Nonstop flight route between Ratmalana, Sri Lanka and Sfax, Tunisia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ratmalana Airport (RML), Ratmalana, Sri Lanka and Sfax–Thyna International Airport (SFA), Sfax, Tunisia would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,771 miles (or 7,678 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 Ratmalana Airport and Sfax–Thyna 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 Ratmalana Airport and Sfax–Thyna 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 Ratmalana Airport (RML):

• The airport is much closer to the Colombo city center compared to the larger Bandaranaike International Airport which is 32 km north of the city.
• Ratmalana Airport (RML) currently has only 1 runway.
• Ratmalana Airport, is one of the two international airports serving the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka, the other being Bandaranaike International Airport.
• In addition to being known as "Ratmalana Airport", another name for RML is "රත්මලාන ගුවන්තොටුපළஇரத்மலானை விமான நிலைய".
• In 1934 the State Council of Ceylon made a decision to construct an aerodrome within reach of the capital city of Colombo and decided on Ratmalana as the best site.
• Ratmalana airport was declared open for small international commercial flights.
• During the Second World War it was used as a Royal Air Force base, with No 30 Squadron flying Hawker Hurricanes from there against Japanese Navy aircraft.
• Because of Ratmalana Airport's relatively low elevation of 16 feet, planes can take off or land at Ratmalana 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 closest airport to Ratmalana Airport (RML) is Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), which is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) N of RML.
• There are currently 2 terminals at the airport.
• The furthest airport from Ratmalana Airport (RML) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,628 miles (18,713 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• In the 1950s, BOAC flew Canadair Argonauts from Ratmalana to London.

Facts about Sfax–Thyna International Airport (SFA):

• The closest airport to Sfax–Thyna International Airport (SFA) is Djerba–Zarzis International Airport (DJE), which is located 58 miles (94 kilometers) S of SFA.
• In addition to being known as "Sfax–Thyna International Airport", other names for SFA include "Aéroport International de Sfax–Thyna" and "مطار صفاقس الدولي".
• The furthest airport from Sfax–Thyna International Airport (SFA) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,702 miles (18,833 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The airport has undergone several extensions and improvements, the most important development and remodeling of the terminal took place in 1988 when the runway was extended.
• Because of Sfax–Thyna International Airport's relatively low elevation of 85 feet, planes can take off or land at Sfax–Thyna 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.
• Sfax–Thyna International Airport (SFA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport has the head office of Syphax Airlines.