Kerala Tourism Joins Meme Fest On Grounded British F-35B Jet; Says, ‘Not Willing To Leave Because…’ | India News
The Kerala Tourism department has joined the meme fest surrounding a British F-35B jet grounded in the state for 18 days, suggesting the jet was “not willing to leave” because Kerala is a place you “never want to leave.”
In a post on X, Kerala’s Tourism Department said, “Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave. Thank you, The Fauxy.”
In the same post, Kerala’s Tourism Department also shared an AI-generated image of the UK F-35B jet with a five-star review from the jet, which stated, “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
The Kerala Tourism Department also thanked satirical news platform ‘Foxy’ for inspiring them to create the poster.
Weeks after it made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport, the UK’s F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet continues to remain grounded. Renowned for its short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, the fifth-generation fighter — part of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group — was returning from joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy in the Indo-Pacific when it was forced to land in Kerala’s capital.
Despite its cutting-edge design and engineering pedigree, the jet has been lying idle in the open for 18 days now, enduring Kerala’s punishing heat and torrential rains.
Social media, meanwhile, has had a field day. One widely shared post features an image of the stranded aircraft with a mock caption offering it “for sale,” inviting bids from interested buyers.
Another popular discussion draws a parallel with a classic Malayalam comedy film, Vellanakalude Nadu, directed by Priyadarshan and starring Mohanlal.
In the film, Mohanlal’s character takes possession of a long-defunct road roller after winning a local body tender. Despite help from a bumbling mechanic (played by the late comedian Pappu), the machine refuses to start. The situation escalates when the local council chief (played by Shobana) threatens legal action unless the eyesore is removed. Eventually, a chaotic attempt to tow the roller ends with it crashing into her compound — a sequence now being compared, tongue-in-cheek, to the ongoing plight of the British jet.
The memes have even sparked speculation over whether standard aviation parking fees will be applied to the parked aircraft.
(With IANS Inputs)
