The unexpected presence of a British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning fighter jet at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport has given Kerala Tourism a unique marketing opportunity with a humorous twist.
In a witty social media campaign, the Kerala Tourism department shared a creatively edited poster featuring the jet parked against a backdrop of swaying coconut trees and lush greenery. The tongue-in-cheek tagline read: ‘‘Kerala is such an amazing place. I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend”., playfully attributed to the stranded aircraft.
The post, shared on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), quickly went viral, amassing over 18,000 Instagram likes within just six hours. Social media users joined in on the fun, with one commenter joking, “Maybe a monsoon-time Ayurvedic massage can repair the jet’s body,” while another quipped, “You’re exploiting the weather to the fullest, eh?”
The F-35B fighter jet, which made an emergency landing in Thiruvananthapuram on June 14 due to a hydraulic issue during a military exercise, remains parked at the airport’s maintenance hangar. A 40-member technical team from the UK is expected to arrive this weekend to assess and repair the aircraft.
Published on July 3, 2025
