More problems for Europe’s biggest airline Ryanair, with a flight from Lithuania suffering a hoax bomb threat, and having to be escorted by RAF Typhoon fighter planes as it was diverted from Luton to Stanstead airport, Britain’s designated runway for dealing with major incidents.

Residents heard sonic booms in the air over the home counties as the Quick Reaction Alert Typhoons scrambled, and the runway at Stanstead was briefly closed before normal service resumed.

Ryanair is already suffering a pilot shortage and has had to cancel hundreds of thousands of flights because of rostering errors.