Nonstop flight route between Lahore, Pakistan and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE), Lahore, Pakistan and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,797 miles (or 2,892 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 relatively short distance between Allama Iqbal International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE):

• The national flag carrier of the UAE, Etihad Airways, opened a dedicated aircraft line maintenance facility in Lahore.
• In addition to being known as "Allama Iqbal International Airport", another name for LHE is "علامہ اقبال بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈہ".
• Because of Allama Iqbal International Airport's relatively low elevation of 698 feet, planes can take off or land at Allama Iqbal 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.
• Pakistan International Airlines, the flag carrier of Pakistan, uses Allama Iqbal International Airport as a major hub, second only to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
• Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE) is Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International AirportAmritsar International Airport (ATQ), which is located 27 miles (43 kilometers) ENE of LHE.
• The furthest airport from Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is nearly antipodal to Allama Iqbal International Airport (meaning Allama Iqbal International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Mataveri International Airport), and is located 12,058 miles (19,405 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
• The brand new terminal includes many duty-free shops including restaurants, cafés, ice-cream parlours, confectionery shops, book and toy shops and souvenir shops.

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.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• Domestic carriers Helitours and Cinnamon Air offer charter flights that connect the airport with Ratmalana Airport and Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
• It handled nearly 6000 passengers in the first two months after opening.
• This project will have two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of October 2012.
• A new aerodrome designed to meet the ICAO specification for code 4F is to be built.
• 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.