Air India, which is revamping itself under new owner Tata Group, has been rapidly growing its international presence with new non-stop flights to Europe and the United States.
Being able to use Russian airspace has come as a boon as it looks to capture a bigger share of the market.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh called for an opening up of Russian airspace.
"What we would like to see is everybody using Russian airspace.
But airlines that can are unlikely to stop using Russian airspace after this diversion, said James Halstead, managing partner at Aviation Strategy.
Persons:
Stringer, Campbell Wilson, Wilson, Scott Kirby, Kirby, Willie Walsh, Walsh, James Halstead, Vinod Kannan, India's, it's, Air India's Wilson, I'm, Aditi Shah, Mark Potter
Organizations:
REUTERS, United Airlines, Air, Air India, International Air Transport, Tata Group, Reuters, Airlines, Aviation, Singapore Airlines, Thomson
Locations:
Sheremetyevo, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Stringer ISTANBUL, U.S, India, Europe, Asia, Brussels, Air India, Istanbul, Air, United States, Russia's Far