On April 21, flight operations at the international airport will be halted for five hours to facilitate the seamless progress of the sacred ‘Painkuni Arattu’ procession of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple across the runway, as announced by TIAL on Wednesday.

According to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL), flight services will be suspended on April 21 from 4 pm to 9 pm.

It stated that the revised flight schedules are accessible through the respective airlines.

For decades, the airport has periodically suspended operations and adjusted flight schedules twice a year to accommodate the bi-annual centuries-old ceremonial procession to pass through the runway.

What is the history behind the procession?

The tradition of the temple procession following that path to reach Shangumugham beach for the ceremonial bathing of the idols dates back centuries. This practice has persisted even after the establishment of the airport in 1932.

During the construction of the airport at the particular location, the then Travancore King Sree Chithira Thirunal stipulated that the facility would be accessible to the public for 363 days a year. However, it would be reserved for Lord Padmanabha, the titular deity of the royal family, for two days annually, as documented by historians.

The ceremonial tradition from the royal era has persisted even after the management of the airport was assumed by the Adani Group.

The airport also issues a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) every year twice before the runway is shut during the bi-annual Alpassi festival that falls in Oct-Nov and the Painkuni festival in March-April.