Medevac and Air Ambulance Catering: Inflight Meals for Patients, Escorts and Crews
Medical evacuation and repatriation flights are among the most carefully coordinated missions in business aviation. A Learjet 45, Citation XLS or Challenger 605 is configured as a flying intensive-care room, with a doctor, a flight nurse, a family escort and the flight crew all working towards one goal: bringing the patient home comfortably.
Medevac and air ambulance catering has a specific role on these missions. It follows the medical team's guidance for the patient, keeps escorts comfortable on a demanding day and supports crews through long duty periods. Global Diners prepares this catering in our own kitchens in Nice (LFMN / NCE), Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Madrid (LEMD / MAD) and from kitchens serving more than 2,500 airports worldwide.
What is a medevac flight?
A medevac (medical evacuation) or air ambulance flight is a business jet equipped to transport a patient who needs continuous medical care: a stretcher or ICU-grade bed, monitors, oxygen and a dedicated medical team. These missions include repatriations after an illness or accident abroad, transfers between hospitals across borders and escorted flights for travellers who need medical supervision.
Assistance companies, insurers and air ambulance operators organise these flights at short notice, often with several sectors in one day. Catering is a small element of the mission, and an important one for everyone on board.
What makes medevac catering different
Patient meals guided by the medical team
For the patient, the medical crew always leads. When the request includes their instructions, such as soft textures, low-sodium options, specific hydration, simple broths or purées, our kitchen prepares exactly what is described, labels each item clearly and packs it for easy access in a compact cabin.
Comfort for family escorts
Relatives travelling with a patient have often had a long and emotional journey. Simple, nourishing dishes, fresh fruit, quality snacks and good tea and coffee make a real difference to their flight.
Crew meals for long duty days
Air ambulance crews often fly multi-sector rotations, for example Nice (LFMN / NCE) to London (EGGW / LTN) and on to Geneva (LSGG / GVA). Balanced crew meals, clearly labelled and ready to serve, keep pilots and medical staff focused from the first leg to the last.
Hydration and comfort at altitude
Cabin air on a business jet is drier than the air on the ground, and long sectors can be tiring for everyone on board. Medevac catering requests often include extra still water, herbal teas, light broths and easy-to-eat snacks for escorts and medical staff, alongside the patient items specified by the medical team. Our team packs these in quantities matched to the flight time, so hydration is always within easy reach.
Working with handling agents and ambulance timing
On a medical flight, everything is organised around the patient's arrival at the aircraft. Our team coordinates catering delivery with the handling agent so that trays are on board and stowed before the ambulance reaches the stand. At Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE) our own team delivers planeside; at partner stations, the same timing principles are applied by kitchens selected for private aviation.
For early-morning and late-evening departures, share the confirmed schedule in your request and our team plans production and delivery around it.
Typical medevac routes we support
From | To | Typical aircraft |
Nice (LFMN / NCE) | Zurich (LSZH / ZRH) | Learjet 45 |
Nice (LFMN / NCE) | London (EGSS / STN) | Citation XLS+ |
Paris (LFPB / LBG) | Doha (OTHH / DOH) | Challenger 605 |
Madrid (LEMD / MAD) | Geneva (LSGG / GVA) | Learjet 60 |
Nice (LFMN / NCE) | Dubai (OMDW / DWC) | Challenger 650 |
Station details for each departure are available on our airport pages, for example Zurich (LSZH / ZRH), London (EGSS / STN), Doha (OTHH / DOH) and Dubai (OMDW / DWC).
How to order catering for a medical flight
Send the request to order@globaldiners.com: aircraft registration, airport, date, delivery time and the number of patients, escorts and crew.
Share the medical team's guidance for the patient's meals, together with any allergies or dietary requirements for everyone on board.
Receive your dedicated quote, prepared by our specialised team for the mission.
Delivery to the aircraft. At Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE) our team delivers planeside, coordinated with the handling agent and timed around the ambulance arrival. At Madrid (LEMD / MAD), delivery is made at the FBO.
Medical flights are often arranged quickly. Our guide to last-minute private jet catering explains how to send a complete request in one email.
Packaging designed for a medical cabin
Space in a medevac cabin belongs to the stretcher and the medical equipment. Our packaging is compact and organised by person (patient, escorts, crew), with contents and allergens printed on every label, so the flight nurse can find the right item in seconds.
Individual portions, sealed and dated.
Separate, clearly marked sets for patient, escorts and crew.
Hydration packs and light snacks within easy reach.
Reheating guidance for crews who wish to serve a warm meal.
Repatriation flights: comfort for the journey home
Many medical flights are repatriations: a traveller who fell ill or was injured abroad returning to a hospital close to home. These flights can be long, for example from Dubai (OMDW / DWC) or Doha (OTHH / DOH) back to Europe, and the catering plan matters as much as on any long-range business flight. A typical plan includes a light meal for escorts after take-off, crew meals timed to their rest periods, and fresh snacks and drinks for the final hours of the flight, with patient items exactly as specified by the medical team.
On a medical flight, care extends to every detail. A well-prepared tray is one small way we help the team look after their patient.
One catering partner across the network
Air ambulance operators, assistance companies and medical flight coordinators can rely on one contact for catering wherever the mission takes them, from the French Riviera and Paris to Madrid, London, Geneva and the Middle East. Read more about how we coordinate aviation catering worldwide, or discover our standard for private jet catering in Paris and the French Riviera.
Events That Shape Private Jet Catering at Zurich (LSZH / ZRH)
Zurich is Switzerland's financial capital and the main arrival airport for Davos, St. Moritz and the eastern Alps, so its busiest weeks combine business and leisure. The World Economic Forum in January is the single most intense period, when heads of state, chief executives and their aircraft converge within a few days. The winter season, St. Moritz events, spring festivals and Art Basel follow. In these weeks, parking is limited, handler teams are fully scheduled, and our kitchens selected specifically for private aviation are in demand. Order two to four days ahead, confirm passenger numbers as early as possible, and agree delivery timings with your handler. Bircher muesli, Swiss cheeses, Bündnerfleisch and warm soups travel well in winter.
Event | When | Where |
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting | January | Davos, Graubünden |
Christmas and New Year in the Alps | Mid-December to early January | St. Moritz, Klosters, Lenzerheide and other Graubünden resorts |
White Turf St. Moritz | February | Frozen Lake St. Moritz |
Sechseläuten | April | Sechseläutenplatz, Zurich |
Art Basel | June | Messe Basel, Basel |
Zurich Film Festival | Late September to October | Venues across central Zurich |
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting at Zurich (LSZH / ZRH): January
Political and business leaders gather in the mountain resort of Davos for a week of meetings. Zurich receives a large share of the arriving jets, with guests transferring onward by road, rail or helicopter, and parking at the airport is managed closely throughout the week. Order catering as soon as your schedule is fixed, allow for security procedures, and choose sealed, labelled meals for each passenger. Warm dishes and hot drinks help guests arriving from cold transfers.
Forum, festival and race dates in Switzerland change each year, so confirm current timings with our team when placing an order.
Things to do around Zurich (LSZH / ZRH)
Zurich's lake and river set the tone: boat trips on Lake Zurich, summer swimming at the lake and river baths, and walks along the Limmat through the Old Town. The Uetliberg, the city's local mountain, offers views of the Alps. The Rhine Falls, one of Europe's largest waterfalls by volume, make an easy half-day trip, as do Lucerne and its lakes. In winter, Davos, Klosters, Flims and St. Moritz are the main ski destinations, and the Swiss rail network reaches most of them directly. Golfers and hikers find well-kept courses and trails within an hour of the city in summer.
Culture and heritage near Zurich (LSZH / ZRH)
The Kunsthaus Zurich holds major collections of Swiss and European art, expanded with a David Chipperfield building in 2021. The Swiss National Museum, beside the main station, covers the country's history. The Fraumünster church is known for its stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall, and the Grossmünster recalls the Reformation led by Zwingli. Zurich West shows the city's industrial past reshaped into creative spaces.
FBOs at Zurich (LSZH / ZRH): the business aviation terminals here include Cat Air Service AG, BHS Aviation AG, Jet Aviation, MFGZ Aviation Handling and Swiss Privilege Aviation Services. Our team coordinates every delivery with the FBO or handler you choose.
Also nearby: London Stansted (EGSS / STN)
London Stansted, in Essex north-east of the capital, handles a large volume of business aviation alongside its scheduled traffic. The M11 links it to east London, Canary Wharf and the City, and to Cambridge, with its university and technology and life-science companies. Newmarket, the centre of British horse racing and bloodstock, is close by, making Stansted a favourite with owners, trainers and buyers. Traffic is steady through the year, with racing, sales and summer events adding peaks.
FBOs at London Stansted (EGSS / STN): the business aviation terminals here include Harrods Aviation, Inflite The Jet Centre, London Jet Centre and Universal Aviation. Our team coordinates every delivery with the FBO or handler you choose.
FBOs at every airport in this guide
Here are the business aviation terminals (FBOs) at each airport mentioned above. Our team coordinates every catering delivery with the FBO or handler you choose, and our own kitchens deliver planeside at Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE).
Nice (LFMN / NCE): Signature Aviation, AviaVIP and DC Aviation G-OPS
Paris (LFPB / LBG): Dassault Falcon Service, Jet Aviation, Signature Aviation, Advanced Air Support International, Jetex Le Bourget, ExecuJet Paris and Universal Aviation France
Madrid (LEMD / MAD): General Aviation Service SL, AviaVIP, Sky Valet Spain and United Aviation Services S.L.
Zurich (LSZH / ZRH): Cat Air Service AG, BHS Aviation AG, Jet Aviation, MFGZ Aviation Handling and Swiss Privilege Aviation Services
London Luton (EGGW / LTN): Signature Aviation and Harrods Aviation
Geneva (LSGG / GVA): Geneva Airpark SA, Signature Aviation, Dassault Aviation Business Services SA, Jet Aviation Geneva and Privatport
London Stansted (EGSS / STN): Harrods Aviation, Inflite The Jet Centre, London Jet Centre and Universal Aviation
Doha (OTHH / DOH): Qatar Executive
Dubai World Central (OMDW / DWC): DC Aviation Al-Futtaim, Jetex Dubai FBO, ExecuJet Middle East, Falcon Elite DWC LLC and Jet Aviation Dubai
Frequently asked questions
Can Global Diners prepare patient meals for a medevac flight?
Yes. Our kitchen prepares patient meals following the instructions provided by the medical team in the request, and labels each item clearly.
Do you provide crew catering for air ambulance operators?
Yes. We prepare crew meals for single flights and multi-sector rotations, packed and labelled for easy service in a compact cabin.
Which airports can you serve for medical flights?
Our own kitchens serve Paris (LFPB / LBG), Nice (LFMN / NCE) and Madrid (LEMD / MAD), and our partner network covers more than 2,500 airports worldwide.
What information should I include in a medevac catering request?
The aircraft registration, airport, date, delivery time, the number of patients, escorts and crew, and the medical team's guidance for the patient's meals.
Is catering available at Zurich (LSZH / ZRH) during the World Economic Forum?
Yes. Zurich Airport (LSZH / ZRH) is covered throughout WEF week in January, when large numbers of private flights arrive for Davos. Production is planned with our kitchens around the expected peak, and delivery times are agreed in advance. As demand is heavy during that week, early ordering helps secure your preferred menu.
Can I order Bircher muesli and a Swiss breakfast for a morning departure from Zurich?
Yes, a Swiss breakfast can be supplied for early flights from Zurich Airport (LSZH / ZRH), with Bircher muesli, Zopf bread, butter, jams, Swiss cheeses, air-dried meats and fresh fruit. Pastries, eggs and yoghurt can be added on request. Our team packs everything in cabin-ready containers, with hot items labelled for reheating.
Explore more destinations and guides
Private jet catering in Zurich (LSZH / ZRH)
Private jet catering in Doha (OTHH / DOH)
Private jet catering in London (EGGW / LTN)
Planning an air ambulance or repatriation flight?
Send the details to our team and Global Diners will prepare catering that supports the patient, the escorts and the crew from departure to arrival.
To request a quote, email order@globaldiners.com with your aircraft registration, airport, date, delivery time and passenger count. Our specialised team replies with a dedicated quote for your mission.
Comments