Hub · Repatriation to Australia
International Medical Repatriation to Australia
Bringing an Australian home from a hospital overseas takes clinical judgement, paperwork and aviation planning working together. This hub explains how it is done, what the realistic options are, and what to expect in each destination we operate to.
The three ways a patient comes home
The treating doctor's assessment decides which is appropriate. Cost differs enormously between them, so an honest clinical view is worth having early.
| Option | Broadly suits | Key constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Medical escort on a scheduled flight | Stable patients who can sit or recline and need supervision and support | Airline medical clearance, and tolerance of the sector length |
| Stretcher in a scheduled airliner | Stable patients who cannot sit upright | Offered by some carriers only, with significant lead time |
| Dedicated air ambulance | Unstable, ventilated, critical or time-critical patients | Cost, aircraft availability and positioning |
Destination guides
Each guide covers the local care picture, gateways and typical routings, time zones, airline availability relevant to escorts, ground-transfer realities, timing and what drives cost in that corridor.
Southeast Asia
Bali & Indonesia
The most common place Australians end up in hospital overseas. Short flights to Darwin and Perth, and good private hospitals in Bali.
Gateway: Denpasar (DPS), Jakarta (CGK)|Time: UTC+7 to UTC+9 (Bali UTC+8)
Thailand
Excellent private hospitals with private-hospital prices. Long flights home, so the choice between escort and jet matters.
Gateway: Bangkok (BKK, DMK), Phuket (HKT), Koh Samui (USM)|Time: UTC+7
Vietnam
Motorbike accidents on the northern loops, a mix of public and international hospitals, and direct flights to the east coast.
Gateway: Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), Hanoi (HAN), Da Nang (DAD)|Time: UTC+7
Philippines
Good private hospitals in Manila and Cebu, limited care in the provinces, and many island locations that need a first leg.
Gateway: Manila (MNL), Cebu (CEB), Clark (CRK)|Time: UTC+8
Singapore
Often a destination for regional evacuation rather than a place to leave. Excellent hospitals and the densest airline schedule in the region.
Gateway: Singapore Changi (SIN)|Time: UTC+8
Pacific
Fiji
Close to the east coast, but with limited intensive care. Decisions here are often made sooner than in Asia.
Gateway: Nadi (NAN), Suva Nausori (SUV)|Time: UTC+12
Papua New Guinea
Limited specialist care, short flights to Cairns and Brisbane, and many patients coming from remote work sites.
Gateway: Port Moresby (POM), Lae (LAE), Mount Hagen (HGU)|Time: UTC+10
Vanuatu
Limited local intensive care and few scheduled flights, so most serious cases need an air ambulance.
Gateway: Port Vila (VLI), Luganville Santo-Pekoa (SON)|Time: UTC+11
Samoa
Limited local specialty care and no dense direct schedule to Australia. Most commercial options route via Nadi or Auckland.
Gateway: Apia Faleolo (APW)|Time: UTC+13
Europe & Middle East
United Kingdom
Good NHS care under a reciprocal agreement, but the flight home is not covered and is one of the longest there is.
Gateway: London Heathrow (LHR), Farnborough (FAB), Luton (LTN), Manchester (MAN)|Time: UTC+0 (UTC+1 in summer)
UAE
A major transit hub, so many patients never meant to stop. Well-equipped hospitals and direct flights to Australia.
Gateway: Dubai (DXB, DWC), Abu Dhabi (AUH)|Time: UTC+4
Further destination guides are developed as we can keep them genuinely accurate. Malaysia, Europe, Africa and the rest of the Middle East are covered operationally today. Call us and we will talk through the specifics of the corridor you are dealing with.
How a repatriation is put together
Call us
Tell us where the patient is, what happened and what the hospital is saying. Nothing needs to be organised before you call.
Clinical assessment
With consent we contact the treating team, obtain the medical report and records, and assess what level of support the journey requires.
Plan and quote
Escort, stretcher or dedicated aircraft, with routing, crew and ground ambulances at both ends, priced in writing with the assumptions stated.
Bed to bed
Clearances, permits, transfers and receiving hospital acceptance are run in parallel, and the patient is handed over with a written clinical report.
Families
You do not need to know the terminology or have anything organised before you call. Start with our guide to bringing a relative home, or simply ring us.
Insurers
Written quotes against a stated routing, clinical assessment on the case file, and reporting through the movement. See working with insurers.
Assistance companies
Regional capability, clinician-to-clinician liaison with treating hospitals and bed-to-bed coordination. See assistance company support.
FAQ