FlyNiki, a low-cost Austrian airline, has announced plans for what it claims is the world’s shortest international flight – a 30-mile trip between the Austrian and Slovakian capitals.
But baring in mind that the journey takes just an hour by car and even less by train - one wonders if it's worth the hassle of faffing around in immigration and check-in.
It's also a
fifteen minute drive to the airport from central Bratislava and 20
minutes from Vienna, so a bus ride might even be quicker, and it would
certainly be cheaper.
Perhaps
aptly, the route, which will cover around 30 miles, launches on April
1, and while it's likely to be on the radar of many aviation
enthusiasts, it's unlikely to be an appealing option for most regular
travellers.
The
world's shortest flight is currently the mile-long journey from Westray
to Papa Westray in Scotland's Orkey Islands, which can take as few as
47 seconds, depending on wind direction.
A
bidding war over the route was settled in 2013, with the contract being
awarded to Scottish airline Loganair, its current operator.
Meanwhile, the record for longest flight goes to Qantas' 17-hour , 8,500-mile trip from Sydney to Dallas.
