British Airways Boeing 777 Intercepted, pic: Saab JAS 39 Gripen of Hungarian Air Force
British Airways Boeing 777 Intercepted by Hungarian Air Force. A British Airways flight was intercepted by fighter jets over Hungary air space after losing contact with air traffic controllers. According to reports, the Boeing 777-200 of flight number BA2018 was escorted by two Hungarian Air Force Saab JAS 39 Gripen aircraft scrambled to identify after it passed over its border not announced on Saturday afternoon.
The flight, BA108, was en route from Dubai to Heathrow when it was detected by the Hungarian Ministry of Defense. According to the protocols of aviation safety, pilots must make contact with air traffic controllers on the ground as fly over from one country to another country.
When the (BA) British Airways plane did not, reportedly, the Hungarian authorities issued their highest alert and the pair of fighter jets sent to identify the aircraft and make sure he was making progress accordingly.
British Airways Boeing 777-200
The Gripen reportedly took off at 12.55 am local time before the BA flight made contact with ground control. The planes returned to their base at 1.20 am local time. In the other hand, airline spokesman said: "Communication can be restored in air traffic control and the aircraft landed normally at Heathrow."
There have been several similar incidents in the recent past, where civil commercial flights have inadvertently triggered security alerts high level. In October 2015, passengers aboard a Monarch airlines flight from Madeira to Birmingham seen combat aircraft in the vicinity of the plane after the communication of French airspace is lost.