Fuel alarm in SNS's emergency air ambulance: Jet fuel increased from 1.04 euros to 1.90 euros

In Portugal, a financial sustainability warning was issued due to increasing fuel costs in the air ambulance system, which allows emergency patients to be transported by helicopter.

Gulf Med Aviation Services, which operates four emergency medical helicopters on behalf of INEM, requested support from the government, stating that the sharp price increase in aviation fuel disrupted the economic balance of the current contract.

According to the information provided by the company, Jet A1 fuel, which was approximately 1.04 euro/liter in December 2024, when the tender offers were prepared, is approximately 1.90 euro/liter today.

The increase in fuel prices since July 2025, when the company's operation started, is approximately 80 percent.

Helicopters fly more

The problem is not just that fuel is expensive.

The use of emergency medical helicopters has also increased.

In the first eight months of 2026, four helicopters flew a total of 1,285 hours.

In 2025, the total flight time recorded from the start of the operation in July until the end of the year was 715 hours.

According to the company's calculations, helicopters are flying about 35 percent more on a monthly average than last year.

635 patients were transported by helicopters in the first eight months.

The number in the 2025 period was 308.

Four helicopters are kept ready 24 hours a day

Gulf Med's current operation is based on a contract worth approximately 77.5 million euros, signed as a result of an international public tender.

The system can be used for emergency medical missions by four helicopters 24 hours a day foresees to be kept in this condition.

The company previously provided services under a direct contract of approximately four million euros in the period July–October 2025.

One of the important problems of the new contract is that, according to the company's statement, there is no automatic price revision mechanism for unforeseen cost increases such as fuel.

The company seeks support from the government

Gulf Med states that the increase in fuel costs does not only affect helicopters.

Support vehicles, transportation of teams between four separate bases and keeping personnel constantly available are also affected by increasing energy costs.

For this reason, the company wants air ambulances to be included in the critical aid sectors that receive public support against fuel price increases.

The company management argues that it covers the current costs from its own budget, but this is not sustainable in the long term.

This is the company's request to the government; There is no new government support announced yet.

Will air ambulances stop?

At this stage no.

The company has not announced that it will reduce or discontinue the current service.

On the contrary, he states that he will not make any cuts that would endanger the operation.

Therefore, the news should not be interpreted as "air ambulances are standing in Portugal".

The issue at hand is whether the economic conditions of the contract are sustainable in the face of extraordinary increases in fuel prices.

However, emergency medical helicopters Considering the role it plays in traffic accidents, severe traumas and critical patient transfers between hospitals, the debate directly concerns the emergency response capacity of SNS.

Resources

RTP / Lusa — 3 October 2026

https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/economia/combustiveis-podem-por-em-risco-sustentabilidade-do-transporte-aereo-de-emergencia_n1769297

Renascença / Lusa — 3 October 2026

https://rr.pt/noticia/pais/2026/10/03/combustiveis-podem-por-em-risco-sustentabilidade-do-transporte-aereo-de-emergencia/487781/