Bringing you home safely

We’ll take good care of you

You and your family are going through a lot right now and you’re probably feeling overwhelmed and worried. You entrusted us with your protection for the possibility of moments like these. We’re here to help put you at ease while we continue to ensure you get the proper care and prepare to bring you home.

With so many details to consider at this stage of your experience (you may hear us refer to it as “repatriation”), you and your loved ones might have questions. We hope the following information will help to answer some of them. Please call us anytime, about anything, especially if you have more questions or need support.

Before you fly

Your health and safety come first

  • Our expert Team of Physicians and Nurses will work with you and your local medical team to assess your condition and care needs, and when appropriate confirm stability to travel and make travel recommendations.
  • We initiate a hospital bed find in your home province once stability to travel is confirmed. 
    Read: What it takes to find a bed in your home province
  • We secure ground transportation (i.e. airport sedan, airport van, private ground ambulance) based on your illness, injury and care needs.
  • We assess/arrange specialty equipment (i.e. oxygen concentrator, suction device, etc.).
  • All travel recommendations are reviewed by our qualified Physician Group, which includes Medical Doctors, Registered Nurses, Respiratory Therapists and Paramedics.
Your flight accommodations
  • We’ll take care of all the details

  • Match your individual care needs with available providers.
  • Make sure your mini flying hospital is equipped as a critical care environment just for you.
  • Arrange all clearance including customs and airspace. This can typically take between 24 to 48 hours to arrange.
  • Cater meals to meet your dietary restrictions – please notify us 48 hours in advance to arrange.

  • ·     Get your travelling companion home too. Depending on the size of the aircraft and your condition, there will be room for one person. Notify us immediately if you have a pet.

  • Help with your luggage - allowance is typically one carry-on of 25 lbs max. per passenger.
  • Provide transport to and from the air ambulance via ground ambulance during departure and arrival. We’ll take you right to the plane door.
  • Pre-arrange fuel stops - they occur every 4-5 hours.
  • All air ambulance providers within the Allianz network are vetted and inspected annually.
Who’s taking you home

Your medical escorts

  • We’ll match you with medical escorts who can take care of your unique illness, injury and care needs
  • All travel recommendations are reviewed by the our Physician Group
  • All members of the medical escort team:
    o   Have received extensive training in aero-medical repatriations
    o   Are certified in both Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (BCLS + ACLS)

Your medical escorts will:

  • Meet with you to go over:
    o   Your safety to travel
    o   Your personal care needs (including ground transportation)
    o   The flight itinerary and times of departure
    o   Any questions you have about the upcoming flight
  • Carry the necessary customs and airport security documentation outlining the need to bring you home for medical reasons and for the medical equipment
During your flight home
  • Your medical escorts will:
  •         o   Provide support for both medical and travel needs, including meals
  •         o   Continuously monitor and reassess your condition
  •         o   Assist with all prescribed treatments within their scope of practice
            o   Respect your privacy at all times and will use screens during stretcher flights, and airport clinics and curtains when providing care
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  • Our team on the ground will in stay touch with your medical escorts to see how you’re doing and keep your loved ones up-to-date on your progress. 
Once you're home
  • Your medical escorts will help to ensure your safe arrival at your final destination
  • A transfer of accountability report will be provided to either the medical staff at the treating facility or to your family. This report includes all assessments and treatments provided by the medical escorts during your flight home, allowing for a safe transition of care with either the receiving facility or your family doctor.
  • Within a few days of your arrival, a case manager will call to see how you’re doing. They can also answer any outstanding questions you may have.

Disclaimer:

Repatriation arrangements are subject to processing times related to flight or airport availability and visa/permit requirements. Allianz shall work cooperatively and in good faith with its air ambulance vendors in order to provide repatriation arrangements to you. Allianz shall not be held responsible or liable for any flight delays, availability of flights or lack thereof nor any visa/permit requirements, or any circumstances outside of the control of Allianz.

The information contained in this document is intended to be used as a general guide to commercial aeromedical repatriations.  For any questions specific to your repatriation plans, please contact Allianz Global Assistance.