Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Irkutsk, Russia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and International Airport Irkutsk (IKT), Irkutsk, Russia would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,441 miles (or 5,537 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and International Airport Irkutsk, 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and International Airport Irkutsk. 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 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 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.
• The numbers given to the airport's sole runway is 05 and 23.
• As announced earlier the airport was opened for flight operations on 18 March 2013.
• The airport was declared open by the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on 18 March 2013 and commenced operations with the landing of a SriLankan Airlines special Airbus A340 flight named 'City of Magam Ruhunupura' with the President on board.
• 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.
• The second stage of the HIA project expansion works at the airport is to be completed by 2015.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".

Facts about International Airport Irkutsk (IKT):

• Due to its proximity to the Angara Reservoir, the airport is subject to a particular microclimate with foggy weather.
• Apart from foggy weather, the airport is notorious for its sloping runway and having many hills in its vicinity.
• The closest airport to International Airport Irkutsk (IKT) is Baikal International Airport (UUD), which is located 133 miles (215 kilometers) ESE of IKT.
• In addition to being known as "International Airport Irkutsk", another name for IKT is "Международный Аэропорт Иркутск".
• International Airport Irkutsk (IKT) currently has only 1 runway.
• Irkutsk airport serves as a diversion airport on transcontinental flights and Polar route 2.
• The furthest airport from International Airport Irkutsk (IKT) is Teniente Julio Gallardo Airfield (PNT), which is nearly antipodal to International Airport Irkutsk (meaning International Airport Irkutsk is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Teniente Julio Gallardo Airfield), and is located 12,299 miles (19,794 kilometers) away in Puerto Natales, Chile.