Who do I call for Air Ambulance Services?
There are two ways to determine your air ambulance cost. You can scour the internet and try to find an operator that can assist with your trip on short notice. With this, you will do your own due diligence on the operator and their background, and hope that it is a fair price.
Or you can rely on a broker to source available air ambulance worldwide to find an air ambulance with availability for your flight at the right price. The key difference with using a broker is that if the one company you know of is busy or unavailable for your trip, you have a broker with access to a wide range of additional aircraft options for both ambulatory and non-ambulatory flights depending on the patient's needs. You may also find that by contacting multiple operators, there is better pricing available. Brokers can also be an important asset for government agencies as they can hold government contracts for air charter service and air ambulance service to comply with Federal Regulations.
Why should I use a Government Contractor?
A government contractor has been deemed by the government to offer fair and reasonable pricing. They also inherently must comply with all federal regulations and are familiar with government payment schedules and purchase orders. This means that you can rest assured that you are getting a good value and are meeting all requirements in one place. Sure, people without a government contract can offer air ambulance flights, but do they meet all of the requirements? Sometimes, but not always. Ease of purchase as well as quality assurance is key for these often urgent requests.
Learn more about Air Planning's government travel services, including our capabilities statement and GSA schedule.
What about Insurance?
While all operators should carry insurance for their aircraft, not all brokers have additional insurance that protects the end user. Air Planning maintains an industry leading non-owned aircraft liability insurance policy. Non-Owned Aircraft Liability insurance provides coverage in the event a corporation becomes legally liable for bodily injury (including passengers) and property damage to third parties as a result of a loss involving a corporation’s or employee’s use of a non-owned aircraft.
Is it safe to fly?
Most air ambulance companies have independent safety ratings. These should be available upon request. Air Planning sends these safety reports over along with the quotes so that the end user can compare aircraft, price, and safety all at the same time. Once contracted, we also perform additional safety checks to ensure that the pilots and crew assigned to the flight meet the required training and flight hours required for the trip.
Air Ambulances also come with fully trained medical crews to monitor and administer medicine while onboard the aircraft emergency equipment and medical devices and a stretcher with additional room for family members or escorts.
What about Ground Transportation?
Ground transportation, such as ambulance service, can be arranged by the broker or air ambulance company. Or if you have already set up ground transportation we can provide itinerary information to help coordinate pick-up/drop-off. In addition, with our 24/7/365 flight monitoring and logistics support, if there are any changes to your itinerary, we will coordinate changes with your ground transportation as needed.