Medical and security support group MedAire today hosted a meeting of the European Business Aviation Association’s ambassadors at its London Assistance Center. The trade association is expanding its newly formed group of member companies willing to make the case for the industry among their networks in a bid to convey the social and economic benefits that the industry provides.
There are now around 26 companies acting as ambassadors for EBAA, with each of these tasking senior leaders with using their connections to communicate a positive narrative about the industry. The group was inspired by the NBAA’s Leadership Council and operates in a similar way.
Delegates to the event from companies—including NetJets, Duncan Aviation, UAS International Trip Support, and Gama Aviation—heard that part of this positive contribution is the way business aircraft are used to provide assistance in crisis situations. This involves both transporting relief supplies and expert help into trouble spots like Sudan and Ukraine, and also repatriating people needing to get to safety or medical help.
In 2022, MedAire’s parent company International SOS arranged more than 1,200 repatriation flights using business aircraft. Even during the two-year pandemic period, its activities generated around 12,500 flight hours.
The London Assistance Center is one of 28 MedAire facilities worldwide. Earlier this year the company reorganized its resources, expanding the facility’s capabilities to mirror those available at its Global Response Center in Phoenix so that it can more effectively provide around-the-clock service.
After the pandemic, the company has seen an uptick in demand for its medical support and security services, in part because business travelers have been more mindful of the risks they face on the road. Dr. Neil Nerwich, group medical director of the company’s London Assistance Center, said that customers have become more proactive in getting guidance and support at an early stage, which can help to avoid travel disruption and also ensure that the best options are available.
The post-pandemic health environment has revealed enhanced concerns over the health of travelers and also strains on public health provision. MedAire has also seen an increased need to be mindful of mental health issues and the need to provide support for travelers and flight crew experiencing emotional distress.
Out of a total of around 700 daily calls, MedAire’s teams are supporting an average of 300 inflight medical cases, with the majority of these involving airline customers. There are between five and 10 daily cases involving business aircraft operations, and typically two of these involve inflight emergencies. Dr. Nikki Mepham, medical director for assistance, with MedAire and International SOS, explained that the most common events involve providing support for passengers and crew on the ground, and this could include dealing with disruption to travel plans, that in some cases might have security implications.
While at EBACE 2023, Mepham and her colleagues were at the convention when they took a call from a customer about a 16-year-old woman whose father had flown her to the Indonesian resort of Bali. She was taken ill with a serious underlying medical condition and was unconscious in the intensive care unit of a small local hospital. With support from MedAire’s Jakarta Assistance Center, the company arranged an evacuation flight to Singapore where she could receive more effective medical treatment.
Another impactful anecdote shared during the event in London concerned a pilot who flew to Beijing during the 2022 Olympic Games. They tested positive for Covid and ended up being stuck in China for two and a half months, struggling to get help due to language barriers or even meet their basic food needs as a vegan.
Anti-bizav Protests Prompt Operators to Boost Security
The company is also becoming more involved in providing security support for business aircraft operations, prompted to some degree by the uptick in specific threats from protestors demonizing the industry on environmental grounds. Recent attacks on business aircraft during EBACE in Geneva and damage to a jet parked at Sylt Airport in Germany have prompted operators to seek more effective protective measures.
“We’re doing more asset protection, and looking at how we can get people and their aircraft in and out of locations undetected,” MedAire CEO Bill Dolny told AIN. “We’re working with FBOs to get more secure locations at airports, and providing not only a visible security presence to protect company principals but also having people more discretely keeping a look out on site and conducting reconnaissance missions.”
According to Dolny, there has been around a fourfold increase in demand for security services since aircraft parked on the EBACE show static display were damaged by protestors. “We’ve been contacted about providing ongoing protection, but also around specific events such as company board meetings and aircraft transaction processes.”
MedAire's security teams worldwide monitor events at a national and local level, assessing security risks posed by civil unrest, crime, and political instability. Dolny pointed out that rising threat levels aren't only now being seen in regions historically viewed as insecure. For instance, the company's daily security alerts now include increased reports of threats in the U.S. and also in Western Europe.