Georgian Airways (A9, Tbilisi) has resumed its Tbilisi to Moscow Vnukovo service after a two-day suspension aimed at protesting what it said was the skewed allocation of traffic rights in favour of Russian operators.

Among the carrier's demands which the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency (GeCAA) agreed to included parity in the distribution of frequencies between Russian and Georgian operators on the route.

“I am satisfied that one of the eight requirements [has been met], and that flights will resume on a 1:1 basis i.e. there will be ten flights for Russian carriers and 10 for Georgian airlines," GCAA managing director Guram Zhalagonia told Azerbaijan's Trend news agency. "Soon, talks are to be held between the Georgian and Russian aviation authorities and I think they will result in a win-win situation for both Georgian and Russian airlines."

Other demands pertaining to the separation of the GCAA from the Ministry of the Economy and its subsequent transformation into an independent entity and restoring the airline's status as the country's flag carrier, were not met.

Georgian Airways Managing Director Iase Zautashvili has berated government for allowing predatory foreign airlines to dominate the country's aviation market while allowing a foreign firm - Turkey's TAV Airports - to control Tbilisi International Airport.

“Georgia’s airport is owned by a Turkish company, while the sky is going to be possessed by Russian companies. There is no space left for Georgian companies,” he said.

Georgia's government has alluded to a resumption in talks with the Russians but warned that a lack of direct diplomatic relations would hamper them significantly.

Following a 6-year long hiatus brought on by the 2008 South Ossetia War, Aeroflot resumed daily direct flights between the two capitals in October with other Russian carrier including S7 Airlines, Globus, Transaero Airlines, Ural Airlines, UTair, and VIM Airlines to follow. Georgia is believed to have received applications from Georgian Airways and LCC start-up, flyvista, for its own services to Russia. Both Georgian Airways and S7 have been operating charter services between the two countries for some years already.