Nonstop flight route between Owerri, Nigeria and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (QOW), Owerri, Nigeria and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,076 miles (or 8,170 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 Sam Mbakwe International Cargo 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 Sam Mbakwe International Cargo 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 Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (QOW):

• In addition to being known as "Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport", another name for QOW is "Imo Airport".
• Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (QOW) currently has only 1 runway.
• Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport handled 276,926 passengers last year.
• Because of Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport's relatively low elevation of 373 feet, planes can take off or land at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo 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 Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (QOW) is Canton Island Airport (CIS), which is nearly antipodal to Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (meaning Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Canton Island Airport), and is located 12,238 miles (19,696 kilometers) away in Canton Island, Kiribati.
• The closest airport to Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (QOW) is Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa (PHC), which is located 33 miles (54 kilometers) SSW of QOW.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• On 16 October 2012, a Hawker Beechcraft B200 King Air registered AP-CAB, belonging to the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan landed on runway 23 at 12.38 PM local time becoming the first aircraft to land at the new airport as requested by the Rajapaksa regime.
• 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 air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Hambantota in southeast Sri Lanka.
• This project will have two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of October 2012.
• Domestic carriers Helitours and Cinnamon Air offer charter flights that connect the airport with Ratmalana Airport and Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
• 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 new international airport is expected to expand the local aviation industry whilst being a catalyst for the country's economic development enabling international trade, tourism, vocational training and employment.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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 second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• Hambantota International Airport will include domestic/regional and international passenger and cargo terminals, warehouses, as well as being compatible for seaplane/amphibious operations etc.
• 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.