The Russian transport ministry reinstated Lufthansa Cargo’s overflight rights until 29 February 2008 after imposing a ban on 28 October with only very shortnotice.
As a consequence, the quarrel between the German carrier and the Russian side regarding royalties and traffic conditions has been soothed for the time being, but basically remains unsettled.
Moscow still demands the landing of Lufthansa (LH) Cargo either in Krasnoyarsk or Novosibirsk, in exchange for prolonging the right to overfly Russian territory for an indefinite period. Affected are 49 flights per week that the carrier presently operates via Astana in Kazakhstan en route to and from Asia.
Technical stops that include substantial sums of money – be it the expenditures for refueling the MD-11 freighters with over 90,000 tonnes of kerosene annually or the 4,000 hotel rooms that have to be booked yearly to accommodate the crews during their stay. Last but not least, there is the package of landing and handling fees the carrier has to pay for each flight.
"We principally could consider moving from our present hub Astana in Kazakhstan to one of the Siberian airports if the ground infrastructure there is upgraded and would fit both our commercial and operational requirements," LH Cargo spokesman Nils Haupt said in reaction to the Russian offensive.
Th is however, could prove to be quite a task, since the Siberian airports completely lack modern ground infrastructure and are generally equipped with poor technology. The local staff would also have to be trained thoroughly to adapt to western aviation standards.
Finally the CAT I landing system is a major obstacle, as well, since it allows operations only at adequate weather conditions with sufficient visibility. Krasnoyarsk, for example, has to be shut down 21 days per year on average becauseof heavy snowfall or fog and the lack of Dirk Fischer, conservative member ofthe national German assembly, Bundestag,suspects Russia of flexing its muscles inan attempt to discipline LH Cargo for avariety of reasons.
They include Moscow’s discontent with Lufthansa’s and other Star Alliance member’s decision to abandon state run Sheremetyevo Airport and move to privately owned Domodedovo Airport south of Moscow.
Russia also voiced its objections from the very first day Lufthansa Cargo announced its decision to choose Astana as their central Asian hub instead of one of the Siberian airports.
Finally, Russia is in heavy conflict with the Kazakh Government over the Baikonur issue. At this site in Kazakhstan’s outback the Russians traditionally launch their spacecraft and satellites. But the Kazakh government lifted the fees substantially in recent months.
By forcing LH Cargo from Astana to Krasnoyarsk, Moscow could punish a rebellious neighboring country and discipline a major European carrier all at one go. It is a game however, that Berlin doesn’t seem to be willing to play.
According to German government sources the Russians were confronted with retaliation by denying Aeroflot Cargo the right to land at any German airport if Moscow continued keeping LH Cargo out of Siberian airspace.
It was a diplomatic show of power that obviously has been understood at the Kremlin. As a result Aeroflot persuaded the Russian authorities to prolong the permit for LH Cargo. They gave way, but only temporarily – until the next round of muscle flexing in the coming weeks.