RAF jets scrambled after two passenger plane terrorist alerts

The Guardian ^ | 3/29/2010 | Richard Norton-Taylor

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

RAF jets have been scrambled twice this month in response to terrorist alerts on passenger airliners flying over Britain, defence sources have revealed.

Eurofighter Typhoons took off from the quick reaction alert base at Coningsby in Lincolnshire – one of two such bases in the UK – minutes after warnings of suspected attempts to hijack American airliners.

Procedures were triggered that could ultimately lead to a decision to destroy the aircraft, to avoid mass casualties. That decision would be taken "at the highest levels of government", officials say. Though a decision would be taken by the prime minister, if he could not be contacted or was incapacitated, it would be taken by two other designated members of the cabinet, believed to be the home secretary and the transport secretary.

Last Monday British air traffic control picked up the words "hostage" and "ransom" from a United Airlines plane bound for Frankfurt in Germany. The plane suddenly dropped height south of Reading in Berkshire and a request for the airliner's auxiliary power unit to be activated – a very unusual occurrence – was heard.

The Typhoons from Coningsby approached the airliner over Manston airfield in Thanet, east Kent, a matter of minutes – the exact time is classified – after the alert was first sounded, according to officials familiar with the incident.

In the other incident earlier this month, on 2 March, the crew of an American Airlines plane put out an alert, picked up by the air defence control and reporting centre at Boulmer in Northumberland, warning that somebody was trying to get into the cockpit.

[shezza]

WTH? They’re authorized to shoot down American airliners (full of, one surmises, American citizens) if they suspect something might possibly be terrorist related? A gray area, indeed.

[utherdoul]

If a hijacked british airliner was headed toward a major landmark or populated area would we shoot it down?

[shezza]

The incidents in question indicate confusion, a “we don’t know what’s going on but it might be terrorist-related” scenario. I think they ought not shoot innocent American tourists from the sky without being 100% certain that there is a hijacking in progress and there is no other option. Even then, the passengers might handle the situation themselves (as per the underwear bomber).

[AFreeBird]

Well, before Zer0, yes, we would have. Now? No idea. Somehow I doubt it though. 0Bama wouldn’t want to offend any Muzzies on board.

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

If they merely suspect it might be a terrorist hi-jacking, I would expect the RAF to be scrambled to intercept to be a reasonable thing to do.
To take that to the step of actually shooting it down, I’m pretty sure it would have to be beyond mere suspicion and they’d have to have EXTREMELY good reason to believe that aircraft was under terrorist control, if not outright proof...