Company stakes claim to mystery 747s

KUALA LUMPUR – Agence France-Presse

REUTERS photo

The head of an air cargo start-up said Dec. 13 that his company had legally purchased three Boeing 747s left idle at Malaysia’s airport and he was “stunned” by the airport’s claim that their owner could not be found.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) placed a bizarre newspaper advertisement this week saying the owners of the 747-200F aircraft were “untraceable”, demanding that they step forward to claim the planes or they would be sold off.

But Blue Peterson, CEO of Malaysia-based Swift Air Cargo, told AFP his company bought the planes from their previous owners in June and had been in contact with KLIA management over the aircraft for months.

“I woke up on Dec. 7 and was stunned to see they were searching for the owner” said Peterson, 55, an American former pilot for Malaysia Airlines.

He said KLIA management has repeatedly refused to recognise Swift Air Cargo’s possession of the planes despite presenting them with relevant paperwork including statements from the previous owner, whom Peterson declined to identify.

Swift Air Cargo is awaiting a Malaysian permit before it can begin operations.

AFP was not immediately able to obtain a response to Peterson’s claim from relevant officials with Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), which manages KLIA and issued the notice on the planes.