Air ambulances hit ‘rough weather’

These services have been a boon in places like the Andaman islands, Lakshadweep archipelago. However, in Chennai, the story has been different, as recently the departure of the ambulance service of a private hospital was allegedly delayed for hours due to lack of clearance from air control authorities. 

Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India, S Sreekumar, told DTNext that the delay was due to the agency not communicating properly with the ATC at Chennai Airport. “They had shown their take off point somewhere near Loyola College. We don’t know how long they were hovering over at the helipad but the flight plan had a scheduled take-off time of 12.40 pm and it took off at 12.52 pm,” he said. 

When asked if air ambulances get priority, Sreekumar said the ATC which handles all areas related to air traffic, does not differentiate an air ambulance from a regular passenger flight, unless there is a specific request for priority landing. 

“When an unscheduled helicopter service is being communicated to the ATC, the agency that operates the service has to communicate the DGCA approval and police clearance to the ATC,” explained Sreekumar. 

“When the pilot sends a request for priority landing, ATC follows a procedure to cut the queue and bring the aircraft to landing. It’s a risky procedure and involves a lot of safety precautions. But there is a procedure to allow it once the pilot requests for it,” Sreekumar said. 

With air ambulance services being priced between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 4 lakh per trip depending on the distance, it’s a risky proposition, feel healthcare professionals. Dr Vishwanathan, a retired neurologist, said, “