The Russian Ministry of Transport extended overflights rights for United States-based carriers for six months on April 18, just hours before the previous agreement was due to expire, Reuters has reported.

The new agreement covers three passenger routes out of the US, although they were not named in the report. The permit is valid through October 28, 2018.

Russia also extended approvals for US-Asia cargo overflights but only through April 20. Talks are ongoing regarding operations past this deadline, with Moscow insisting on a new routing of all these flights.

It is recalled that American Airlines has recently rerouted two flights from the US to Beijing Capital and one to Hong Kong International through Los Angeles International to avoid crossing the Russian airspace. This move was seen as a precautionary step due to the risk of geopolitical escalation after the US-led coalition airstrikes on chemical weapons storage and production facilities in Syria.

Most of the flights originating from the US and heading towards China and Hong Kong cross the Russian airspace, as well as some of the services to South Korea. However, none of the US-based carriers currently offers flights to Russia itself.