Why a 1-Minute Commercial Flight Has Been Running for Nearly 60 Years

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When most people fly commercially, they typically expect to be on the plane for a while. Could be an hour. Could be over 20 hours.

They’re also usually flying for what one would consider typical reasons. For work. Vacation. A special event. To get together with family.

And if the flight isn’t utilized up to the airline’s expectations, it’s typically not surprising to see the service cancelled.

But there’s one commercial flight that defies all of those “typical” situations.

If you’re an aviation geek, you’ve probably heard of it. It’s a scheduled commercial flight operated by Loganair that connects two tiny islands: the Orkney archipelago’s Westray and Papa Westray, located north of continental Scotland. The route is 1.7 miles long, and the flight is scheduled for about 90 seconds, though the actual flying time is usually closer to a minute. With the right wind, it can be even shorter. The plane only holds 8 passengers. And the route has been running since September 1967 – nearly 60 years.

Why the flight exists

It’s important to note that the flight isn’t there as a way to serve tourists or businesses (although both might take advantage of it sometimes). It’s there because of geography and local necessity.

The Orkney Islands are comprised of around 70 islands, although 50 of them are unpopulated. Of the 20 islands that are populated, two of them, Westray and Papa Westray, are divided by a narrow patch of sea that’s only about 1.7 miles wide.

The islands are small. In fact, Papa Westray has a population of only about 90-100, depending on which reference you use. With such a small population, it means the basic services people typically need – like hospitals, schools and shops – are highly limited. Many of its residents use the flight to go to Westray or Kirkwall (Orkney’s biggest town) for medical care, school or just to get supplies.

Loganair, a Scottish regional airline, has been continually providing the flights since 1967. Flights between Westray Airport and Papa Westray Airport operate daily: bi-directional on weekdays and unidirectional on weekends. On Saturdays only flights from Westray to Papa Westray are available, and on Sunday, only flights from Papa Westray to Westray are available. From Loganair:

Of interest to aviation geeks, the route is flown by Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft, the kind of small, rugged island-hopping plane that makes sense for short inter-island routes like this. From Wikipedia:

Since its launch in 1967, Loganair continues to operate this flight with one of its two Britten-Norman BN2B-26 Islander aircraft. The Islander is a high-wing, twin piston engine, propeller-driven aircraft. It is flown by a single pilot, and there is seating for eight passengers in the passenger cabin. One additional seat usually remains empty next to the pilot.

These flights, which operate similarly to a rural bus network, are considered to be more of a lifeline than a luxury. Locals often hold concession cards, and the Orkney Islands Council and Scottish Government subsidize the fares. This helps keep fares manageable and ensures even isolated communities remain connected.

Wouldn’t A Ferry Or Bridge Be Better?

Not really.

That water between the two islands is known to be very turbulent, especially in the winter.

Ferries would be cheaper overall, and they do run between the two islands at times. But when the water is too rough, the boats are often delayed or cancelled altogether. For older passengers, school-age children or anyone with serious medical issues, the uncertainty of the ferry schedules doesn’t always work.

And when you consider the small population and frequently extreme marine environment, building a bridge from Westray to Papa Westray would cost way too much.

Air travel between the islands is fast and reliable, and has been working well for everyone involved since 1967. So it’s one of those situations where “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

To outsiders, a commercial flight lasting barely a minute might seem absurd. But for the people of Westray and Papa Westray, it’s a practical transportation link that connects them to medical care, education, supplies, and the rest of the Orkney Islands. While most airline routes are judged by passenger numbers and profitability, this one survives because it serves a different purpose.

Nearly 60 years after it began, the world’s shortest scheduled commercial flight remains proof that sometimes the most important routes aren’t the busiest or longest ones.

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