Kerala airport set to halt flights for five hours for “God’s passage”

Thiruvananthapuram : The Thiruvananthapuram international airport here is once again ready to close its runway and halt flight operations for five hours on Tuesday afternoon to enable the smooth passage of the “God”.
The airport has been stopping operations and rescheduling flights twice in every year for decades to enable the bi-annual centuries-old ceremonial procession of the famous Padmanabha Swamy temple here to pass through the runway.
As one of the “Aaratu” processions of the temple, marking the culmination of the Alpassi festival, falls on Tuesday, the airport authorities here informed that the flight services shall remain suspended for five hours from 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm.
The practice of closing the airport for the ritualistic procession has been continuing without fail even after the Adani Group took over its management last year.
“To enable and facilitate the smooth continuation of a centuries-old ritual by Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple for the Alpassi Arattu procession, through the runway of the Thiruvananthapuram International airport, the flight services shall remain suspended from 1600 to 2100 hours on the 1st November 2022,” the airport management said here in a statement.
Domestic and international services during this period have been rescheduled.