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Malaysia cargo firm says it owns 3 jets left idle at airport

The advertisements ran on December 7, so unless the owner makes his or her interest known, the three planes will be seized on December 21-but if you’re the owner, and just not sure how to reach out, just shoot Malaysia Airports General Manager Zainol Mohd Isa a call at 03 87766100.

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An air cargo company has claimed three Boeing 747 jets apparently abandoned at the country’s main airport.

Malaysia Airports’ managing director Badlisham Ghazali told reporters on Thursday that the group has identified the multiple owners of the planes but it was “difficult to trace them”.

Air Atlanta Icelandic was quoted by The Star newspaper as saying it operated the planes until 2010 but had “nothing to do” with the planes since then.

Yesterday, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has also issued a statement denying owning any of the aircraft.

The Kuala Lumpur-based Swift Air Cargo, which is now called Splunk n’ Dash Sdn Bhd, said it did not forget the three 747s it parked at the KL International Airport.

“We want the owners to step forward and we want the planes to be out of our airport bay”.

The group says the adverts “serve as notice to the owner of the aircraft that the aircraft may be sold to recover the charges owed by the owner to Malaysia Airports”.

According to industry experts, it was not unheard of for unwanted planes to be left at airports.

“Swift is unable to fathom the reason for MAHB’s declaration that it has taken “exhaustive steps” without being able to find (the owner)… when all along, Swift was fulfilling its obligations”, it said. If they were sold, the cash would be used to offset expenses of keeping the aircraft at the airport, and paying any debt.

This isn’t the first time a plane has been abandoned at KLIA, the airport said.

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“The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) passenger movements decreased by 0.9 per cent in November 2015 and the KLIA Main Terminal traffic dropped by 13.7 per cent. The klia2, however, grew by 11 per cent”, it said.

Two of three abandoned Boeing 747 planes are parked on the tarmac at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang. – Reuters pic