Today, the practice of sending letters and parcels across the world in a timely manner is common, but in the early 20th century, this was not the case.  Mail that needed to be sent long distances was subject to a very slow delivery process, which included trains and ships; it could easily take weeks for mail to be transported overseas.  The commercialization of the airplane would eventually change the standards of mail delivery.

On this day, February 18th, in 1911, airmail was delivered for the first time by Henri Pequet in Allahabad, British India.  Flying a small plane, Pequet, a Frenchmen, traveled 6 miles to deliver about 6,500 letters.  The letters were marked, “First Aerial Post, U.P. Exhibition Allahabad 1911.” Within the next few years, the idea of airmail would become more popular, as England and the United States began airmail services.  Airmail quickly grew into a global phenomenon.

Since the turn of the 21st century, airmail has lost its distinction as its own mail service, but the importance of airmail is not forgotten.  The United States Postal Service’s First Class Mail International features the use of airmail for prompt deliveries.  Additionally, successful shipping companies such as FedEx and UPS rely on airmail as a major component in their operations.