AirWaves and GroundRules

Air Ambulance Card President Sam Jackson is just back from New York - where his wife's piano quartet played Carnegie Hall. And how did he get to Carnegie Hall you ask? Online booking of a car service.
Sam used Carmel Limo - and recommends you check them out. Book online in seconds, flat rates to JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, no per person charge and the driver has your cell phone number so coordinating pick-ups is a snap.
You may also want to check with your hotel. Executive Vice-President Stan Bradley has the concierge at the Ritz book his cars, again a flat rate, no charges for fellow travelers.
Beats the shuttle I took last time I was in New York. Sure it was cheap... but going from the East Side to the West Side can take forever if you stop at EVERY HOTEL!

Labels: air ambulance, air ambulance card, airport shuttle, car service, limo service, new york

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (September 8, 2008) - Business and leisure travelers are still willing to pay more for peace of mind despite a downturn in the economy and reported slowing of growth in business travel, reports Birmingham-based medical evacuation membership program Air Ambulance Card, LLC. The company reports positive growth in both new enrollments and renewals despite national reports of slowed growth in business travel and the travel industry as a whole.

"People who travel more than once or twice a year are still keenly aware of the financial and health risks they face,'" said Stan Bradley, executive vice-president of Air Ambulance Card, LLC. "In fact, the dramatic increase in fuel prices makes the idea of paying for a medical evacuation flight out of pocket even more frightening." The cost of a recent Air Ambulance Card transport was 21% higher than a similar transport one year ago. The increase is almost entirely attributed to rising fuel costs. For several years domestic air ambulance flights have averaged about $11,000. We expect that cost to increase to nearer $14,000. International flights costing well over $100,000 are becoming common. As overwhelming to families as the cost of a medical flight is the fact that payment must be made in advance.

Air Ambulance Card® provides travelers with prepaid hospital-to-hospital air ambulance service, domestically and abroad. The membership program offers services for a period of one year to families or individuals, and under corporate accounts. Air Ambulance Card memberships are available to residents of the U.S. and Canada and cost $195 per year for individuals and $295 per year for families. For more information visit www.AirAmbulanceCard.com.

Labels: air ambulance, air ambulance card, business travel, jet fuel, medical evacuation, travel safety

So we just took another look at our last five years of transports... and boy did we find some surprises. What scares you more... the thought of being injured out of the country, or just a few states away? Who's more likely to wind up in the hospital a trip... a man or a woman? Are you more likely to get sick or to get injured? The answer... depends on where you are.

Air Ambulance Card flies members home to the US or Canadian hospital of their choice when they are hospitalized 150 miles or more from home. The cost for this, $195 for a yearly membership, and NOTHING if you are transported. The average cost of our transports over the last five years, $11,155.00. Will you be writing a check, or putting it on a credit card?

So who is using the service? WOMEN. Of our international transports, a whopping 86% were women. Of our domestic transports, 56% were women. We're not sure why (though we have some theories based on the high number of broken bones among our transportees).

One common misconception is this service is needed for senior travelers, but not as important for younger travelers. Guess the average age of members we've transported. 53. Not exactly infirm, huh?

By the way, don't think this service is only for international travelers either. 50% of all transports were within the United States, some even within the same state.

The last point is about the causes of the transports. Among international transports, 71% were because of an accident. For domestic transports... the numbers reverse. 75% of domestic transports were as a result of injury.

What does this tell us? Women need this product. It could save the family nest egg. And, who knows where you will be when accident or illness strike. We know where you want to be, though. Home with the doctors and hospitals you know and trust.