Nonstop flight route between Port Elizabeth, South Africa and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from PLZ to HRI:
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- About this route
- PLZ Airport Information
- HRI Airport Information
- Facts about PLZ
- Facts about HRI
- Map of Nearest Airports to PLZ
- List of Nearest Airports to PLZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from PLZ
- List of Furthest Airports from PLZ
- Map of Nearest Airports to HRI
- List of Nearest Airports to HRI
- Map of Furthest Airports from HRI
- List of Furthest Airports from HRI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), Port Elizabeth, South Africa and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,566 miles (or 7,348 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 Port Elizabeth International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa 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 Port Elizabeth International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa 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: | PLZ / FAPE |
Airport Name: | Port Elizabeth International Airport |
Location: | Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°59'4"S by 25°36'37"E |
Area Served: | Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 226 feet (69 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from PLZ |
More Information: | PLZ Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | HRI / VCRI |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Hambantota, Sri Lanka |
GPS Coordinates: | 6°17'20"N by 81°7'24"E |
Area Served: | Hambantota |
Operator/Owner: | Sri Lankan Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 157 feet (48 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from HRI |
More Information: | HRI Maps & Info |
Facts about Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ):
- A highlight in Port Elizabeth's history was the first flight to Port Elizabeth from Cape Town in 1917, made by Major Allister Mackintosh Miller.
- The closest airport to Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 79 miles (127 kilometers) ENE of PLZ.
- 17 May 2004 - John Travolta landed his personal Qantas Boeing 707 at the airport directly from Mauritius as he was visiting a nearby private game reserve.
- Because of Port Elizabeth International Airport's relatively low elevation of 226 feet, planes can take off or land at Port Elizabeth 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.
- The furthest airport from Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Princeville Airport (HPV), which is located 11,567 miles (18,615 kilometers) away in Hanalei, Hawaii, United States.
- Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) has 2 runways.
- During World War II, the airfield was extended to accommodate 42 Air School for the Royal Air Force and 6 Squadron South African Air Force on the southern and eastern sides of the field.
- Air Force Station Port Elizabeth is home to C Flight of 15 Squadron of the South African Air Force.
- In 2013, the airport served 1,269,634 passengers.
Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):
- The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
- The airport is designed to facilitate for over 800 foreign passengers at peak hours and several local passengers per every 1000 km² in side the buildings.
- Because of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Mattala Rajapaksa 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.
- Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Hambantota in southeast Sri Lanka.
- Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.
- The furthest airport from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,719 miles (18,860 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
- It was initially planned to build an international airport serving the south of Sri Lanka at Weerawila, but the plans were scrapped due to environmental concerns.
- This project is expected to stimulate the development and infrastructure in the area, raising living standards of the people not only in Hambantota, but in nearby Matara, Moneragala and other close districts.
- The air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.
- In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
- Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
- Phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.