Kerala Tourism turns stranded British F-35 fighter jet into viral marketing sensation: ‘Bro found peace, toddy, and banana chips'
Jumping on the online chatter, the state's tourism department shared a witty social media post on July 2, showing the fighter jet soaking in the Kerala vibes. The image featured a cheeky five-star 'review' from the UK F-35B itself: 'Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave. Definitely recommend.'
Kerala, the destination you'll never want to leave.
Thank you, The Fauxy.#F35 #Trivandrum #KeralaTourism pic.twitter.com/3lei66a5T2
— Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) July 2, 2025
Acknowledging the parody handle The Fauxy—which first shared a similar joke with the line, 'Kerala: Once you land, you won't want to leave. Ask the British F-35'—Kerala Tourism turned an awkward logistical situation into digital gold.
#𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐅-𝟑𝟓 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 '𝐆𝐨𝐝'𝐬 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 – 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐚 pic.twitter.com/vpigi9D6nB
— The Fauxy (@the_fauxy) July 1, 2025
Soon, others joined in. One post showed the jet chilling with locals, sipping tea and munching banana chips. 'No wonder it refuses to leave now—bro found peace, toddy, and banana chips,' a user said.
No wonder it refuses to leave now- bro found peace, toddy, and banana chips. 🥴 pic.twitter.com/wAv2i9a75z
— The ChagalaToka (@Pratyush0511) July 2, 2025
Another user wrote, 'New tourism poster from Kerala.'
New tourism poster from Kerala https://t.co/y8Dwjxbym2 pic.twitter.com/FRpLIyKjVO
— ಮೀಮರ್ ಮುತ್ತಣ್ಣ (@ijnani) June 21, 2025
An F-35B stealth fighter jet, which had been flying from the UK's aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, had to make an unexpected landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14 after running low on fuel, according to The Times of India. While the landing was executed safely, a hydraulic failure emerged soon after the jet touched down, delaying its return to active service.
To fix the issue, a UK-based engineering crew is now heading to Kerala, carrying specialised equipment for on-site repairs. The plan is to shift the aircraft to the airport's Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility to avoid disrupting commercial flights. However, if the damage proves too extensive to fix locally, defence sources say the jet may have to be flown back to the UK aboard a military transport aircraft.
In the wake of the incident, the British High Commission extended its appreciation to Indian authorities, highlighting the swift assistance provided by the Indian Air Force, Navy, and local airport staff — from refuelling and ground clearance to securing the aircraft. They called it 'a great example of professional cooperation and mutual support between close partners.'
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Mint
an hour ago
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'And some of it is just leaning into the assets that we have already and celebrating who we are." Since its founding in 1856 and Thomas Burberry's invention of weatherproofed gabardine fabric designed to withstand the British climate, Burberry has outfitted polar explorers, soldiers and royalty. A young Princess Diana was frequently photographed in her Burberry trench, establishing the coat as a symbol of understated aristocratic style. By the late 1980s, it was becoming the uniform of London's club kids and fashion outsiders. The shift diluted its luxury image; it was too everywhere. In the 2000s, the brand mounted a comeback, running ads with the likes of Kate Moss and aristocratic model Stella Tennant that blended heritage with edge. 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Schulman moved quickly to overhaul the executive team and announced plans to cut roughly 1,700 jobs by 2027—nearly 20% of its global head count. The oldest of six children, Schulman grew up in Los Angeles. As a boy, he had his nose in Women's Wear Daily, known in the industry as the 'fashion bible," and corporate annual reports. He would memorize the layouts and square footage of major department stores from company filings. 'I was a very strange child," he admits with a laugh. When Nordstrom announced it would open a store nearby in West Los Angeles, Schulman, then around 13 years old, wrote to one of the company's leaders to say he was 'ecstatic." The executive wrote back, and he's kept the letter ever since. Around the same time, Schulman got his first job at a children's clothing boutique in Beverly Hills. Kris Kardashian came in to shop for her young children. So did Kathy Hilton, for her daughter Paris. Schulman knew the regulars by name and paid close attention to their tastes. 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