Russian security fears delayed debut Oasis flight

'Security considerations' convinced Russia's aviation authority to delay approving Oasis Hong Kong Airlines' inaugural flight through Russian airspace, according to the news agency Itar-Tass.

'Each state has the right to make a decision on delaying or even not giving a 'go-ahead' at all for flying over its airspace if it is not certain that the air carrier has provided 100 per cent flight safety guarantee to its passengers,' the agency quoted Andrei Pryanishnikov, the press secretary of the Federal Air Navigation Service, as saying.

Mr Pryanishnikov was commenting on Friday on the delay in issuing permission for Oasis to fly its Boeing 747-400 through Russian airspace on its inaugural flight to London Gatwick. The flight left Hong Kong for the British airport at 1.05pm on Thursday, more than 24 hours late, after the Russian aviation authority gave a 'once-only' approval for its maiden flight. According to Oasis, subsequent flights will cross 'mid-Asian countries' while it negotiates with the Russian authority for a long-term deal.

Mr Pryanishnikov said that even the slightest departure from established rules during an airline's flights and flight preparations 'may cause irreparable consequences. Any country or air carrier should be grateful to Russian air traffic controllers for their scrupulous adherence to established standards.'

Oasis' application for flight path approval 'did not conform to the established form' and was submitted behind schedule, less than '12 hours before the flight', he said.

'In this case the entire blame is put on the air carrier,' Mr Pryanishnikov said.