British F-35B Fighter Jet Parked At Kerala Airport Moved After 22 Days. How Much Is The Parking Fee?

The Kerala British F-35B fighter jet, valued at over USD 110 million, was stationed at Bay No. 4 — a high-security zone under the watch of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

The F-35B had made an unscheduled landing on June 14 due to a technical glitch while transiting through Indian airspace.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

A British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning fighter jet, which had been grounded for 22 days at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport after an emergency landing, was finally shifted on Sunday to a designated maintenance facility for inspection and repair by UK defence engineers.

While its technical repair is underway, what’s drawing attention is its parking cost at the airport.

What Is The Parking Cost For Fighter Jet 

According to estimates by the Indian Defence Research Wing, the stealth aircraft has racked up a parking bill of approximately Rs 5,77,742 — based on a daily bay charge of Rs 26,261. The final amount, however, remains under review, with discussions reportedly ongoing between Indian authorities and the British High Commission, as per a report on The Mint.

The fighter jet, valued at over USD 110 million, was stationed at Bay No. 4 — a high-security zone under the watch of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Airport officials confirmed that while Air India had offered hangar space early on, British authorities opted to wait until their engineering team could arrive with specialized tools and parts.

On Sunday, the aircraft was moved to the airport's Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, after the arrival of the UK technical team. "A UK engineering team has deployed to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to assess and repair the UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Interestingly, while the repair process is now underway, it's unclear who will foot the multi-lakh-rupee parking bill. It is also reported that India may choose to waive or absorb the cost as a diplomatic courtesy, though no official confirmation has been made.

The F-35B had made an unscheduled landing on June 14 due to a technical glitch while transiting through Indian airspace.