An unfair question...I am obviously not in a position to answer that. I will end my input on this by saying that in researching this, I am not the only one asking the question and that, rather than some of the rude answers offered on this list, the N.Y. Times states that "The existence of the radar data suggests that the Malaysian authorities may have missed a chance to send military jets to intercept, identify and track the plane as it passed over the country. General Rodzali said interceptors were not scrambled because the unidentified plane appeared to be a civilian aircraft and was not seen as hostile." In my opinion, obviously either a mistake or for some other reason intentionally ignored. Additionally, "The current protocols for aircraft off the norm is intercept, identify, contact, direct to an airport, or, failing the aforementioned, shoot down. The Malaysians are trying to tell us that they ignored the 777-200 changing course, going incommunicado, shutting down both transponders, without considering a 9-11 scenario? The MAF has Su27s and MiG29s, both very capable fighters in the interceptor role, whose pilots completed an exercise with the U.S. Navy not too long ago regarding terrorism threats."

Finally the recent Ethiopian flight that was hijacked to Geneva was indeed intercepted (at night) and shadowed to Geneva.

Some of the "know it all" people here chose to offer silly answers and tried to intimidate me for asking and following up on my question. I have seen rudeness before by some of the same...totally uncalled for IMHO.