Austrian airline offers ‘world’s shortest international flight’

An Austrian airline has begun what it claims is the world's shortest regular international connection — an eight-minute hop across Lake Constance between Switzerland and Germany.

The flight offered by People’s Viennaline connects St Gallen-Altenrhein in Switzerland with Friedrichshafen in southern Germany.

It is part of a route which continues onward to the western German city of Cologne. Passengers can book only the short part for €40 euro .

Swiss Green Party politician Meinrad Gschwend has said he wants to see the flights banned on environmental grounds.

The airline responded by saying that driving around the lake for an hour would produce as many harmful emissions as the short flight.

AP