Remove item from bag (Otb)

What this status means

Cyprus Post staff have taken your parcel out of a transit bag at a sorting point. Parcels travel in sealed bags with others heading the same way, and the bag is opened so each item can be scanned and sorted again. "Otb" is the postal abbreviation for an office-of-exchange bag, the kind used for international mail. Your parcel is in a postal facility, not on a vehicle.

Is my package delayed?

This message by itself is normal. It is a routine handling scan, not an exception. Before and after it, the tracking history usually shows "Insert item into bag (Otb)", so the parcel is being unbagged and then bagged again for the next leg of its export journey. Only if the history stops here for longer than the previous steps took is it worth looking closer.

What happens next

In almost every case the next scan is "Insert item into bag (Otb)". That means the parcel has been sorted and placed in a new bag for onward dispatch. After that it should move on to the next stage of its international route.

What you can do

• Wait and keep checking the tracking history; one scan like this needs no action.
• If there is no new scan for longer than usual, contact Cyprus Post or the postal service in your country.
• Have your tracking number and order details ready when you ask.
• If the parcel was a purchase, you can also ask the seller to open an inquiry with Cyprus Post.