A plane full of passengers on a French runway has been quarantined after many developed swine flu-like symptoms.

During the flight, 47 passengers started coughing and spluttering while others developed signs of a fever, local media reported.

As flight attendants questioned passenger, it emerged that many were returning from Asia.

The plane operated by Hop, the budget subsidiary of Air France, landed at Blagnac Airport near Toulouse, authorities decided to take precautions and quarantine everyone in their plane seats according to The Local.

Many of the passengers were returning from a trip to Bangkok, Thailand and flown via Dubai.

Paramedics examined each passenger which took several hours before allowing all but 16 to continue their onward journey.

The remaining 16 people were taken to the infectious diseases department at Purpan Hospital where further testing were carried out and found to be suffering just the simple flu and were discharged from hospital according to France TV.