They're Our Planes! Owner of Unclaimed Boeings at KLIA Appears

An aviation firm has come forth to claim three Boeing 747s that local airport authorities warned would be auctioned off, and accused Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd of refusing to accept its ownership of the planes.

Swift Air Cargo chief executive officer Captain Blue Peterson insisted that his firm was in contact with MAHB the entire time, but this did not stop the airport authority from publishing a notice describing the planes as unclaimed.

"MAHB knows this for we have been in many meetings with them about the aircraft," he was quoted as saying by the Star Online news portal.

"MAHB for some unfathomable reason, refuses to acknowledge Swift as the owners of the aircraft, even though we have all of the supporting documents, including the Bill of Sale for the three aircraft."

Peterson added that he also possessed statutory declarations from the previous owner to support the transfer of ownership, which he said was notarised in Hong Kong and endorsed by the Malaysian consulate there.

The report did not identify the previous owner of the aircraft.

He added that his firm first met with MAHB on June 17, with the last meeting between the two held on October 12 involving senior officials from the airport authority.

On December 7, MAHB published a notice calling for the owner of the three Boeings parked at KLIA to claim them within 14 days, after which the aircraft would be sold off and the proceeds used to settle outstanding fees.

The unusual news that the owner of three jumbo jets could not be found prompted extensive and humorous coverage by media outlets worldwide.