FAI scoops ITIJ Air Ambulance Company of Year Award

Tuesday 10th November 2020

The Air Ambulance Division of German Special Mission Operator FAI rent-a-jet AG has won the prestigious 2020 International Travel & Health Insurance Journal (ITIJ) Air Ambulance Company of the Year Award. The winners were revealed virtually at the ITIJ Awards ceremony on 5^th November. The company overcame stiff competition from fellow finalists, Air Ambulance Worldwide and Jet Rescue. This marks the second award win for FAI having first won in 2012.  The ITIJ awards now in their 18th year, honours those companies that have made an outstanding contribution to the global travel and health insurance industry over the past year.

Accepting the award, Volker Lemke, head of FAI´s Air Ambulance Division, said:   “On behalf of the division, I am pleased and proud to have won this important award. The win is particularly sweet given the incredibly challenging and extraordinary year we have had to meet demand during the pandemic. I would like to thank the entire team who have shown dedication, professionalism and incredible resilience particularly during the past nine months. Without them, our work would not be possible. ”

“Congratulations to the team at FAI for this well-deserved win,” said Ian Cameron, ITIJ editor-in-chief. “Our judging panel commented that FAI demonstrated ‘quality standards of the highest level’ and put ‘operational safety first, always guided by ethical principles, governing how they treat their colleagues, clients, and the patients entrusted to their care’.”

Earlier this year, FAI rent-a-jet emerged from its busiest period in its 30-year history owing to the coronavirus pandemic. During this time t he division was operating at maximum capacity and worked  hard to fulfil all the requests coming in 24/7 for repatriation and medevac flights  utilising its 10-strong fleet of air ambulance jet aircraft, covering all corners of the globe.

Demand was particularly strong for FAI’s EpiShuttle isolation pod patient transfer system which enables self-contained oxygen and air ventilation directly to the patient, isolated from  the cabin’s airflow. Since April, the division has been managing a very challenging and fluid situation with fluctuating demand coming mostly from covid patient transfers.

FAI is one of the world´s largest air ambulance jet operators by revenue, logging far above 10,000 hours per year flying air ambulance missions. The fleet comprises Bombardier Global Express, Challenger 604 and Learjet 60 is based at FAI´s Headquarters at Albrecht Dürer International Airport in Nuremberg. It is supported by more than 200 full time staff plus 50 part-time physicians and paramedics.

The company specialises in air support in hostile areas for the world´s largest NGO. It currently averages four intercontinental medical evacuations per day for its global client base.

Volker Lemke, head of FAI's Air Ambulance Division with the award

About FAI Aviation Group

FAI Aviation Group operates Germany´s largest Bombardier business jet fleet. FAI´s group fleet of 27 jets and one turboprop comprises six Global Express, one Challenger 850, six Challenger 604s, 12 Learjet 60s, together with two Premier 1A light jet and one King Air 350 turboprop.

FAI runs a 14,000 m² carbon-neutral fixed-base operation at its Nuremberg, Germany headquarters, employing a full-time staff of 220 people, including 60 mechanics and engineers at its in-house maintenance centre.

FAI Group’s revenues in 2019 were close to € 100 m combined with a fleet utilization of more than 14.000 hours of airtime.

FAI was proud to receive the Diamond Safety of Flight Award from the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) in May 2018, marking the highest safety recognition awarded by EBAA to member companies operating business aircraft for 50 years or 100.000 hours without accident.  In autumn 2018, FAI Aviation Group scooped “Germany´s Best Airline” accolade in the 2018 Focus Money Awards.

During the Dubai Airshow in November 2019 FAI was honoured with an Aviation Annual Achievement Award, in recognition of its 30 years of air ambulance and special mission flying and a 10-year anniversary award from MEBAA, reflecting the fact that 20 % of FAI’s flying activity is now in the Middle East.

FAI´s Air Ambulance Division was awarded the ITIJ Air Ambulance Company of the Year Award in both 2012 and 2020.

FAI is an official supplier of McLaren F1 Racing.