A British F-35B stealth fighter jet, stranded at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram airport for 18 days, has unexpectedly become the center of a social media meme storm—and the Kerala Tourism Department has now joined the fun. In a light-hearted post on X, the department quipped that the jet was “not willing to leave” because “Kerala is a place you never want to leave.”
The post also included an AI-generated image of the F-35B fighter alongside a fake five-star review that read, “Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend.” The department thanked the satirical platform “The Fauxy” for inspiring the viral poster.
The F-35B, a fifth-generation stealth aircraft known for its short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, was returning from a joint maritime exercise with the Indian Navy in the Indo-Pacific when it made an emergency landing in Kerala’s capital. The aircraft, which is part of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, has since been exposed to Kerala’s scorching heat and seasonal rains.
The prolonged stay has led to a flood of internet humor. One popular meme mockingly offers the jet “for sale,” while another compares the situation to a scene from the Malayalam cult classic Vellanakalude Nadu, in which a defunct road roller becomes a bureaucratic nuisance. Social media users have also joked about the potential aviation parking fees being levied on the parked warplane.
Despite the jet’s advanced technology and elite status, its unplanned layover in Kerala has turned it into a surprising mascot for the state’s tourism charm, proving that sometimes, even military hardware isn’t immune to Kerala’s laid-back appeal—or its meme culture.
