AIR traffic chaos at Heathrow caused by the recent Boeing 777 emergency was alleviated by Kent International Airport.

With planes stacking up over Heathrow, air traffic controllers took the decision to divert planes to other airports including the airport at Manston, Thanet.

Staff at Manston swung into action just minutes after the emergency to receive a British Airways Airbus 319 inbound from Dusseldorff.

After refuelling the London-bound plane, its passengers and crew took off for Heathrow.

Matt Clarke, chief executive of Kent International, said: "KIA is outside the London Air Traffic Management Area and with a flight time of just 15 minutes between us and Heathrow we are perfectly placed to help mitigate the impact of any disruption there.

"We could have handled many more of the 24 flights that were redirected and once again this shows the value of KIA as a regional airport and an alternative to airports operating at or near full capacity."