British F-35B Royal jet wraps up 35-day Kerala stopover with rain, repairs, and a bill; here is a full timeline of events

A British F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet, part of the UK Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group, made an unplanned month-long halt at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala last month and is finally ready to take off to the homeland on Tuesday.

What began as an emergency landing due to technical trouble ended in a diplomatic and logistical exercise — complete with tropical rains, memes, repair crews, and a hefty parking bill.

Here's how the saga unfolded:

June 14: Emergency landing in Kerala

The £85-million F-35B stealth jet developed a hydraulic fault mid-sortie about 100 nautical miles off the Kerala coast.

With low fuel and worsening weather, the pilot was cleared for an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport, a designated emergency recovery airfield. The Indian Air Force (IAF) assisted in the landing and provided refuelling support, while CISF took over round-the-clock security.

June 15: Indian authorities confirm assistance

The IAF released a statement confirming its role in facilitating the safe landing and ensuring post-landing support.

Royal Navy personnel aboard HMS Prince of Wales attempted initial on-site repairs, but the jet remained grounded.

June 25: UK acknowledges ongoing repairs

British authorities officially acknowledged repair efforts and expressed gratitude to Indian agencies for their support.

With no resolution yet, the aircraft continued to remain parked in the open during Kerala’s monsoon season.

June 27: Jet to be shifted for repairs

It was announced that the jet would be moved to a local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility.

Indian officials had earlier suggested relocating it to a hangar due to heavy rainfall, though the UK initially declined.

July 6: RAF technical team arrives

A 24-member expert team from the Royal Air Force — including 14 engineers and 10 support staff — arrived in Kerala with specialised equipment.

The fighter jet was towed from the tarmac to Air India Engineering Services Ltd’s hangar for repairs.

Mid-July: Memes & monsoon

As the F-35B sat idle under grey skies, it drew public attention and social media humour. K

erala Tourism joined the banter, posting a tongue-in-cheek message: “Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave.”

July 21: Repairs complete, jet cleared for departure

Airport officials confirmed that repairs had been completed and the fighter jet was ready for takeoff.

Final refuelling and logistics were being arranged for the scheduled July 22 departure.

Ongoing – The Parking Bill

For its 35-day stay, the UK will reportedly be charged Rs 26,261 per day — totalling around Rs 9.19 lakh — for parking alone.

Additional hangar usage charges from July 6 onwards will be levied by AI Engineering Services Limited.