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T Cardig Aero Services (CASS), a company providing in-flight catering, is targeting to post a 29 percent revenue increase by year's end as it has secured new clients.

Cardig CEO Nurhadijono Nurjadin said on Tuesday that the company's revenues floated up by 29 percent in the first quarter of the year to Rp 301.3 billion (US$30.7 million) from the same period last year, while it was aiming for another 29 percent revenues increase by the end of the year from the Rp 1 trillion it booked last year.

'We would like to maintain the trend we have seen in the first quarter throughout the rest of this year,' he said.

Cardig vice president director Radianto Kusumo said that in the last 15 months, revenues soared up on the wings of new clients in both aviation and food solution services.

'We won new clients ' namely Jetstar Airways, Air New Zealand and Air Asia ' for our line maintenance services,' he said, referring to the Australian, New Zealand and Malaysian airlines.

He added that Mandala Airlines had returned to Cardig's client list for maintenance services after the airline resumed operations in April last year.

Mandala had ceased operations in January 2011 after the Transportation Ministry suspended the airline's Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) due to financial difficulties.

Radianto added that the company had also acquired new clients for their in-flight catering services, such as Vietnam Airlines.

'We are also catering to increasing volumes from our existing clients,' he said.

He added that the 9 percent climb in the number of flights at airports and the 5 percent increase in the number of guests streaming into airport lounges had propelled Cardig's aviation business as well.

Nurhadijono said the company would be able to maintain its business throughout the year if the airline industry also performed well.

The company booked a 39 percent increase in net profits in the first quarter of the year to Rp 61.3 billion.

The Transportation Ministry previously reported that Indonesia's airline industry, propelled by the national economic growth of 6 percent, has grown between 15-20 percent.

Cardig derives its revenues from five of its subsidiaries, two of which provide aviation support services, with the remainder furnishing food solutions.

Under its aviation business line, PT Jasa Angkasa Semesta (JAS) conducts ground and cargo handling while PT JAS Aero Engineering (JAE) provides certification and ramp services.

As for food services, PT Purantara Mitra Angkasa Dua (PMAD) provides in-flight catering while PT Cipta Anugrah Sarana Catering (CASC) provides industrial catering. Meanwhile, PT Cardig Anugra Sarana Bersama (CASB) is a raw food supplier to the catering industry and provides facility management.