Why do RAF Jets escort plane's?

[Snooker147 11]

Hello I was wondering what is the point or what can the RAF Jets do when they get sent to escort a plane like the recent one today or the one they were sent to a few days ago about a woman kicking off on a jet2 plane?

 

The one with the woman the other day she was said to have attempted to get in the cockpit and was kicking off how can two RAF jets help the plane?

 

 

 

 

[alarmingmark 32]

Shoot it down ...full stop ...

[Lockdoctor 10]

Just now, alarmingmark said:

Shoot it down ...full stop ...

Exactly that is the worse case scenario such as  preventing  a similar  attack which happened on  September 11th  in the USA.

[Bash Street 10]

The aircraft being escorted has to comply with any instructions it's given or they'll shoot it down.

[Janus 28]

I think it's been described as "sacrificing the few to save many".

 

If passengers on board understand this system, imagine how they must feel when they see a couple of jets flying along side.

[Snooker147 11]

Whoa! I did not no that wow

[Top Cats Hat 10]

2 hours ago, Snooker147 said:

The one with the woman the other day she was said to have attempted to get in the cockpit and was kicking off how can two RAF jets help the plane?

Nobody attempted to get in the cockpit.

 

The flight crew told air traffic control that the cockpit was secure as is SOP in these circumstances, and atc over reacted and hit the big red buzzer.

[Arthur Ritus 30]

You would have to be getting a bit nervous when seeing one outside the window knowing what it might be going to due. hoping there's no  miscommunication.  

 

Perhaps find the cutest child on board and hold it up to the window.   😱

[Obelix 11]

If the USA had been able to react in time, and had a suitable policy they could have shot down the relevant airliners before they flew into the twin towers...

 

Thats the reason for the QRA aircraft following airliners these days if there is a hint of any problems...

[Top Cats Hat 10]

8 minutes ago, Obelix said:

If the USA had been able to react in time, and had a suitable policy they could have shot down the relevant airliners before they flew into the twin towers...

No they couldn’t.

 

Once the transponders were switched off they had no idea where the planes were or where they were going until seconds before they hit their targets.

 

Commercial aircraft go ‘off line’ all the time for a number of reasons and the authorities don’t have enough QRA aircraft to deal with them all.

[Dales 10]

58 minutes ago, Obelix said:

If the USA had been able to react in time, and had a suitable policy they could have shot down the relevant airliners before they flew into the twin towers...

 

Thats the reason for the QRA aircraft following airliners these days if there is a hint of any problems...

Exactly right.  QRA or Quick Reaction Alert is the UK's defence against rogue / suspicious aircraft.  Like you say it was brought in following the 9/11 terrorist attack.  To the OP, if you put Quick Reaction Alert into you tube there is some interesting stuff on there.

[Obelix 11]

55 minutes ago, Top Cats Hat said:

No they couldn’t.

 

Once the transponders were switched off they had no idea where the planes were or where they were going until seconds before they hit their targets.

 

Commercial aircraft go ‘off line’ all the time for a number of reasons and the authorities don’t have enough QRA aircraft to deal with them all.

The USAF sent up aircraft once they realised what was happening with explicit instructions to shoot them down but they were not able to get there in time. It's also fairly easy to spot aircraft on radar especially if they are going into airspace that is meant to be clear...

 

As for the amount of QRA aircraft there are more than sufficient at Coningsby and Lossiemouth to deal with the incidents in the UK