ComfortDelGro’s CMAC eyes Asia expansion as flight disruptions become more frequent

[SINGAPORE] ComfortDelGro-owned CMAC is planning to expand into Asia, as flight disruptions become more commonplace.

The UK-based emergency ground transport and solutions provider’s foray into Asia could start with an expansion of services provided to existing clients.

CMAC said it could also target new clients that operate in Singapore and Australia, leveraging ComfortDelGro’s (CDG) extensive mobility network in both countries. 

Ashley Seed, CMAC’s chief commercial officer, said: “We’ve got all the supply, and all the experience, but presence is also massively important in a market. CDG has got that for many decades, and they also have access to a large transport network that we can push back into our pool of supply, and we look to set forward in this region.”

He was speaking with The Business Times on the sidelines of the Aviation Festival Asia held in Singapore.

CMAC was acquired by Singapore-listed CDG in February 2024 for £80.2 million (S$135.4 million). CDG CEO Cheng Siak Kian said the move was aligned with its strategy to expand point-to-point mobility services and offerings, and that CMAC’s services are complementary to the Singapore transport operator’s operations in the UK and Europe.

Seed said potential new clients are likely to be low-cost and regional carriers operating in Asia. CMAC has a “huge footprint” in those segments in Europe and is looking to leverage that expertise for Asia, he added.

CMAC has observed first-hand how the Middle East conflict is further complicating operations for airlines.

“What we are seeing is that airlines have had to strip back on flight schedules, which no doubt puts huge pressure on the operational complexities of the market,” said Seed. “Fewer aircraft mean less flexibility.”

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CMAC provided some “ad hoc support” in the Middle East in the early days of the Iran conflict through working with airlines to get people on flights home.

Back in Europe and the UK, its home market, Seed said CMAC supported airlines in securing accommodation for travellers waiting to travel to their final destination or transport to get them home.

“We are an extension (of) the airline’s operation. When things go wrong, they want to concentrate on running airlines. So we are a recovery partner,” he explained.

CMAC’s solutions include offline and online platforms that connect airlines, ground transportation and accommodation providers during disruptions.

Apart from helping to physically move or house passengers, CMAC also assists airlines by providing updates to passengers on disrupted flights and getting these passengers onto the next available flight.

Its clients include a Middle East flag carrier, European flag carriers such as Lufthansa, and low-cost carriers like Ryanair. 

Disruptions were up before Iran war

Even before the Iran conflict, the number of disruptions had been rising. 

A survey of 1,100 UK residents published in October 2025 by CMAC found that 71 per cent of respondents had experienced flight disruptions, with over half encountering them in the past 12 months. According to consulting firm Wipro, disruptions cost the aviation industry about US$60 billion annually.

Part of the rise stems from the fact that there are more flights now, meaning that events such as inclement weather or natural disasters will now impact more people.

Based on data from Airports Council International, there were 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, almost double the 5.3 billion passengers in 2010.

CDG’s acquisition of CMAC helped drive revenue for its other private-transport business segment in the second half of 2025, based on the group’s 2025 report.

Revenue for the segment reached S$250.2 million for the six months ended Dec 31, 2025, up 7.5 per cent from the same period the year before. For the full year, the segment’s revenue grew 14.4 per cent to S$464.7 million.

CDG’s revenue is currently driven by its public-transport business and its taxi segments, with the other private-transport segment making up about 9 per cent of its S$5.1 billion revenue for 2025.

CMAC has operations in the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Netherlands. Now, it is turning its sights to Asia, especially after its acquisition.

“We have existing customers that fly into Asia, but also lots of non-existing customers that we are looking to acquire and bring value to the market,” Seed said.