NEW DELHI: New Delhi and Moscow averted a diplomatic standoff on Tuesday after Russian aviation authorities decided not to allow two Indian carriers to use the country's airspace from June 15. A quick response from Indian authorities, warning of similar action against Russian airlines, forced Moscow to withdraw the decision, leading to an amicable end to the row.

Trouble began when the Russian authorities recently wrote to the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) refusing access to Air India and Jet Airways into the Russian airspace to fly to Europe from May 15. The DGCA immediately protested against the move. However, Russia refused to budge, but extended the deadline till June 15.

With no amicable solution in sight, the DGCA wrote back to the Russian authorities threatening to ban Aeroflot and Transaero Airlines from operating to India with immediate effect (Tuesday night).

"Communication gap"

Seeing the matter aggravating, senior diplomatic and aviation officials swung into action. "Finally on Tuesday evening, Russia decided to withdraw its decision. The DGCA also decided not take any action against the Russian carriers. The matter was resolved amicably," said highly placed government sources, blaming the standoff on a communication gap.

As per a bilateral agreement reviewed last year, India and Russia decided to allow designated carriers to fly over their territories on the promulgated air traffic services route.

The refusal to allow the Indian carriers to use Russian airspace could have resulted in the airlines spending more on their flights to Europe. For instance, each Air India flight to the United Kingdom would cost the airline $6,000 more and take an additional 45-60 minutes if it was not allowed to fly over Russia, an official source said.

Air India alone operates around two dozen flights (one-way) every week to the U.K.

The DGCA has sent a similar communiqué to Malaysia Airlines, asking it to explain why its operations to India should not be stopped. The DGCA has strongly opposed the decision of Malaysian authorities to refuse permission to Air India Express and Air Sahara to operate to Kuala Lumpur. It warned of similar action against Malaysia Airlines if the matter was not resolved soon.

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