Guides
The right transport — not the most expensive
Not every case needs a dedicated air ambulance. The right choice protects the patient and the family from unnecessary cost — without cutting corners on safety.
What this means for you
The coordinating physician looks at clinical state first: breathing, monitoring needs, risks on the road, distance, altitude (for flights).
Ground ambulance is often right on European routes when continuous care is needed without an aircraft cabin.
Commercial-flight escort can fit when the patient is stable and the airline approves (MEDIF / fit-to-fly paperwork).
A dedicated air ambulance remains for situations where time or instability leave no other safe option — then we coordinate with partners, without automatically “selling” a jet.
How the decision is made
- We collect the essentials about condition and distance.
- We propose one or two realistic options, with plain-language pros and cons.
- You confirm with the treating doctor / insurer when relevant.
- Only then do we book crew and logistics.
Guidelines and legal frame (briefly)
- Transfer guidance principle: the mode should match clinical need (neither under- nor over-specified).
- Types A / B / C describe the care level on an ambulance; choosing the type is a medical decision, not a sales one.
- Airlines may refuse boarding without medical clearance — so flight escort is not “just a ticket plus a companion”.
- Cross-border public coverage often reimburses eligible care, not travel/transport costs. Check the private policy.
Questions we will ask
- Is the patient breathing independently? Oxygen or ventilator?
- Can they sit for a longer flight, or is a stretcher needed throughout?
- How urgent is the transfer medically?
- Is a bed reserved at destination?
General information based on good practice in medical transfer: assess before transfer, continuity of care, clear handover. It does not replace a physician’s assessment.