Kerala: Flights to Thiruvananthapuram airport to be suspended for 5 hours today; Here's why

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will suspend flight operations for five hours on Saturday (Nov 9) for the Alpassi Arattu procession of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, which traditionally crosses the runway. Airlines will reschedule around nine departures and 12 arrivals during this period.   

Thiruvananthapuram: Flight operations at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will be halted for five hours, from 4 pm to 9 pm on Saturday (Nov 9),for the historic 'Alpassi Arattu' procession from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The runway will remain closed during this time as the ceremonial procession passes through the airport premises.

For centuries, the temple's traditional procession to Shanghumugham Beach has involved crossing the airport runway. The runways are closed each year to facilitate the processions for the biannual Alpassi festival in October-November and the Painkuni festival in March-April. Despite the airport's establishment in 1932, these rituals have been preserved to uphold the region's cultural and traditional heritage.

Flights scheduled during this period will be adjusted accordingly. Airport authorities have advised passengers to verify their flight timings before heading to the airport. On Saturdays, approximately nine departures and 12 arrivals are typically planned during this window. Airlines will modify their schedules to accommodate the runway closure by advancing or delaying take-offs and landings.

For decades, the airport has had to pause operations and rearrange planes twice yearly so that the shrine's bi-annual, centuries-old ceremonial procession can pass down the runway. According to historians, the then-Travancore King Sree Chithira Thirunal had made it clear when the airport was built at that location that it would be accessible to the general public for 363 days of the year and two days for Lord Padmanabha, the titular deity of the royal dynasty.