The Commercial Medical Escort Booking Process: Step by Step

How Medical Clearance Works When Flying Sick Patients Home

Booking a commercial medical escort or stretcher flight can feel overwhelming. Many families ask us how medical clearance works for flying sick patients, because this is often the most confusing part of the process. While it’s second nature to our team, we know it can feel stressful and complicated when you just want your loved one home.

Below, we’ve set out each step in clear, simple language, so you’ll always know what to expect and why things sometimes take time (or cost more than you hoped). Whether you need medical clearance to fly or want to understand how long it takes to arrange a stretcher flight, this guide will help.

Step 1 – Your Initial Enquiry

After you first get in touch, we’ll encourage you to complete a simple quotation form. As annoying as forms can be, they’re essential. We need all the relevant details to:

• Provide an accurate price
• Assign the right medical team
• Recommend the safest method of transport

Important to know: Commercial flights are a cost-effective option for flying sick patients on an airline, but they’re not suitable for every patient. They have strict medical and logistical limitations. Learn more about arranging a medical escort flight.

Step 2 – Medical Clearance and Flight Availability Check

When you submit your form, it triggers our booking process. Our travel team starts searching for flight options, typically 3–4 days ahead. Many families ask how long it takes to organise a commercial medical escort, and this is often the biggest factor.

Why the delay? Most airlines require up to 72 hours to approve a MEDIF (Medical Information Form) through their own in-house doctors. Even if you already have a “fit to fly” letter, the airline makes the final call. They might insist on:

• Additional medical crew
• Onboard oxygen
• A stretcher
• A portable oxygen concentrator (POC)

We know the medical clearance process for flying patients, so we can usually predict what each airline will require.

Step 3 – Receiving Your Quote

Once we have flight options, we prepare a detailed quote. Sometimes you’ll get more than one choice:

• Direct flights can be faster but more expensive.
• Connecting flights may save on airfare but cost more in staff time.

We’ll help you weigh up the trade-offs between speed, comfort and budget. Read more about stretcher flight pricing.

Step 4 – Confirming Your Booking

If you’re happy to proceed, we:

• Reserve the seats (subject to change by airline, some airlines we cannot reserve seats)
• Assign your medical team
• Submit the MEDIF for airline clearance

Airline approval times vary widely. Some carriers respond in hours. Others are painfully slow or unhelpful. When comparing the cost of a stretcher flight vs air ambulance, remember it is the airlines that can cause delays.

Step 5 – Medical and Logistical Checks

Stretcher flights require more planning. They often involve:

• Installing a stretcher in the cabin (not all carriers offer this)
• Multiple connecting flights via hubs like Istanbul, Frankfurt or Singapore
• Coordinating equipment and permits

Low-cost airlines (e.g., Ryanair, EasyJet) do not allow stretcher transport, which means arranging medical escort flights with other carriers. Sometimes, an overland ambulance is needed to reach a suitable airport.

Learn more about stretcher flight options.

Step 6 – Final Pricing and Seat Reservation

Once your MEDIF is approved:

• We re-check flight prices, as airlines don’t hold seats without payment.
• Prices may have changed due to demand or availability.
• We confirm the latest fare with you before purchase.

Tip: Some flights require a scanned passport to issue tickets. Having documents ready helps avoid delays when you book a medical escort flight.

Step 7 – Ticket Purchase and Confirmation

When you approve the final price:

• We purchase the tickets
• Confirm your medical team
• Lock in all logistics

Only at this point is everything guaranteed.

Step 8 – What About Risks?

Some clients choose to pay for flights before medical clearance to avoid fare increases. This can save money but carries a risk: if the airline refuses the MEDIF, then some tickets are non-refundable (we can advise on this).

Rule of thumb:

• The sicker the patient, the higher the risk of refusal.
• Balancing cost, medical safety and approval probability is part of our job.

Read more about fit-to-fly approvals.

Step 9 – Special Considerations

Medical Equipment:

• Some airlines limit the amount of medical kit we can bring.
• Oxygen must often be supplied by the airline.
• POCs require enough battery power for the journey plus 50% extra for delays.
• Controlled drugs may be legal here but restricted elsewhere.

Visas: In countries like China, our medics need:

• An official invitation letter from a hospital or embassy
• An in-person interview at the embassy
• Approval (with no guarantee)

All of this can affect how long it takes to organise a commercial medical escort.

Step 10 – Ongoing Support

At every stage, we’re here to help you:

• Understand medical clearance to fly
• Compare stretcher & commercial flight costs
• Navigate paperwork and approvals
• Coordinate safe care for your loved one

We hope this guide helps you understand how the process works—and why costs and timings can vary.

If you’d like personal advice or a detailed quote, contact us anytime.