Thiruvananthapuram: Flight services from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will remain suspended for five hours from 4 pm on November 9.
The decision has been taken to accommodate the ‘Alpassi Arattu’ procession from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, TIAL said in a release and advised passengers to check with their airlines for updated flight schedules.
The annual procession traditionally takes a route that crosses the airport runway.
“The runway at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport remains closed twice a year for the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple procession to pass through. The practice of the procession traversing the current path to reach the Shangumugham Beach for the holy bath of the idols began centuries ago. This ritual continues even after the airport was established in 1932, ensuring that the culture and traditions of the region remain intact,” it added.
TIAL issues a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) twice a year before the runway closures during the bi-annual Alpassi festival in October-November and the Painkuni festival in March-April.
According to historians, the then Travancore King Sree Chithira Thirunal had made it clear that facility would be open for public for 363 days in a year and two days for Lord Padmanabha, the titular deity of the royal family.
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