Thiruvananthapuram: After over a month-long unplanned stay in Kerala due to a technical snag, the British Royal Navy's advanced F-35B stealth fighter jet finally took off from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Tuesday. But even before it could soar back into stealth mode, the aircraft left behind a trail of memes, affection, and a warm spot in the hearts of Malayalis.

The jet, part of the UK Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, had made an emergency landing at the airport on June 14 after suffering a fault in its hydraulic system during a routine sortie. It remained grounded while a UK technical team carried out repairs, eventually moving it to the Air India hangar for final checks.

A grand send-off, meme style

As news of the aircraft's departure broke, social media erupted in typical Kerala style, witty, warm and packed with cultural flavour.

One viral post summed up the sentiment with humuor, “Mikkuvaaram avide chaaya kittaandu (they won't get proper tea there), so they’ll be back soon. They’ll just say, ‘Oru chaaya kudikaan pogaam alle?’ (Shall we go for tea?)”

Another user shared an image of the F-35B taking off with the caption, “That’s now a Mallu jet.”

The fighter, which had become something of a local celebrity during its extended stay, was affectionately renamed “F-35B Nair”, complete with comments like, “Come back soon F35B Nair…”.

The internet’s love for pop culture wasn’t far behind. A GIF from the iconic Bollywood film ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ saying “Tussi ja rahe ho, Tussi na jao” (Are you leaving? Please don’t leave), gained traction as a heartfelt, humorous farewell.

And in a post that won hearts, one user wrote, “You came, you vibed, you conquered our hearts (and memes). Kerala will miss you come back for the beaches, not the breakdowns.”

Kerala and F-35B: A viral love affair

What began as an emergency landing turned into a digital celebration with tea jokes, pop culture references, and local flavour taking over social media timelines.

READ MORE: ‘Nokku kooli’ to ‘Vellanakalude Nadu’: Stranded British F-35 fighter jet in Kerala becomes meme gold

In the end, the F-35B may be one of the world’s most advanced stealth aircraft, but in Kerala, it became something more than military hardware. It was just another unexpected guest who overstayed, sipped some chai (metaphorically), and flew off after a memorable vacation.

As Kerala Tourism put it, "Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave.”

That cheeky post from the official handle kicked off a meme wave. Soon, brands like Milma (Kerala’s dairy cooperative), Kerala Police, and even the State AIDS Control Society jumped in, sharing their own witty takes on the lonely fighter jet parked at the Thiruvananthapuram airport, soaked in monsoon rains.