Runway Ritual: Flight Suspension for Temple Procession at Thiruvananthapuram Airport

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will suspend services for over four hours on April 2, 2026, for the traditional Painkuni Arattu procession of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. This ceremonial pause in operations, a historic practice since the airport's 1932 inception, enables the bi-annual temple ritual to traverse the runway, underscoring cultural priorities.

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport flight operations will be paused from 4.45 pm to 9 pm on April 2, 2026. This suspension, announced by the airport authority, facilitates the traditional Painkuni Arattu procession from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, a centuries-old ritual crossing the airport's runway.

The airport has historically halted operations twice in a year, during two major religious festivals - Alpassi in October-November and Painkuni in March-April - to accommodate the temple procession journey to Shangumugham beach for the ceremonial bath of the idols.

This tradition has been maintained since the airport's establishment in 1932, with arrangements originally set by the Travancore King Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, affirming the runway's periodic closure for religious observances despite modern management under the Adani Group.

(With inputs from agencies.)