‘The possibility of Russian airplanes being prohibited to fly over India will definitely affect our travel agents quite badly. Moscow-based firms will be having a particularly hard time, as the influx of tourists from the capital willing to go to India keeps growing every season,’ Tourism Director of Sputnik Marina Bondar said to UrBC.

‘We are not planning to do any summer tours to India since this season happens to be very hot and humid in this country, so the potential ban is not likely to affect our company in the nearest future,’ she said.

The issue was brought about by head of Indian Civil Aviation Administration announcing that their airspace was closed for Russian carriers. According to RBC-daily, the decision was taken after Russia declared it was going to make it illegal for Indian planes to fly over Russia beginning from June 15, 2007. The Indian authorities, however, cancelled their ban almost immediately after it had been proclaimed. The Russian Federation Ministry of Transport reports they have received no official notification regarding the bans so far.