Nonstop flight route between Andenes, Norway and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX), Andenes, Norway and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,214 miles (or 8,390 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 Andøya Airport, Andenes 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 Andøya Airport, Andenes 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX):

• Andøya Air Station was built with North Atlantic Treaty Organization funds as a combined Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic project as a base for maritime surveillance.
• Widerøe serves Andenes with Dash 8 aircraft on public service obligations with the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
• Because of Andøya Airport, Andenes's relatively low elevation of 43 feet, planes can take off or land at Andøya Airport, Andenes 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.
• In addition to being known as "Andøya Airport, Andenes", another name for ANX is "Andøya lufthavn, Andenes".
• From 1 April 2003 Norwegian Air Shuttle took over the route from Andenes to Bodø and Tromsø.
• The furthest airport from Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,620 miles (17,092 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX) is Stokmarknes Airport, Skagen (SKN), which is located 56 miles (91 kilometers) SSW of ANX.
• Andøya Airport, Andenes handled 48,254 passengers last year.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• The air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• On October 2012, the Super King 20 Test Aircraft, which belongs to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Department and features a dual engine, landed on the new runway to test the newly constructed runway and the instrumentation.
• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• The numbers given to the airport's sole runway is 05 and 23.
• The new international airport is expected to expand the local aviation industry whilst being a catalyst for the country's economic development enabling international trade, tourism, vocational training and employment.
• 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.
• This project will have two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of October 2012.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• 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.