puddle-jumper

American  

[puhd-l-juhm-per] / ˈpʌd lˌdʒʌm pər /

Or puddlejumper

noun

Slang.

1. a light plane, especially one traveling only short distances or making many stops.

2. an old, rickety automobile; flivver.

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Etymology

Origin of puddle-jumper

First recorded in 1930–35; humorously so called because it is used on routes that include stopovers in small, insignificant places

Example Sentences

So we fly to New York, get off that plane, take another puddle-jumper to Albany to take my son Aaron back to boarding school in Lake Placid, which is another two- or three-hour drive.

From Los Angeles Times

Theirs is a level of puddle-jumper flights to far-flung outposts, cheap rent-a-cars, fast-food drive-throughs and bunking with roommates.

From Seattle Times

The latter might save you money, but cost you in comfort and convenience as you squeeze into a puddle-jumper and have to gate-check your carry-on.

From Seattle Times

Arriving in St. Barts can feel like a near-death experience: A pilot’s hand tugs an overhead lever and the puddle-jumper noses down sharply, the crest of a hillside dotted with red-roofed villas suddenly visible through the open cockpit door.

From New York Times

By the time his owner makes it to Trash Island in a puddle-jumper prop plane, Spots is nowhere to be found.

From Slate