Qatar Airways 777-300ER Escorted by RAF Typhoons Before Landing in Manchester

Two Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon jets intercepted a Qatar Airways (QR) flight over Nottingham on Friday evening, July 24, 2026, after the aircraft was “causing concern to civil authorities.”  According to Manchester Evening News, the RAF launched the escort under its Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) protocol once flight QR23 entered UK airspace on its route from Doha to Manchester Airport (MAN).

The Boeing 777 landed safely at Manchester Airport at around 7:45 pm local time, with no injuries reported. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the two Typhoons flew from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, and both the RAF and Qatar Airways later issued statements confirming the aircraft faced no genuine danger.

What Happened to Qatar Airways Flight QR23

Flight QR23 departed Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha and was scheduled to land at Manchester. As the aircraft entered UK airspace and approached its descent, air traffic controllers reported a loss of contact with the crew.

Open-source flight tracking suggested the jet was not responding to instructions and had not begun its expected descent from around 36,000 feet. The aircraft briefly climbed to 39,000 feet while crew and controllers worked to restore contact.

One outlet identified the aircraft as a Boeing 777-300ER registered A7-BAJ, flying under the callsign QTR52N. Wide-body jets of this type can carry between 301 and 451 passengers, depending on how the cabin is configured.

The aircraft involved is a 16.4-year-old Boeing 777-300ER, bearing Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) 36096 and Line Number 851. Built at Boeing’s Everett Production Facility (PAE), it was delivered new to Qatar Airways (QR) in March 2010 and has remained in active service since. Registered as A7-BAJ, the aircraft is configured with 358 seats—42 in Business Class and 316 in Economy Class—following a cabin reconfiguration completed in March 2016, replacing its original 42-business/293-economy layout.

According to planespotters.net, the jet is named “Al Ruwais” (الرويس). It was ferried from Everett (PAE) to Doha (DOH) on March 4–5, 2010, for delivery and also carried a special “FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022” sticker between November 2022 and March 2023.

Residents in the Midlands reported seeing and photographing the intercept as the jets passed overhead. One aviation enthusiast shared images of the escort taken from Northamptonshire as the formation flew north.

RAF Coningsby Scrambles Typhoons Over Nottingham

The RAF launched two Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 jets from RAF Coningsby, home of the QRA (South) force. The jets flew under the callsigns Rigid 11 and Rigid 12. The Typhoons intercepted the Qatar Airways jet over Nottingham. Pilots made visual contact with the cockpit crew before escorting the airliner toward Manchester.

The escort was stood down before the flight reached the airport, once controllers confirmed there was no ongoing threat. Tracking data placed the escort route over the Midlands and Yorkshire, with one fighter later seen holding in orbits over Lincolnshire on its return to base.

Official Statements from The RAF and Qatar Airways

An RAF spokesperson confirmed the launch in a short statement, and was quoted in the UK Defense Journal as having 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 RAF did not disclose the exact nature of the concern. Qatar Airways later confirmed the escort followed a security notification from UK authorities, describing it as a precautionary measure taken in line with standard procedure.

Qatar Airways said in its statement that at no point in time was “the aircraft in any danger, and normal operations continued on board throughout. The flight landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked without incident”.

Why Quick Reaction Alerts Are Used for Civilian Aircraft

QRA is a standing RAF task. Armed Typhoons stay at high readiness around the clock to respond to aircraft flagged as a concern in or near UK airspace.

Common triggers for a QRA launch include the following:

• Loss of radio contact between a civilian aircraft and ground controllers
• A pilot reporting a security threat or suspicious item on board
• An aircraft deviating from its planned flight path or altitude
• A transponder squawking an emergency or hijack code

RAF Coningsby covers the southern QRA zone, while RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland holds jets ready for the northern zone. The intercepting Typhoons on Friday squawked a transponder code from the block reserved for NATO Air Policing, a code used for air defence priority flights.

How This Incident Compares with Other RAF Escorts to Manchester

RAF Typhoons have escorted several other flights into Manchester Airport in recent years for reasons unrelated to Qatar Airways. A Scandinavian Airlines flight from Oslo, SK4609, received a similar Coningsby escort after a brief technical loss of communication, with the airline confirming passengers were never in danger.

In a separate 2020 case, Typhoons intercepted a Ryanair flight after crew found a mobile phone left in a toilet, which was mistaken for a suspicious device. That flight was escorted to Stansted Airport, and two arrested passengers were later released without charge.

What Happens Next

Manchester Airport confirmed the aircraft taxied to its stand without further incident and that normal operations continued.

Neither the RAF nor Qatar Airways has released further details since the flight landed. Passengers and crew were able to disembark as normal once the aircraft reached its gate.