Cargo firm says it owns mystery jets

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

Kuala Lumpur International Airport placed a bizarre newspaper advertisement 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, chief executive of Malaysia-based Swift Air Cargo, said his company bought the planes from their previous owners in June and had been in contact with the airport’s management over the aircraft for months.

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

He said airport management had repeatedly refused to recognise Swift Air Cargo’s possession of the planes despite presenting them with relevant paperwork including statements from the previous owner.

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

Mr Peterson speculated that the impasse might be a tactic by the airport to recoup overdue landing, parking and other charges run up by the previous owner of the aircraft.

“It’s probably a delay game. They want to sell off the planes to make up the parking fees owed by the previous owner, but I have told them many times that I am willing to sit down, negotiate and pay part of it,” he said.

“Well, this is Malaysia. I have given them a lot of respect but I don’t know what to do. I’ll just let my lawyers handle it now.”

The airport has said that if payment for the various charges is not received by Dec 21, the planes will be auctioned off or sold for scrap.