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Kerala Tourism turns stranded British F-35 fighter jet into viral marketing sensation: ‘Bro found peace, toddy, and banana chips’

The F-35 stealth fighter jet, which had been flying from the UK’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, had to make an unexpected landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14 after running low on fuel.

Jumping on the online chatter, the state’s tourism department shared a witty social media post on July 2

A British F-35 fighter jet that made an emergency landing at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram International Airport has unexpectedly become the star of hilarious marketing moment. Stranded for weeks, the high-tech jet has sparked a wave of memes, and Kerala Tourism isn’t missing a beat.

Jumping on the online chatter, the state’s tourism department shared a witty social media post on July 2, showing the fighter jet soaking in the Kerala vibes. The image featured a cheeky five-star “review” from the UK F-35B itself: “Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend.”

Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave.

Thank you, The Fauxy.#F35 #Trivandrum #KeralaTourism pic.twitter.com/3lei66a5T2

— Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) July 2, 2025

Acknowledging the parody handle The Fauxy—which first shared a similar joke with the line, “Kerala: Once you land, you won’t want to leave. Ask the British F-35”—Kerala Tourism turned an awkward logistical situation into digital gold.

#𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐅-𝟑𝟓 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 ‘𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 – 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐚 pic.twitter.com/vpigi9D6nB

— The Fauxy (@the_fauxy) July 1, 2025

Soon, others joined in. One post showed the jet chilling with locals, sipping tea and munching banana chips. “No wonder it refuses to leave now—bro found peace, toddy, and banana chips,” a user said.

No wonder it refuses to leave now- bro found peace, toddy, and banana chips. 🥴 pic.twitter.com/wAv2i9a75z

— The ChagalaToka (@Pratyush0511) July 2, 2025

Another user wrote, “New tourism poster from Kerala.”

New tourism poster from Kerala https://t.co/y8Dwjxbym2 pic.twitter.com/FRpLIyKjVO

— ಮೀಮರ್ ಮುತ್ತಣ್ಣ (@ijnani) June 21, 2025

How the British F-35 stealth jet ended up in Kerala

An F-35B stealth fighter jet, which had been flying from the UK’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, had to make an unexpected landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14 after running low on fuel, according to The Times of India. While the landing was executed safely, a hydraulic failure emerged soon after the jet touched down, delaying its return to active service.

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To fix the issue, a UK-based engineering crew is now heading to Kerala, carrying specialised equipment for on-site repairs. The plan is to shift the aircraft to the airport’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility to avoid disrupting commercial flights. However, if the damage proves too extensive to fix locally, defence sources say the jet may have to be flown back to the UK aboard a military transport aircraft.

In the wake of the incident, the British High Commission extended its appreciation to Indian authorities, highlighting the swift assistance provided by the Indian Air Force, Navy, and local airport staff — from refuelling and ground clearance to securing the aircraft. They called it “a great example of professional cooperation and mutual support between close partners.”