Once a physician has cleared the patient for travel and a receiving facility has been secured, Flying Nurses International can organize travel plans within 48-72 hours of your initial phone call.

Coverage for non-emergent flights will vary with each individual’s private insurance plan. Many plans will provide some form of coverage for travel on a commercial airline if a medical escort is deemed necessary by your discharging physician. Travel insurance that is purchased for vacation protection generally provides for emergency medical evacuation to the nearest suitable medical facility. Travel insurance will often provide medical repatriation on a commercial aircraft when you are ready to return home.

Business or First class reclining seats with footrests or stretcher service can be arranged for the unresponsive patient. The RN flight nurses can safely support the patient when seated upright for take-off and landing. Thereafter, the patient is fully reclined in a sleeping position for the flight and airplane taxiing.

Most of our patients are unable to ambulate onto the aircraft or within the aircraft cabin. Special arrangements are made to safely transfer the patient on and off the aircraft, to their seat, or to their stretcher.

After receiving a physician’s order for oxygen, we can generally provide for supplemental in-flight oxygen within 48 hours of making the request. Many domestic carriers no longer supply in-flight oxygen tanks but they do allow the passenger to utilize a personal portable oxygen concentrator. Patients that require use of a ventilator will require special equipment along with authorization from the carrier. Your flight coordinator will determine what is necessary and make the appropriate arrangements. Your flight nurse will be able to monitor and regulate a patients oxygen requirements with the use of a portable oxygen monitoring device.

Due to the decreased humidity when flying, adequate fluids are of particular importance. If your condition does not permit you to drink fluids in-flight, the RN flight nurse will administer IV fluids whether traveling in 1st class or stretcher service.

The cost will vary depending on the distance and days traveled. Generally, someone can travel on a commercial airline within the 50 states for approximately $4,500.00 to $9,000.00. International travel cost is completely dependent on destination but is considerably less than air ambulance which ranges from $25,000 to well over $100,000.

Our medical team conducts a comprehensive pre-flight clinical assessment to review the patient's current medical status. We evaluate recent hospitalization records, consultation notes, and the stability of the underlying condition to ensure the patient can safely withstand the changes in cabin pressure and altitude.

The clinical evaluation focuses on vital signs, doctor recommendations, FAA requirements, and cardiac and respiratory stability. We also review baseline oxygen requirements, cognitive status, wound care needs, and overall physical endurance required for the duration of the journey.

We determine the exact level of assistance needed by reviewing whether the patient is ambulatory, requires a wheelchair, or is completely non-ambulatory. This evaluation helps us arrange the proper airport transfers, boarding assistance devices, or specialized seating like first class or commercial stretcher services.

Most airlines require a specific Medical Information Form filled out by the attending physician detailing the patient's diagnosis and care needs. Flying Nurses coordinates the submission of this documentation along with any required physician statements to secure airline medical department approval before travel.

Airline medical clearance typically takes between 48 to 72 hours depending on the carrier and the complexity of the patient's medical needs. Our flight coordinators manage this process directly with the airlines to expedite approvals.

Families can expect a fully managed process where Flying Nurses handles all logistics. This includes gathering medical records, coordinating with discharging and receiving facilities, booking airline tickets, securing medical clearances, and arranging ground ambulance transfers.

The flight nurse provides continuous monitoring of vital signs, administers scheduled medications, manages intravenous fluids, and assists with personal care and mobility throughout the entire travel day.

We provide travel companions who are registered nurses trained to manage the anxieties, cognitive changes, and physical fatigue that senior patients often face during long-distance commercial travel.

Since commercial airlines do not supply standard oxygen tanks, we arrange for the use of FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrators. Our flight coordinators manage the airline notification process, and the flight nurse monitors the equipment and the patient's oxygen saturation throughout the trip.

The accompanying flight nurse carries all necessary medical documentation, physician prescriptions, and equipment clearances to ensure seamless navigation through TSA and international security checkpoints.

A commercial medical escort involves a registered nurse accompanying a patient on a scheduled commercial flight, utilizing existing first class or business class options. An air ambulance is a private, dedicated medical aircraft configured like an intensive care unit, typically reserved for critical care patients.