It is widely known that the world’s longest flight travels between New York’s JFK Airport and Singapore Changi Airport. But have you ever wondered which two locations have the shortest flight time and duration?
The flight between two Scottish Orkney Islands holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s shortest flight. Operated by Loganair since 1967, the flight from Westray to Papa Westray lasts an average of one and a half minutes.
While the route is scheduled for one and a half minutes, the actual flying time is closer to one minute. The flight speed is faster than it takes most aircraft to reach cruising altitude. The record for the fastest flight on this route is 53 seconds, set by pilot Stuart Linklater, who flew the route more than 12,000 times before his retirement in 2013.
The journey covers approximately 1.7 miles across the water, about the same length as the runway at Edinburgh Airport. The flights are combined with flights to and from Kirkwall Airport, forming a narrow triangle. The aircraft stops at Westray to pick up and drop off passengers before continuing to its next stop on one of Loganair’s Britten-Norman BN2B-26 Islander aircraft.
Flights operate daily in both directions except on Saturdays, when only flights from Westray travel to Papa Westray. Throughout the year, the route offers a crucial journey for the approximately 70 inhabitants of Papa Westray. Additionally, the flights are popular with tourists and day-trippers who want to experience this unique journey.
