The Air India jet was circling over Norfolk before the Typhoon interceptors met it. An RAF spokesman said the alert ended without incident and the Boeing 777-300 "was released to continue to its original destination".

Singapore ’s military scrambled two fighter jets after an Air India Express plane bound for the Changi airport received a bomb threat, the latest in a string of apparent hoaxes that have disrupted journeys for hundreds of passengers from India this week.

At least 10 Indian flights received hoax bomb threats over the past 48 hours, leading to long delays and diversions. On Tuesday, Singapore's Air Force sent two fighter jets to escort an Air India Express plane away from populated areas following a bomb threat.

Twin bomb threats hit Indian airliners on opposite sides of the globe on Tuesday, forcing an emergency landing in the Arctic and fighter jets to scramble in Asia – the latest in a series of similar hoax scares for the country’s airlines.

A Canadian Forces aircraft airlifted stranded passengers to Chicago after a bomb threat caused an emergency landing in Iqaluit. Air India said it, and other Indian airlines, have been subject to a number of threats in recent days.

An Indian passenger aircraft was diverted on Wednesday after the latest in a string of hoax bomb threats made to airline companies involving the country.