Have you ever seen an airport with a procession of elephants, horses, ambadi and dholangara in various replicas from the runway? Yes, today we are going to take you to an airport where the airport has suspended flights for the procession to honor the sentiments of the communities. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is the only airport in the world where the runway is closed for hours to facilitate the procession. Not only that, all flights are rescheduled. This type of procession is organized twice a year to maintain the centuries-old tradition of the procession.
A historical fact is also believed behind this procession. According to historians, when the airport was built, the then King of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal, proposed to keep the place open to the public for 363 days a year and two days for the procession of the royal family. Twice a year, the airport issues a notice (notum) to airmen before closing the runway during the Alpasi festival in October-November and the Pankuni festival in March-April.
After the Adani Group took over the management of the airport, the traditional rituals of the royal era have continued to this day. Twice a year the airport has for decades suspended flight operations and rescheduled flights to allow the centuries-old ceremonial procession to pass down the runway. Once the procession is over, the airport runways are thoroughly cleaned and inspected and flight services are resumed as usual.
It is worth mentioning that this kind of procession does not cause any reduction in passenger movement or air traffic. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TIAL) has seen a significant increase in both passenger numbers and air traffic movements during the year 2023-24. A total of 4.4 million passengers traveled through the airport from April 2023 to March 2024, compared to 3.46 million passengers in 2022-23 which is one of the highest number of passengers in the history of the airport.
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