In the far north of Scotland, a flight exists that’s shorter than boiling a kettle for your morning tea. Travelling between two tiny islands in the Orkney archipelago, this route has earned the distinction of being the world’s shortest scheduled commercial flight. The flight connects Westray and Papa Westray, a pair of islands separated by just 1.7 miles.

From take-off to landing, the journey lasts around 90 seconds with the aircraft actually in the air for just about 53 seconds. Operated by Scottish regional airline Loganair, the route has been in service since 1967 and forms part of the inter-island network linking the northern Orkneys.

The aircraft used, a Britten-Norman Islander, carries up to eight passengers and a single pilot.

Students and teachers often take it to access the 60 archaeological sites on Papa Westray, while health professionals occasionally rely on it to reach the island’s 90 residents.

Papa Westray is home to St Boniface Kirk, a 12th-century recently restored church with a Viking hogback grave in the kirkyard. There’s also the Knap of Howar, a structure dating back to 3,500 BC, which is the oldest preserved stone house in northern Europe, according to Loganair.

Westray, meanwhile, also boasts natural and historic landmarks of its own. The dramatic Castle O’ Burrian sea stack was once used as a hermitage and now provides a seasonal home for a colony of puffins between April and late July.

Tickets for the Westray to Papa Westray hop start start from just £8 per person. The Excursion fare is the cheapest fare starting from £8, allows 15 kg of luggage, and requires a return trip with a minimum one-night stay at the destination and a maximum stay of three months.

The Island Saver fare begins at £12, also with 15 kg of luggage, and covers return trips from the North Isles to Kirkwall or between the North Isles via Kirkwall. The Economy fare starts from £19, again with the same luggage allowance.

For those travelling with a car, a car ferry operates usually twice a week and there’s also a passenger ferry service with several daily departures per direction taking about 25 minutes.