Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Stord, Hordaland, Norway:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP), Stord, Hordaland, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,351 miles (or 8,611 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 Stord Airport, Sørstokken, 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 Stord Airport, Sørstokken. 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):

• 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.
• 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 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.
• 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".
• 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.

Facts about Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP):

• In 1995, the airport was discussed in the Parliament of Norway's Standing Committee on Transport and Communications.
• In September 1984, the Ministry of Finance granted NOK 8 million to the airport.
• One-third of the necessary capital would be granted from private investors, one third from public grants and one third as loans.
• The first proposals for an airport on Stord—launched in the 1950s—envisioned an airport at Hystadmarka.
• Stord Airport, Sørstokken handled 30,711 passengers last year.
• Planning of the airport started in the 1950s, and after a proposal to locate it at Meatjørn was abandoned, it was decided built at Sørstokken.
• The furthest airport from Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,330 miles (18,234 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP) currently has only 1 runway.
• During construction, companies announced interest in using the airport.
• In addition to being known as "Stord Airport, Sørstokken", other names for SRP include "Stord lufthavn, Sørstokken" and "ENSO".
• Because of Stord Airport, Sørstokken's relatively low elevation of 161 feet, planes can take off or land at Stord Airport, Sørstokken 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.
• When the airport opened, it had not yet had its landing fees approved of by the authorities, and use of the airport was at first free.
• Local politicians protested against not receiving a direct flight to Oslo.
• A new report was published in 1981, which recommended that the airport be located at Meatjørn or Storavatnet.
• The closest airport to Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP) is Haugesund Airport, Karmøy (HAU), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) S of SRP.