A false bomb threat at Kuala Lumpur International Airport forced the evacuation of hundreds of passengers on a London-bound Malaysia Airlines plane, airline officials said today.

The jet carrying 289 passengers was delayed for four hours on Tuesday after a 25-year-old Vietnamese student claimed he had a bomb in his hand luggage, the New Straits Times said.

"The student was taken into police custody while Malaysia Airlines staff safely evacuated the passengers back into the airport," a police spokesman was quoted as saying.

All passengers were taken off while checks were conducted on all the bags in the plane, a Malaysia Airlines official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"We have to follow strict compliance and make sure the aircraft is threat-free," the official said. Airport police were not available for comment.