FAI wins Pandemic Response Special Award at Middle East Annual Achievement Awards

Monday 22nd March 2021

Germany‘s Air Ambulance Specialist and Special Mission Operator FAI rent-a-jet AG has been honoured with the Pandemic Response Special Award at the 2021 Aviation Annual Achievement Awards in Dubai. The judging panel highlighted FAI‘s prompt and timely roll out of its Covid-19 aeromedical transport capability as well as its ability to increase capacity across its fleet as it rapidly responded to the pandemic. This latest award win follows FAI’s Aviation Annual Achievement Award in the Anniversary Milestone category in 2019.

Accepting the 2021 award, Barbara Baumgartner, Managing Director, FAI rent-a-jet, said: “ On behalf of FAI, I am incredibly proud to have won this prestigious award particularly given the immensely challenging year we have had to meet demand and manage restrictions during the pandemic. I would like to thank our entire team who are driven by passion, dedication and determination to overcome challenges and who have learnt never to take anything for granted. Without them, our work and this achievement would not be possible.”

“Congratulations to the team at FAI for a well-deserved win in this special category,” said, Kenneth Mitchen, Executive Director, MEA Business. “Our judging panel commented that FAI demonstrated creditable foresight and dedication, allowing it to maintain vital services throughout the most difficult and unpredictable year in recent history”.

In 2020, 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.

At the earliest time, FAI pioneered the roll-out of Covid-19 aeromedical transport capability, the EpiShuttle isolation pod. This enables self-contained oxygen and air ventilation directly to the patient, isolated from the cabin’s airflow. In the past nine months, the division has worked hard to manage and respond to a very challenging and fluid situation with multiple operational restrictions and limitations. FAI has pioneered a number of passenger air transportation options for the repatriation of travellers and has created an environment where appropriate social distancing is feasible in flight, and where strict hygiene measures can be enforced. FAI developed a Client Package of Comprehensive Pandemic Guidelines which has enabled the company to safely transport Covid-19 positive patients, whether in stable or critical condition, from any location, to any destination across the globe.

FAI Aviation Group is co-owned by the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain (Mumtalakat) and has enjoyed a strong presence in the MENA region over the past 18 years.

The company is the world’s largest air ambulance jet operator 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, nurses and paramedics. The company specialises in air support in hostile areas for the world´s largest NGO.

The Aviation Achievement Awards 2021 recognise and honour aviation organisations and leaders who have demonstrated exceptional resilience, innovation, adaptability and safety over the past year. The awards follow an application process which is judged by a committee.

Barbara Baumgartner, Managing Director,

FAI rent-a-jet with the Award

About FAI Aviation Group

FAI Aviation Group operates Germany´s largest Bombardier business jet fleet which brings significant operational and cost benefits. In addition to the seven Global Express jets, FAI´s group fleet includes, one Challenger 850, six Challenger 604s, 12 Learjet 60s, together with two Premier 1A light jets and one King Air turboprop.

FAI runs a 14,000 m² carbon-neutral fixed-base operation at its Nuremberg, Germany headquarters, employing a staff of 250 people, including 60 mechanics and engineers at its in-house MRO FAI Technik GmbH. FAI´s Group revenues in 2019 were close to € 100 m 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.

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.

In October 2020, FAI´s Air Ambulance Division was named winner of 2020 ITIJ industry award – Air Ambulance Company of the Year.

FAI is an official supplier of McLaren F1 Racing.

www.fai.ag