine its situation. We were told that this is due to the overall volume of packages at the facility, but employees emphasized that the teams are working as quickly as possible to connect the packages to their destinations.
“Although transportation may be a short distance from one facility to another, geographically, we have many packages going to a variety of different locations. So while one package may be the destination of one location, other packages are probably on that same route also or other nearby locations, “says Rod Spurgeon, USPS.
People across the country have expressed their anger on social media, saying their package is also stuck in Phoenix. The USPS says that even with additional employees, they faced many obstacles this year, including reducing airline capacity. This means that more packages are being transported on the ground, which in turn takes more time.
Postal workers work 24 hours a day. “We deliver every day. We deliver at 5 am until the packages are delivered, ”says Spurgeon.
In Bluitt’s case, she finally got the notification she expected. “Finally it says it was delivered,” says Bluitt.
The USPS says the two-day priority express courier service is guaranteed. If it takes longer, you are eligible for a refund.
You can contact 1-800-ASK-USPS to make a complaint. They can also help you to track a package.