Airlines operate ultra-short Airbus A350 flights on select routes in October

In October, several airlines are operating some of the shortest scheduled flights using the Airbus A350, a widebody aircraft more commonly associated with long-haul travel. The data comes from Cirium, an aviation analytics company.

The shortest route is between Curaçao International Airport and Bonaire International Airport in the Dutch Caribbean, covering just 47 miles. Corendon Dutch Airlines schedules the Airbus A350-900 on this segment twice weekly. However, these flights are operated by World2Fly, a Spanish charter airline, and are part of a triangular route that starts in Amsterdam. The Curaçao-Bonaire leg cannot be booked separately and takes about 13 minutes according to Flightradar24. Corendon highlights features of the aircraft: "The air is refreshed every two to three minutes, and there is a higher air pressure in the cabin. This way, you arrive at your destination much more rested - say goodbye to jet lag!"

In Africa, Air Mauritius operates regular short-haul A350-900 flights between Mauritius and Reunion, which are 143 miles apart. There are 20 outbound flights from Mauritius and 19 return flights scheduled for this month, mostly clustered around weekends.