Two RAF Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled on Saturday evening after air traffic controllers temporarily lost radio contact with a Qatar Airways passenger flight approaching Manchester Airport. The Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft were launched from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire after civil aviation authorities raised concerns when the inbound aircraft became unresponsive during its approach. According to aviation tracking website AirLive, the long-haul flight from Doha was intercepted over the Nottingham area as the RAF carried out standard procedures to visually identify the aircraft and establish contact with the flight crew. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence confirmed that two Typhoon jets were deployed as part of the response. An RAF spokesperson said: “We can confirm that an RAF Quick Reaction Alert was launched for a Qatar Airways flight which was causing concern to civil authorities. The incident was resolved and the airliner landed safely at Manchester Airport.” The Typhoons were stood down shortly afterwards after it was determined there was no threat or issue with the aircraft. The flight, operated by a Boeing 777 capable of carrying between 301 and 451 passengers depending on its seating configuration, completed its journey without incident. The aircraft landed safely and on schedule at Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 at around 7.45pm. Quick Reaction Alert missions are a routine part of UK air defence operations and are launched whenever there are concerns about an aircraft’s identity, communications or flight path. Loss of radio contact alone can be sufficient to trigger a military response until the situation is resolved. There have been no reports of injuries or disruption following the incident, and the flight continued normally after communication with the crew was re-established.
