These flights are often activated at very short notice (sometimes even in an hour time). It requires expedited coordination among all the stakeholders for arranging necessary approvals for such flights. Airports and FBO staff operated 24x7 with a backup plan of manpower and resources to handle such Air ambulance flights on priority. The FBO concessionaires provided vehicles for transporting crew, medical team/equipment and arranged ambulance services. Sometimes, they also facilitated the process of arranging airside vehicle entry permits for any ambulances coming from outside.
Simultaneously, DIAL also ensured timely sanitization of the ambulance aircraft and dedicated passage for the COVID patients to board the ambulance to ensure smooth operations at the airport. Regular fumigation and use of particular garbage bins for disposal of used PPE kits were also ensured. DIAL staff followed all the precautionary protocols to comply with COVID-19 safety measures, like wearing PPE kit, gloves, mask, etc., while handling emergency activities such as air ambulance service at Delhi Airport.
Similarly, in Hyderabad airport a team from a private hospital (Apollo Hospital) handles the air ambulance services. The Apollo medical team takes the patient out from airside, and hands them over to the hospital staff present on the land side. From there, they are shifted to the hospitals through their own ambulances. The Airport handled around 11 flights, including from Male and Abu Dhabi, during the second wave of pandemic.