Nonstop flight route between Port Elizabeth, South Africa and Sármellék, Hungary:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), Port Elizabeth, South Africa and Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB), Sármellék, Hungary would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,599 miles (or 9,010 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 Port Elizabeth International Airport and Hévíz-Balaton 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 Port Elizabeth International Airport and Hévíz-Balaton 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 Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ):

• The furthest airport from Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Princeville Airport (HPV), which is located 11,567 miles (18,615 kilometers) away in Hanalei, Hawaii, United States.
• Port Elizabeth Airport was established in 1929 in close proximity to the city.
• The airport resides at an elevation of 226 feet above mean sea level.
• Because of Port Elizabeth International Airport's relatively low elevation of 226 feet, planes can take off or land at Port Elizabeth 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.
• June, 2010 - South African Airways operated an Airbus A340-200 to Port Elizabeth to help manage the extra volume of people during the FIFA World Cup 2010.
• The closest airport to Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 79 miles (127 kilometers) ENE of PLZ.
• A highlight in Port Elizabeth's history was the first flight to Port Elizabeth from Cape Town in 1917, made by Major Allister Mackintosh Miller.
• Port Elizabeth International Airport is an airport serving Port Elizabeth, a city in the Eastern Cape province in South Africa.
• Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) has 2 runways.
• Air Force Station Port Elizabeth is home to C Flight of 15 Squadron of the South African Air Force.
• During World War II, the airfield was extended to accommodate 42 Air School for the Royal Air Force and 6 Squadron South African Air Force on the southern and eastern sides of the field.

Facts about Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB):

• Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB) currently has only 1 runway.
• Sármellék International Airport had operated as a public airport since 1991 and became the second international airport of the country on 15 May 2002 after Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport.
• The furthest airport from Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,746 miles (18,904 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In addition to being known as "Hévíz-Balaton Airport", another name for SOB is "Hévíz-Balaton Repülőtér".
• Because of Hévíz-Balaton Airport's relatively low elevation of 408 feet, planes can take off or land at Hévíz-Balaton 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.
• Due to financial problems, the airport closed over the winter period 2008–09, but closed indefinitely on 10 October 2009.
• The closest airport to Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB) is Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport (MBX), which is located 71 miles (115 kilometers) W of SOB.
• Its importance is due to the proximity of Lake Balaton, Hungary's most important holiday resort and the thermal spas of Hévíz and Zalakaros.
• In December 2005 Ryanair announced three weekly scheduled flights from London-Stansted, the route has since been cut along with flights announced in October 2006 from Hahn.