Bed-to-Bed Transfer by Air Ambulance
A bed-to-bed transfer is the complete version of an air ambulance mission: the patient is collected from the bed they are in, moved by ground ambulance to the aircraft, flown under medical care, and delivered to the bed at the receiving facility — with every handover planned and documented before anyone moves. MEGA Aviation arranges bed-to-bed air ambulance transfers worldwide, coordinating the ground legs, the flight and the clinical handovers as one movement rather than leaving the family or case manager to assemble separate suppliers in two countries.
Why bed-to-bed matters more than the flight itself
The flight is usually the most controlled part of a patient transfer. The risk sits in the gaps: a ground ambulance that arrives late, a receiving hospital that was never formally asked to accept the patient, a stretcher that does not fit the aircraft door, a handover where nobody is sure who is clinically responsible. A bed-to-bed transfer removes the gaps by putting one coordination team around the whole journey.
In practice that means the patient's clinical responsibility passes from the treating team, to the flight medical team, to the receiving team at defined handover points — never in an ambulance bay with no clear owner. Every party knows the timeline, and every party has the same documents: the medical report, the fit-to-fly confirmation, the receiving facility's acceptance and the movement schedule.
What a bed-to-bed transfer includes
A fully coordinated bed-to-bed movement covers:
- Ground ambulance at origin. A suitably equipped ambulance collects the patient from the ward, timed to the aircraft's departure — not the other way round.
- Airport handling. Tarmac or ambulance-side access where permitted, so the patient transfers directly between the ambulance and the aircraft with minimal exposure and no terminal transit.
- The flight. A medically configured aircraft operated by a licensed partner AOC holder, with the medical team and equipment provided by the medical provider assigned to the case.
- Ground ambulance at destination. Met on arrival and moved directly to the receiving facility.
- Clinical handovers. Documented handover at each end, with the receiving physician confirmed before departure.
- Family coordination. Where the aircraft allows, an accompanying family member is planned into the movement from the start, including their ground transport and documentation.
Who arranges each part
Clarity on roles matters in medical work. MEGA coordinates the mission: sourcing the aircraft and operator, sequencing the ground legs, managing permits and timing, and keeping every party on one plan. The flight is operated by a licensed partner AOC holder, which retains operational responsibility. The medical crew, clinical equipment and all decisions about the patient's care belong to the medical provider and the treating and receiving physicians. Ground ambulances are provided by local ambulance services at each end, booked and timed by our coordinators. Nobody involved has to guess who does what — it is written into the mission plan before departure.
Planning a bed-to-bed transfer: what we need from you
The faster the information arrives, the faster the plan comes together. To quote and plan a bed-to-bed transfer we ask for:
- The latest medical report, including diagnosis, current stability and the equipment and medications in use.
- The treating hospital and physician, and the receiving facility and physician — including whether the receiving facility has formally accepted the patient.
- The patient's documents: passport and any visa requirements for the destination, which we flag early because they can be the slowest item on an international transfer.
- Whether a family member will travel, and any mobility or oxygen needs they have themselves.
- The timeline you are working to — urgent, or a planned transfer on a specific date.
With those five items we can normally return a realistic plan and written quotation quickly. The quotation itemises the movement — ground legs, flight, permits, coordination — so an insurer, assistance company or family can see exactly what is included. We do not publish prices because every movement is different; distance, aircraft type, medical staffing and ground legs all move the number.
International bed-to-bed transfers and paperwork
Cross-border transfers add a paperwork layer that domestic movements do not have, and it is usually the paperwork — not the aircraft — that sets the timeline. Entry requirements for a patient arriving by air ambulance differ by country: some states admit patients on a medical visa or a visa-on-arrival arrangement, others require pre-clearance through the receiving hospital or the health ministry. The receiving facility's formal acceptance letter is often part of that file. Our coordinators assemble the document checklist at quotation stage, chase the receiving hospital's acceptance and keep the family informed of what is outstanding, so the aircraft is never ready before the paperwork is. Where a patient cannot be moved immediately, we can also plan the transfer for a later confirmed date and hold the plan warm.
Bed-to-bed for non-critical patients
Bed-to-bed coordination is not reserved for intensive care cases. Patients who are stable but immobile — post-surgical, orthopaedic, stroke recovery, advanced age — often need the same unbroken chain: a ground ambulance that can take a stretcher, an aircraft with stretcher loading, and a receiving team expecting them. The medical staffing is lighter than an ICU mission, but the handover discipline is identical. For patients stable enough to sit in a commercial cabin with support, a medical escort on a scheduled flight can be the more proportionate option, and we will say so when it is.
Planned transfers as well as emergencies
Not every bed-to-bed transfer is an emergency. A large share are planned movements: a patient well enough to leave a foreign hospital but not well enough for a commercial flight, a transfer to a specialist centre scheduled around surgery dates, or a repatriation arranged to coincide with a bed becoming available at the receiving hospital. Planned transfers allow time to choose the most suitable aircraft, brief both medical teams properly and often reduce cost compared with a same-day launch. Where the situation is time-critical, the same coordination applies on a compressed timeline — see our ICU air ambulance page for critical-care missions and emergency repatriation flights for urgent returns home.
Costs and how they are built
A bed-to-bed transfer is quoted as one complete movement: the aircraft and its positioning, the medical team and equipment, both ground ambulances, and the coordination throughout. The figure depends on the route, the aircraft type, the clinical staffing level and the timing — which is why we do not publish generic prices. What you receive is a single itemised quotation covering the whole chain, so there are no separate ambulance or handling invoices arriving afterwards, and nothing is added once the mission is agreed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bed-to-bed and a standard air ambulance?
A standard arrangement may cover only the flight. Bed-to-bed means the ground ambulances, airport handling and clinical handovers at both ends are coordinated as one movement, so the patient is never between suppliers with no clear clinical owner.
Who is clinically responsible for the patient during the transfer?
The treating team hands over to the flight medical team at origin, and the flight team hands over to the receiving team at destination. Each handover is documented. The medical provider directs all clinical care; MEGA coordinates the logistics and aviation side.
Do you arrange the ground ambulances in both countries?
Yes. Local ambulance services at origin and destination are booked and timed to the flight as part of the mission, so the patient moves directly between hospital bed and aircraft at each end.
Can the receiving hospital be changed after the plan is made?
It can, but it may change the ground leg, the airport choice and the handover documentation. Tell the coordinator as early as possible; planned changes are straightforward, last-minute ones are manageable but tighter.
What documents does the patient need for an international transfer?
A passport is essential, and some destinations require a visa or medical visa waiver — we flag document requirements at the quotation stage because they can be the slowest item. The medical report and fit-to-fly confirmation travel with the patient.
How much does a bed-to-bed transfer cost?
Every movement prices differently — distance, aircraft type, medical staffing, ground legs and permits all affect the figure. We provide a written, itemised quotation once we have the medical report and both facilities' details, and we do not publish generic prices.
To start a bed-to-bed transfer, send the medical report and both facility details through the quote form. You can also explore our wider medevac services, medical escort options for patients stable enough for commercial flights, or our medevac coverage page for how we assess new routings.