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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF), Perpignan, France and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,328 miles (or 8,575 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 Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International 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 Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International 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 Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF):

• The furthest airport from Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (meaning Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,356 miles (19,884 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport's relatively low elevation of 144 feet, planes can take off or land at Perpignan – Rivesaltes 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.
• Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF) is Carcassonne Airport (CCF), which is located 43 miles (70 kilometers) NW of PGF.
• In addition to being known as "Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport", another name for PGF is "Aéroport de Perpignan – Rivesaltes".

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• This project will have two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of October 2012.
• The terminal building will be of area 12,000m2 with the capacity to handle 1,000,000 passengers per annum.
• 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.
• The Runway dimensions are 3500m * 60m with 7.5m paved shoulders either side and 260m Runway safety area on both runway ends.
• Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.
• 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.