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.
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| Company type | Aktiengesellschaft |
|---|---|
| WBAG: POST | |
| Industry | Logistics |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Vienna, Austria |
Key people | Georg Pölzl (CEO) Elisabeth Stadler (chairwoman of the supervisory board) |
| Products | Express, 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) |
| Website | www |
History
editThe 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]
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
editThough 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
edit
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]
Controversy
editIn 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
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Corporate history". Österreichische Post. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
- ^ a b c "History" (in German). Österreichische Post. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Miller, Rick (2001-02-10). "Landmarks of airmail history: who's on first?". Refresher Course. Linn's Stamp News. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
- ^ "Worldwide EMS Operators". Universal Postal Union. Retrieved 2015-01-23.
- ^ red, wien ORF at/Agenturen (2020-01-23). "Neue Post-Bank nennt sich "bank99"". wien.ORF.at (in German). Retrieved 2020-05-19.
- ^ "Ria Money Transfer joins Austrian Post's network with bank99 partnership | 18.02.20". finanzen.at. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
- ^ "bank99: Post startet am 1. April mit eigener neuer Bank in Filialen". der brutkasten (in German). 2020-01-23. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
- ^ "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".
- ^ Kirsti Knolle (October 29, 2019), Data privacy fine to hit Austrian Post's 2019 profit Reuters.