Nonstop flight route between Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from DUR to TBU:
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- About this route
- DUR Airport Information
- TBU Airport Information
- Facts about DUR
- Facts about TBU
- Map of Nearest Airports to DUR
- List of Nearest Airports to DUR
- Map of Furthest Airports from DUR
- List of Furthest Airports from DUR
- Map of Nearest Airports to TBU
- List of Nearest Airports to TBU
- Map of Furthest Airports from TBU
- List of Furthest Airports from TBU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU), Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,513 miles (or 13,700 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between King Shaka International and Fuaʻamotu International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.
Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between King Shaka International and Fuaʻamotu International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DUR / FALE |
Airport Name: | King Shaka International |
Location: | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
GPS Coordinates: | 29°37'0"S by 31°6'29"E |
Area Served: | Durban, South Africa |
Operator/Owner: | Dube Tradeport Company |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 295 feet (90 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from DUR |
More Information: | DUR Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | TBU / NFTF |
Airport Name: | Fuaʻamotu International Airport |
Location: | Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga |
GPS Coordinates: | 21°14'27"S by 175°8'57"W |
Area Served: | Nukuʻalofa, Tonga |
Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Civil Aviation |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 126 feet (38 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from TBU |
More Information: | TBU Maps & Info |
Facts about King Shaka International (DUR):
- On 27 January 2014 the worlds largest passenger aircraft, an Airbus A380-800 of British Airways landed at KSIA becoming the first A380 to do so.
- King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
- King Shaka International Airport, also known as La Mercy Airport, and abbreviated KSIA, is the primary airport serving Durban, South Africa.
- The terminal does not have a public viewing deck, which has attracted public criticism.
- The furthest airport from King Shaka International (DUR) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,682 miles (18,801 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
- The project was revived in the late 1990s when the limitations of Durban International Airport became apparent.
- The airport is located in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal, approximately 35 km north of Durban.
- The project was then hit by a tender war between the Illembe consortium and the Indiza consortium.
- The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
- Because of King Shaka International's relatively low elevation of 295 feet, planes can take off or land at King Shaka International at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- King Shaka International Airport was first conceptualised in the 1970s, with construction beginning in 1973.
Facts about Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU):
- On April 28, 2006, the Tongan Government ended their controversial one-airline policy that had been in favour of Peau Vavaʻu.
- There is no public bus service to the airport, but several hostels and hotels in Nukuʻalofa meet flights and taxis are available.
- It is the strength of the runway rather than the length that restricts operations from Fuaʻamotu.
- The furthest airport from Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport (TMR), which is nearly antipodal to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (meaning Fuaʻamotu International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport), and is located 12,322 miles (19,830 kilometers) away in Tamanrasset, Algeria.
- Because of Fuaʻamotu International Airport's relatively low elevation of 126 feet, planes can take off or land at Fuaʻamotu International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- Some short-haul international flights such as to Fiji or American Samoa also operate from Vavaʻu Island's Lupepauʻu Airport from time to time.
- The closest airport to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Lifuka Island Airport (HPA), which is located 114 miles (183 kilometers) NNE of TBU.
- Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) has 2 runways.
- Fuaʻamotu International Airport is an international airport in Tonga.
- Under Tongan law, Fuaʻamotu International Airport is closed on Sundays — only to be opened in distress, after the minister's approval.