Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Mobile, Alabama, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Mobile Regional Airport (MOB), Mobile, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,787 miles (or 15,750 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 Mobile Regional 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and Mobile Regional 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (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.
• A new aerodrome designed to meet the ICAO specification for code 4F is to be built.
• 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".
• 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 Runway dimensions are 3500m * 60m with 7.5m paved shoulders either side and 260m Runway safety area on both runway ends.
• Domestic carriers Helitours and Cinnamon Air offer charter flights that connect the airport with Ratmalana Airport and Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
• On 24 January 2013, Sri Lanka Minister of Civil Aviation Piyankara Jayaratne said in parliament that the airport would be declared open on 18 March 2013.
• The second stage of the HIA project expansion works at the airport is to be completed by 2015.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• 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.

Facts about Mobile Regional Airport (MOB):

• During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces used Mobile Regional Airport.
• In 1944 with the reduced demand for pilots, the Army ended the flying training, and Domestic Transport Division of Air Transport Command used the airport as a transport airfield.
• The MC Farmer Terminal was completed in 1985.
• The closest airport to Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) is Mobile Downtown Airport (BFM), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) ESE of MOB.
• Because of Mobile Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 219 feet, planes can take off or land at Mobile Regional 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.
• US Airways via its US Airways Express affiliates continue nonstop flights to the US Airways hub in Charlotte.
• The furthest airport from Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,118 miles (17,893 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Mobile Regional Airport", other names for MOB include "Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile" and "(former Bates Army Airfield)".
• USAir operated nonstop flights to Charlotte, NC during the mid 1990s with McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 and Fokker F100 jetliners.
• American Airlines served Mobile with Boeing 727-200s in the mid 1980s.
• Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) has 2 runways.
• American Airlines restored flights to Chicago in April 2007 but ended them in September 2008.