For safety reasons, you must be able to walk up and down the stairs on your own if you’re traveling for medical reasons on a regular private jet. If you can use a wheelchair, you can fly as long as an Ambulift is available and the private jet is wheelchair accessible.
If you can’t walk or use a wheelchair but need to fly, you’ll require an air ambulance. An air ambulance is necessary when:
- The patient can’t walk up the stairs and into their seat
- The patient can’t operate a wheelchair
- The patient needs a doctor, nurse, or specific medical equipment during the flight
Air ambulances are equipped with medical gear needed to monitor and treat emergencies. Even if you can walk, you might still need one; for instance, post-eye surgery, you’ll need a cabin pressurized to sea level to avoid severe damage to the eye. This level of pressurization is often only available in a dedicated air ambulance.
Your doctor will decide if you’re fit to fly and if you’ll need assistance. If the situation is serious, an air ambulance will be necessary.
Typical air ambulance users include:
- Injury victims, such as those from car crashes, head injuries, skiing accidents
- Transplant patients
- The elderly
- Victims of natural disasters
- Medical tourists
- Cancer patients
- People on life support
Are there different sizes of air ambulances?
Air ambulances come in various sizes, mostly light or midsize jets, depending on the region. Large jets are also used as air ambulances for long-distance international flights.
Why should you use a broker to find your air ambulance?
There are several brokers in the air ambulance sector in the United States, and they offer many benefits. For instance, they know:
- Where air ambulances are located
- How to coordinate with doctors and hospitals for proper releases
- What medical equipment is needed
- How to secure the best price
- How to provide the best service
You wouldn’t want to contact a Part 135 operator that typically flies private jets, as they may lack the necessary expertise.
Is booking an air ambulance through a broker more affordable?
Brokers specialize in negotiating the best price for aircraft, including air ambulances. Their broker discount will likely result in a better price for you.
Air ambulances are rarer than standard private jets, so they aren’t available at every airport. Using a broker who specializes in air ambulances is your best bet. They can leverage their networks to locate available air ambulances worldwide and have greater purchasing power.