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United sells tickets to New Delhi without rights to land

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UNITED Airlines has been selling Hong Kong to New Delhi tickets as part of its much-touted round-the-world service without having secured rights to land in the Indian capital.

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The news, which industry observers and travel agents expressed shock at learning yesterday, comes as negotiations held this week in India failed to secure landing rights.

United had announced its round-the-world flights would begin in mid-December, with 'many' tickets sold since September 16 for the all-important Hong Kong-New Delhi route, an airline salesman said.

New Delhi was placed as a key stop-over point in flights to London.

The salesman, in trying to sell a ticket, said he was instructed by senior United management to tell travellers and travel agents that approval had been secured for daily services.

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But United's chances of being granted rights to land at Indira Gandhi International Airport looked increasingly slim, sources said. New Delhi has again refused to make slots available unless state carrier Air India gets access to more cities in the United States. It now flies only to New York.

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