prestige jet signs exclusivity agreement with flight ambulance interational (fai)
Partnership will serve growing need for medical repatriation
FAI considering stationing an aircraft in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain
Prestige Jet, the new, fast-growing, private aviation company operating out of Abu Dhabi International Airport and Al Ain Airport, has signed an agreement with Flight Ambulance International (FAI), a world leader in medical evacuation and repatriation services.
Under the terms of the agreement, Prestige Jet will be the exclusive representative for FAI in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain and will offer a worldwide air ambulance service for patients, to transport them between the two cities and any destination in the world.
HE Ghaith Ben Hamil Al Ghaith, Chairman of Prestige Jet said that since the inception of the airline in May 2007, there has been growing demand for air ambulance services.
"The Prestige Jet fleet is already better equipped than most other competitors in the UAE and the region to provide a limited air ambulance quality and service," he said. "Now with this partnership, we can provide a service of the highest standard to ensure the comfort and safety of patients seeking or requiring treatment elsewhere in the world. More importantly we can meet the standards set by organisations such as the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS) widely recognised as an industry standard - or the European Aero Medical Institute (EURAMI)
"We have been working with FAI for several months now and we are delighted to formalize our partnership through this agreement. A dedicated fleet of air ambulance-jets Lear 55, operated by a highly trained team of medical and aviation professionals will facilitate a worldwide bedside-to-bedside service on a personal handling basis, without restrictions, 24x7."
H.E. Ghaith says that Prestige Jet's current clients for this type of service come from the private sector as well as government, the military and private hospitals and is expected to grow rapidly.
'We have been providing medical evacuation flights for some time now and have quickly built a reputation for trust, quality, service and competitive pricing which sets us apart from other medical operators in the UAE and the region," he said. "One of our major customers is the General Health Authority of Abu Dhabi where we regularly operate medical flights mostly to Europe and we are also negotiating several other long term agreements with government entities in Abu Dhabi and AI Ain.
Dr. Siegfried Axtmann, owner and chairman of the supervisory board of FAI, who signed the agreement with H.E. Ghaith Al Ghaith , said he was delighted to enhance Prestige Jet's service offering and at the same time increase the company's presence in the Middle East – which currently accounts for around 8 per cent of the total business - and to work with the highly professional, fast-growing airline.
"Recently, we increased our air ambulance capacity to six Lear Jets, following the acquisition of a fourth 55, which has a dual stretcher capability in response to the reduced availability of stretchers on board commercial airline flights," he said. "A feasibility study is currently underway to look at the possibility of permanently positioning an aircraft in Abu Dhabi to serve this growing market. At present we primarily operate out of Nuernberg, Germany and West Africa."
Axtmann added that all aircraft can offer the equivalent of an on-board intensive care unit, and are staffed from a pool of highly experienced paramedics who are permanently in practice.
"The craft and crew operate to international standards and we work closely with individual patients' own physicians, who often accompany the patient on board the flight," he said. "Furthermore we can offer an all female crew whenever cultural sensitivities require it."
In conclusion, H.E. Ghaith Al Ghaith says the consolidation of a continuously growing market, as well as the emergence of stricter quality standards, means that the Prestige Jet is now well paced to serve the Middle East market and help FAI cement its position as a leading air ambulance operator.
