fighter jets and the plane diverted to Boston

[black bunny]

Everyone must have heard about this in the news today - the woman whose behaviour gave cause for concern and the plane was forced to land at Boston, accompanied by these fighter jets, presumably launched on orders from the US. My question is, what would these fighter planes actually do, once in the air? Is it that they will fire on the plane and destroy it in mid air if given the order to do so? Whose decision is it ? And is it that they have to make some kind of judgement as to where the subsequent explosion is going to cause the least loss of life?

[LazyGun]

Yep thats pretty much the idea...and I would imagine the decision would probably have to be at presidential level.

[sp1814]

Hypothetically, if the plane was flying above international waters, and the passengers were a mix of nationalities, what would happen then?

Whose order would it be as to whether the plane should be shot down?

[Simeon]

The plane would have been given an exact route to follow on bearing and altititude. If the plane deviated from it's instructions or the pilot did not respond by either radio or international signals that all radios are broken then the stakes would be raised and warnings issued. It would be likely that that any heading to a densly populated area after that would result in the plane being shot down.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

and you better believe it,they would do it and then answer the questions

[jonnythebosh]

Can't really blame them if they did. They let it happen once so they won't do it again.