Two Iran Air planes packed with about 500 passengers were trapped on the ground in India for 15 hours Monday in a dispute over refueling.
United News of India (UNI) reported that an Iran Air Boeing 747 and an Airbus 310, both flying from Bangkok to Mashhad, landed at the international airport in Calcutta shortly after midnight for a scheduled refueling.
UNI quoted airport sources as saying there was a dispute over payment because the contract between Iran Air and the firm that supplies jet fuel at the airport had expired.
The conflict did not appear to have anything to do with US sanctions and the decision of firms in Europe to refuse to renew contracts with Iran Air.
UNI said the dispute in Calcutta was finally resolved with the intervention of senior airport officials. It did not say how the disputewas resolved, however.
The two flights finally took off in mid-afternoon after the passengers had been stuck on the ground for 15 hours.
