SpiceJet keen on setting up more Common User Terminals

Chennai: Budget air carrier SpiceJet Ltd today said it is keen on setting up more Common User Terminals across various airports in the country as it enhances movement of domestic cargo and standardises costs.

“We were the first to set up such CUT (Common User Terminal) here. Yes, of course we are keen in setting up more such CUTs in places like Tiruchirapalli and Coimbatore,” SpiceJet Ltd senior vice-president Kamal Hingorani told PTI.

The company has set up similar Common User Terminal at Mumbai and Delhi airports.

Setting up such CUTs would facilitate movement of cargo in airports as there has been an increase in cargo every year, he said, adding that it would also standardise costs.

“Domestic cargo (in metric tonnes) has been going up 15-17 percent year-on-year…,” he said.

SpiceJet recently inaugurated the Common User Terminal set up at Chennai airport.

“We made it as a soft launch (of the CUT at Chennai airport). We are targeting to make it operational in a week’s time.

Chennai accounts for 10 percent of general cargo for SpiceJet,” he said, adding that New Delhi leads in cargo movement.

Asked how the company was facing various issues after the crisis last year, he said, “currently our load factor is 92 percent plus. That is proof of the confidence customers have got in us.”

“This itself is historical. We are profitable and we have not diluted our revenue. We have the highest load factor, we have made net profits,” he said.

PTI