Two Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon jets were scrambled from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire after a Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER registered A7-BAJ operating a flight from Doha to Manchester Airport prompted concerns from civil authorities.
The aircraft, operating as flight QR23, was intercepted after entering UK airspace, with the RAF confirming that a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) had been activated. The Typhoons accompanied the passenger aircraft, reportedly making contact with it over the Nottingham area before escorting it towards its destination.
The exact reason for the alert has not been disclosed by either the RAF or Qatar Airways. Unconfirmed reports suggested that air traffic controllers may have temporarily lost communication with the aircraft, although this has not been officially verified.
The incident was resolved without further action, and the Boeing 777 landed safely at Manchester Airport at 19:45 BST. The RAF said the aircraft had been “causing concern to civil authorities” but confirmed that the situation was brought under control.