On this day, the first flight from Europe had landed in India, at Karachi. It left for Europe on its return journey from Calcutta on January 13.
It was a huge Handley Page biplane that landed to the applause of a crowd numbering over 10,000. It carried letters and postcards. It has been a bomber during World War I. On December 16, it landed in front of Allahabad Fort and then in Calcutta, at the Race Course. In both cities, it was greeted by huge crowds that had gathered to see it land.
It started its journey back to Europe from Calcutta on January 13, but had to make a stop at Allahabad as it had developed a snag. A report in The Hindu said that dust had entered the engine after the plane was left in the open at the Calcutta Race Course “instead of being properly housed.”
Soon it was decided that flights would land in Bombay, not Calcutta. The Hindu reported that Calcutta lost the opportunity to become the centre of flying in India because permissions could not be obtained to build an aerodrome near the city.