Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Rennes, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport (RNS), Rennes, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,566 miles (or 8,957 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 Rennes–Saint-Jacques 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 Rennes–Saint-Jacques 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 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.
• This project will have two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of October 2012.
• It handled nearly 6000 passengers in the first two months after opening.
• 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.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The terminal building will be of area 12,000m2 with the capacity to handle 1,000,000 passengers per annum.
• 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 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.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• 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.
• The air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.

Facts about Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport (RNS):

• Seized by the Germans in June 1940 during the Battle of France, Rennes airport was used as a Luftwaffe military airfield during the occupation.
• Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport (RNS) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport (RNS) is Dinard–Pleurtuit–Saint-Malo Airport (DNR), which is located 39 miles (63 kilometers) NNW of RNS.
• The furthest airport from Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport (RNS) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport (meaning Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,048 miles (19,390 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• This airport has some local competition with the Dinard Pleurtuit Saint-Malo Airport, on the Channel coast, preferred by low cost companies for passengers.
• It was liberated by Allied ground forces about 7 August 1944 during the Northern France Campaign.
• Because of Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport's relatively low elevation of 124 feet, planes can take off or land at Rennes–Saint-Jacques 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.
• In addition to being known as "Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport", another name for RNS is "Aéroport de Rennes – Saint-JacquesAdvanced Landing Ground (ALG) A-27".