People who are bedridden due to a medical condition sooner or later need specialized transportation to go somewhere. An ambulance or a non-emergency stretcher service is usually easy to find if the destination is local.
But it gets more complicated if a bedbound patient needs to be transported internationally, across the Atlantic, or the Pacific. What options are available for bedridden persons who need to fly? Can they travel on a commercial flight? Let’s see!
Can a bedridden person fly and be transported by air?
Yes, a bedridden person can safely fly on a special stretcher that is installed onboard an airplane.
It’s easier said than done, though. Before a stretcher patient can fly, every detail of the transfer needs to be prepared by a company specializing in air medical transports, like JET COMPANION.
Medical clearance to fly is one of the things that need to happen. With medical clearance, a bedbound person generally has two stretcher transport options: by air ambulance or commercial airline stretcher service.
When is air ambulance transport the best option for a bedridden patient?
An air ambulance is a private plane equipped and staffed for hospital-like patient care while the patient is transported on a stretcher. Air ambulances are often described as flying ICUs because very sick life-support patients are transported this way.
In Canada, basic air ambulances or stretcher charters must also be equipped for critical care interventions on the flight. They are, however, set up to safely transport patients who cannot sit at all and need to lie down on a stretcher. It’s a similar situation, where stretcher service companies take care of non-emergent transfers of bedridden patients so that 911 ambulance services can take care of medical emergencies.
Air ambulances or stretcher charters are both private planes. They have many benefits, like maximum privacy, the use of smaller airports, the ability to cause less physical stress on the patient by flying at lower altitudes, and the freedom to schedule customized routes and times to best fit the needs of the person on the stretcher.
Rejection by an airline isn’t necessarily because of the patient’s condition. The reason can also be of an operational or logistical nature. An airline will not transport a patient on a stretcher in various situations. Sometimes, a private flight is the only option considered safe or appropriate
Why is an air ambulance so expensive?
Chartering any private plane, especially an air ambulance, is the most expensive way to fly. Patient transports that take several hours of flying are done by light or medium size jets. Small turboprop planes are common when bedbound patients must be transported over short-flight distances.
And when it comes to long-distance patient transfers, for example, on international transatlantic or transpacific routes, larger “heavy” jets can bridge the distance with only a few fuel stops.
The price tag of an air ambulance mission can vary from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover the cost of the plane, its pilots, the aeromedical crew, and all the operational cost like fuel, permits, visa, catering, etc. After all, the flight is operated exclusively for the patient.
Especially when a long-distance transfer is needed, for example, from Asia to North America, an insurance company or a large corporation can opt to charter an air ambulance. But if the patient is uninsured or the insurance has declined the mission, most families can not afford an air ambulance.
Can a bedridden person be transported on a stretcher on a commercial flight?
Yes. That is the other, more affordable option to transport a bedridden person. But it is easier said than done, as not all airlines offer stretcher services onboard their aircraft.
Most of the low-cost carriers anywhere in the world don’t allow stretchers onboard their aircraft. They operate tight schedules and have rapid turnaround times. Several large full-service airlines do offer commercial stretcher services. But then there are plenty of others that don’t.
For example, no North American carriers like Air Canada, WestJet, United, Delta, or American offer stretchers on their flights. For that reason alone, a stretcher is never an option on a commercial flight from, let’s say, Ontario to British Columbia or from California to Florida.
Outside of North America, the situation is different. Commercial airline stretchers are common in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, even on short domestic routes. But even then, stretcher service is not guaranteed.
It has to be requested on a case-by-case basis, and the airline’s medical department will review the request. The internal process to either approve or deny the request for stretcher transportation on a commercial flight can take several days and will depend on factors like the type of aircraft used on the requested route, availability of seats, and the capacity of different departments to provide logistical support.
Transporting a stretcher patient on a commercial flight is a large task, involving a lot of paperwork, manpower, and coordination. Ground ambulances and special vehicles to access the plane need to be arranged, and if there is a stopover at a transit airport, patient care needs to be organized between flights as well.
Specialized companies like JET COMPANION can spend several days getting the airline’s mission approved. Still, once all the puzzle pieces are in place, it is perfectly safe and comfortable to transport a bedbound patient onboard a commercial flight, escorted by an aeromedical crew.
Are there other flying options if a passenger cannot sit onboard an airplane?
Being immobile and bedbound at home doesn’t necessarily mean that lying flat on a stretcher is the only way a person can be transported on a commercial plane. The same applies to long-term care facility residents who are considered a “full lift” and who are normally transferred with a patient lift for safety reasons.
Onboard an aircraft, the difference between being unable to sit at all or sitting only for short periods, with support, can unlock a third option that will further reduce the cost of transporting a bedridden patient on a commercial flight. That option is business class or first class.
Long-haul flights are often operated by large commercial aircraft with lie-flat pods or seats that recline to a fully flat position—a bed. The extra space, complimentary pillows, and the option to recline to a position of comfort can relieve much pain and discomfort.
Patients generally prefer lie-flat seats over airline stretchers. Medical transport companies transport more immobile patients in business or first class each year than on commercial airline stretchers.
That includes bedridden patients brought to the airplane on an ambulance stretcher. Examples are passengers with late-stage dementia, permanent disability after a stroke, severe back pain issues, fragile medical patients, or passengers traveling after major surgery.
To assess if patient transport is possible in business class, there are two important factors to consider:
Can the bedridden passenger sit for short periods?
When discussing transportation options, we examine why a bedbound patient needs to lie down.
Is mobility impossible due to paralyzed limbs, or is it restricted due to an injury? Is it because of severe pain, weakness, or due to a low level of consciousness? Can the patient sit with professional support or with adequate pain control?
A passenger transported on a lie-flat pod in business class can lie down most of the time spent in the cabin. Still, flight safety rules demand that every passenger must be able to sit up in the seat in a fully upright position for takeoff, landing, and severe turbulence.
That is a hard non-negotiable requirement. It comes down to being able to sit for at least thirty minutes, up to one hour. If the passenger cannot do that, then flying in business class on a lie-flat seat is not an option.
If a passenger shows up at the gate and cannot sit properly in a wheelchair, the airline staff will refuse to board. If a passenger shows up at the gate on an ambulance stretcher, there must be paperwork from a doctor stating that the passenger is fit to fly and able to sit for short periods.
How do you choose the right flight for a bedridden patient?
You’ve got to be sure what type of aircraft and what seating is available for your flight. While most long international flights are operated by larger aircraft these days, a domestic connecting flight will most likely be flown by a midsized jet with a domestic business class featuring a slightly wider seat with no full recline or even a row of three economy class seats of which the middle seat has been left unoccupied.
Short routes like Victoria-Vancouver or Edmonton-Calgary are served by small commuter planes with no business class. Popular routes like Vancouver-Toronto, or Los Angeles-New York City can have many flights each day, leaving every hour, but operated by different airplane types.
So the 8 am flight might be on a Dreamliner with lie-flat pods, while a narrow-body Airbus with classic business class seats flies the 10 am flight. So, while it is certainly an option to fly business class when you can only sit for a short time, it is important to know in advance what seat you are getting for your business class ticket.
Can I take my mom on an airline stretcher without a medical escort?
Airlines don’t allow bedbound passengers to fly without a medical escort who can provide adequate care. Flight attendants are not trained for medical or personal care, so a traveling stretcher patient must have some arrangements for in-flight care. That will be verified by the airline before boarding.
The stretcher is only part of the full answer to how to transport a bedbound patient on a flight. Equally important is the care provided during the flight. It needs to happen professionally, smoothly, and without disturbing other passengers on the flight.
Things like toileting on a stretcher in a confined space and handling meals are to be considered, as well as how to get the bedridden patient onto and off the plane. Lying down on a narrow stretcher for many hours at altitude also comes with risks that must be mitigated: pressure sores, blood clots, and other complications.
A medical escort will provide positional changes, professional observation, monitoring, and symptom control with medication or oxygen. Successfully transporting a stretcher patient onboard a commercial plane will take the help of an experienced air medical escort.
How does commercial airline stretcher service work?
Commercial airline stretchers are designed to be installed in the cabin of a commercial plane. They are usually built in the back of the economy class cabin after blocking off or removing six to nine passenger seats. Before the flight, the stretcher is assembled in the airline’s base airport cabin.
After being used, it is either dismantled or flown back empty to the base airport of the plane. The airline charges either a fixed price for airline stretcher service or the equivalent of 6, 9, 12, or 18 seats at the highest economy class fare.
Airline stretchers have privacy curtains, seatbelts, and hooks to hang up urinary catheters, IV drips, and other patient care supplies. The mattress is typically narrow, and space is always limited. The upper part of the stretcher can recline, but the stretcher cannot come off its position, so other equipment is used to transfer the passenger onto and off the stretcher. One or two medical escorts sit directly next to the stretcher for the duration of the flight.
How do I book an airline stretcher service?
JET COMPANION is a medical escort company based in Canada and has an overview of all airlines that fly in and out of North America and offer stretcher services. The best way to book a commercial airline stretcher service is to speak to us first.
We’ll first assess the case and discuss the transport options on the route that needs to be flown.
Suppose that commercial airline stretcher service is the best option. In that case, we’ll get the necessary clearances, coordinate with airlines, and book all flights, ambulances, and other necessary airport services as part of our services.
The cost of flying on a stretcher is significantly higher than booking a business class seat but still 30 to 60% less than the price of chartering an air ambulance on the same route.
Conclusion
Contact us if you are planning for the transport of a bedridden person and want to find out more about your options.