Malta's first Boeing 747 visit and first hijack. KLM Flight 861 was a scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Tokyo-Haneda with planned stops at Athens, Beirut and Delhi. The airplane was en route over Iraq when it was hijacked by three passengers, claiming to be members of the Arab Youth Organization for the Liberation of Palestine. They forced the plane to Damascus, Nicosia, Tripoli, Malta, and finally Dubai where the hijackers surrendered to authorities. All 247 passengers and 17 crew survived the hijacking. Photo by Joe Spiteri.

ex KLM PH-BUA. America West was not successful with their 747-operation - stored in 1992 and scrapped at Kingman Airport (photographer unknown)

Original livery

Before PH-BUA was delivered to America West (as N531AW) KLM operated the repainted aircraft for a short while with 'operated by KLM' titles.

Ex KLM PH-BUA, registered 25th Oct 1989 and withdrawn from use KPHX (Phoenix) 28th Aug 1992. Ferried to KIGM (Kingman) Feb 1996 and scrapped

Delivered to KLM as PH-BUA in 1971. To America West as N531AW in 1989. Stored at Las Vegas from 1992. To Kingman, AZ for scrapping by 1996.

Acquired Oct 89 ex KLM PH-BUA. Stored from Aug 92 Broken up Mar 99.

Delivered new 16th Jan 1971 and sold to America West as N531AW 25th Oct 1989