Two passenger planes had to alter their course after flying too close to each other, it is being reported.

Investigations have begun into why a British Airways flight to Paris and a Swiss-bound flight broke safety guidelines over Brighton on Friday afternoon.

There was no question of collision

NATS spokesman

The BA jet from Manchester had 79 passengers on board while the other flight from London City Airport had 26 passengers and four crew, said the Daily Mail.

The incident involving a BAe 146 and Swiss Saab 2000 was reported to the Civil Aviation Authority.

But at no time was passenger safety compromised.

A spokesman for the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said air traffic controllers at Swanick told the planes to alter their course because they were 3.6 miles apart instead of the standard five miles.

Investigation

"This is an example of Air Traffic Control doing exactly what it is there for.

"Passenger safety was at no time compromised, and there was no question of collision, but the incident has been reported as a matter of course by NATS to the Civil Aviation Authority for investigation," he said.

"It is a matter for the investigation to decide whether it was a pilot or air traffic control problem, all the circumstances will be investigated".

He said there was no question that the planes were on a collision course.

A BA spokesman said they did not discuss matters relating to mid-air proximity.

NATS said that in a separate incident he same day, a JMC Airbus A320 holiday flight from the Balearic Islands to Teeside came within 2.8 miles of an unspecified military aircraft when they were supposed to remain three miles apart.

JMC told the Daily Mail: "The captain had the military aircraft on his radar and at no point was the plane or its passengers in any danger."

The NATS spokesman said last year recorded the lowest number of "risk-bearing near-misses" for 12 years.