Österreichische Post

Österreichische Post is the company responsible for postal service in Austria. This company was established in 1999 after its split-off from the mail corporate division of the former state-owned PTT agency Post- und Telegraphenverwaltung (de; PTV). It is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange.

Österreichische Post AG
TypeAktiengesellschaft
WBAG: POST
IndustryLogistics
Founded1999
HeadquartersVienna, Austria
Key people
Georg Pölzl (CEO)
Edith Hlawati (Chairwoman of the supervisory board)
ProductsExpress, package and mail delivery services
Revenue€1.939 billion (2017)
€165 million (2017)
Total assets€1.674 billion (2017)
Total equity€698 million (2017)
Number of employees
20,500 (2017)
Websitewww.post.at

History

The first standardised postal service was set up between Innsbruck and Mechelen, Belgium in 1490.[1] By 1563 an extensive system of mail routes existed connecting Vienna with cities in Belgium, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. In 1722 In Emperor Charles VI made the postal service a government monopoly[2] and by the mid-18th century passenger carrying mail coach service began.

During the 1800s letter boxes, money orders, cash-on-delivery services were introduced[2] and a pneumatic mail system was set up in Vienna in 1875.[1]

Austrian stamps overprinted "FLUGPOST" for the 1918 Vienna, Kraków and Lviv flights

The first regular international airmail[3] route between Vienna, Kraków and Lviv was established on March 31, 1918, and terminated on October 15. Three definitive stamps were overprinted "FLUGPOST" for this flight and showed that a regular airmail delivery was feasible even during wartime.[4][5] Many philatelists consider this regular post delivery with aeroplanes to be the actual start of airmail history.

Postal codes were introduced nationwide in 1966.[1]

Philately

Though not in general use until 80 years later, the first postmarks were introduced in 1787 by Georg Khumer, a postmaster in Friesach[2] identifying time and place of use, and Austria's first postage stamps were issued in 1850.[1]

Services
Post box in Galtür. Paznaun, Tyrol, Austria

Since 1986 Österreichische Post started Express mail services[1] and is an EMS Cooperative contracted delivery agent within the UPU.[6]

In April 2020, Österreichische Post launched bank99, a credit institution that offers online services as well as personal customer support at around 1,800 service points throughout Austria. Österreichische Post owns 80% of the bank's shares, while a 20% stake is held by CAPITAL BANK – GRAWE GRUPPE AG. Post offices and postal service partners serve as distribution channels, which allows bank99 to potentially provide financial services for 99% percent of the Austrian population, closing supply gaps in rural areas.[7]

Bank99 offers checking accounts for private customers, services for national and international financial transactions, and credit cards. Secure international money transfers are carried out in partnership with Ria Money transfer.[8] The company has positioned itself in opposition to direct banks, offering personal services through a network of physical locations.[9]

Stamp of the emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria issued on the occasion of his 80th birthday, re-issued in a similar design, in 2016 on the 100th anniversary of his death[10]

Controversy

In 2019, Austria's data protection authority imposed a fine of 18 million euros ($20 million) on Österreichische Post for illegally using customers’ data, such as ages and addresses, to calculate a probability of which political party they might support and sell its findings.[11]

See also

References
  1. "Corporate history". Österreichische Post. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  2. "History" (in German). Österreichische Post. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  3. Kuzych, Ingert (2000-12-03). "FOCUS ON PHILATELY: The world's first international, and regular, airmail service (PART I) (12/03/00)". The Ukrainian Weekly. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  4. Holmes, Donald D.; Svatos, Ladislav (1981). Air mail, an illustrated history, 1793-1981. New York: Clarkson N. Potter. pp. 80–81. ISBN 0-517-54146-7.
  5. Miller, Rick (2001-02-10). "Landmarks of airmail history: who's on first?". Refresher Course. Linn's Stamp News. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  6. "Worldwide EMS Operators". Universal Postal Union. Retrieved 2015-01-23.
  7. red, wien ORF at/Agenturen (2020-01-23). "Neue Post-Bank nennt sich "bank99"". wien.ORF.at (in German). Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  8. "Ria Money Transfer joins Austrian Post's network with bank99 partnership | 18.02.20". finanzen.at. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  9. "bank99: Post startet am 1. April mit eigener neuer Bank in Filialen". der brutkasten (in German). 2020-01-23. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  10. "Stamp: 100th death anniversary of Emperor Franz Joseph I (Austria) Mi:AT 3282,Sn:AT 2628,Yt:AT 3110,Sg:AT 3413,ANK:AT 3311,WAD:AT040.16,Un:AT 3109".
  11. Kirsti Knolle (October 29, 2019), Data privacy fine to hit Austrian Post's 2019 profit Reuters.
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