Inside a Medical Air Transport: What Happens After the Call?

When someone mentions medical air transport, it might sound dramatic or confusing—but it’s actually a planned, precise, and carefully managed service. At RED, we understand that shifting a loved one from one hospital to another—especially across cities—can be emotionally overwhelming. That’s where a well-coordinated air medical transfer makes all the difference.

Unlike emergency services, air ambulances are not for critical on-the-spot pickups. They are meant for pre-planned medical travel where the patient is stable enough to be moved under expert care. Let’s walk you through what really happens behind the scenes once a call is made for medical air transport.

Step 1: Initiating the Journey

Everything begins with a phone call or enquiry to our team. Whether you’re a caregiver, hospital staff, or a concerned family member—our team is ready to listen, assess, and act.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. Every patient is different, so our air ambulance coordination team works closely with physicians and family members to understand:

• The patient’s medical condition
• The kind of equipment or care needed
• The pickup and drop locations
• The closest airports available at both ends

Step 2: Ground to Air – The First Move

Here’s something most people don’t know—air ambulance service in India doesn’t begin on a runway. The process starts on the road.

No, the aircraft doesn’t land near your home or on empty fields. Helicopters are not part of our service, and we never attempt unsafe landings.

If the patient is in a remote area, a road ambulance is dispatched first. This vehicle is fully equipped and staffed with trained professionals to ensure a safe ride to the nearest airport with proper landing facilities. Even in cities, the patient is picked up from their hospital or residence via road and taken to the airport.

Our services ensure:

• Ambulances are ICU-grade when required
• Medical escort teams are ready and well-briefed
• Transfers happen with minimal waiting time

Step 3: Pre-Flight Medical Assessment

Once at the airport, the patient is smoothly transferred into the aircraft with the help of specialised medical crews and aviation staff. The aircraft isn’t just a flying vehicle—it’s a mobile ICU, custom-fitted to handle various critical care situations.

What happens before take-off?

• The team checks all medical devices onboard
• Oxygen levels, monitors, ventilators—everything is tested
• The patient’s vitals are assessed once again
• Final clearance is taken from the pilot and operations team

This entire process is closely supervised by our trained professionals to ensure comfort and stability.

Step 4: In the Air – Constant Monitoring

The real journey begins in the sky—but for our team, this is not a break. It’s constant, focused care.

During the air medical transfer:

• A team of doctors and paramedics continuously monitor the patient
• Vitals are tracked using high-end medical equipment
• Communication remains open with the receiving hospital
• Emergency protocols are ready, though rarely required

The goal is to maintain complete stability throughout the flight. The aircraft is pressurised and designed for medical use, offering a safe environment that’s far more advanced than most people imagine.

Step 5: Touchdown & Final Handover

As the flight nears its destination, a second road ambulance is already waiting on the tarmac or airport medical zone. Our team wastes no time in shifting the patient for the final leg of the journey.

Here’s what we ensure:

• Smooth transfer from aircraft to ambulance

This means the patient is carefully moved from the plane to the waiting ambulance without any delay or discomfort. Our team handles all the logistics to make this transition seamless and safe.

• Constant medical support during the shift

Throughout the ambulance journey, trained medical staff continuously monitor and care for the patient. This ensures any changes in condition are managed immediately.

• Real-time updates to the receiving hospital

We keep the hospital informed about the patient’s status during transit. This helps the medical team prepare for the patient’s arrival and provide timely treatment.

• Direct admission at the hospital’s emergency or ICU wing

Once at the hospital, the patient is taken straight to the necessary care unit without waiting. This speeds up access to specialised medical attention.

We don’t leave the patient until they’re safely handed over with a proper medical brief to the hospital team. That’s our commitment to continuity of care.

Let’s Clear Some Common Misconceptions

We often get questions that reveal how misunderstood this service can be. So let’s clarify:

• Air ambulances are not emergency responders. They are planned, medically cleared journeys.

• We don’t provide helicopters or random pickups from open fields.

• All flights take off and land at airports with the required permissions.

• We offer inter-city and inter-state medical transfers, not door-to-door flying services.

• From home or hospital, every patient is picked up and dropped off via road ambulances coordinated by our team.

Why Families Trust Our Services

Every patient’s journey is different. Some are recovering from surgery, others may need ongoing treatment in a metro city hospital, and some require transport for organ transplants or long-term therapies.

What remains common is the level of care and professionalism offered throughout the process.

At RED, you’re not booking a flight—you’re signing up for a medically managed transfer with a team that truly cares. Our staff is trained to handle every kind of complexity with compassion, urgency, and utmost safety.

We’ve successfully transported neonates, elderly patients, cancer warriors, and those on ventilators—always with careful planning and timely execution.

Final Thoughts: Trust the Process, Trust the Team

Medical air transport may feel overwhelming at first, but once the call is made, our team takes over every detail. From ground pick-up to in-flight monitoring and hospital handover, your loved one is in expert hands.

If you’re planning an air medical transfer, don’t wait till the last minute. Pre-planned journeys give us more time to personalise care and ensure everything goes smoothly.

• Connect with our team today for a free consultation
• Let us help you create a smooth and safe transfer plan

With RED, you’re choosing a partner that believes in care, clarity, and complete medical support from start to finish.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How much does it cost to fly in an air ambulance?

The cost to fly in an air ambulance in India typically starts around ₹2 lakh for domestic transfers and rises significantly based on distance, aircraft type, medical equipment, and personnel required.

2. How does an air ambulance work?

An air ambulance works by providing critically ill patients with in-flight intensive care using medically equipped aircraft and specialized medical teams, ensuring continuous monitoring and seamless transfer between hospitals.

3. How do med flights work?

Med flights operate as flying ICUs using specialized aircraft and critical care teams to provide continuous medical support, coordinating patient transfer from origin to specialized hospitals with seamless handover.

4. How do ground ambulances coordinate with the flight team?

Ground ambulances coordinate with flight teams by managing bedside-to-bedside transfers, ensuring continuous communication and seamless patient handover from pickup to airstrip and onward to the destination hospital.

5. What kind of training do onboard staff have for air transfers?

Onboard staff receive extensive training in safety, emergency procedures, medical care, and their specific operational roles to ensure passenger safety, comfort, and security during air transfers.