How To Transport A Dead Body On A Plane

Death occurs every day. It may happen even when you are on a trip. Little do we think about it while planning for a vacation, but it’s a sad reality? When you lose a family member, a close friend, or a colleague on a trip, you are shouldered with the responsibilities of transporting the dead body to its final resting place. This is a huge task considering the legal procedures involved. The procedures depend on the circumstances of the death, and it also varies from situation to situation. Below we look at the procedures on how to transport a deadbody on a plane.

Collaborating with a shipping company

The first step in the transportation of the dead body is to collaborate with a funeral service provider who would look into all aspects, including the shipping of the human remains. However, it is recommended to contact a reputed and an approved funeral shipping company whowould possess the expertise and resources for a quick and cost-effective dispatch of the dead body.

Escorting the dead body

Most often, dead bodies are transported via cargo planes and are collected by the representative of the funeral company at the airport’s cargo terminal. Not every aircraft allows the boarding of a dead body, so you have to find out the air cargos who allow this facility. However, if you intend to escort the body yourself, you can tell the funeral director who would give you all the necessary information so that you can embark on the same flight. You can receive the dead body at the destination airport yourself while affirming the legal rules and regulations written down by the airport authorities.

Preparing the body for dispatch

Rules differ from state to state when it comes to preserving the dead body for transportation. Some states make embalming mandatory before being sent on the plane. Some states allow entry of dead bodies into its region only if embalming has been done on the human remains. Some religions prohibit embalming, so it’s best to seek advice from your religious group head or talk to the funeral service providers who would do the needful. Make arrangements for the casket and the transport to be used to take the body to the airport for the dead body transport by air.

Cost of transportation

Many factors determine the cost of the transportation of the dead body. Some of these are the weight of the shipment, the airline cost, the fees charged by the funeral shipping company, and the distance of transfer. Some funeral home providers would charge more, while others may be reasonable.

The entire process of how to transport a dead body is lengthy and tedious. With the help of a funeral home, these procedures can be carried out easily and quickly. Dealing with patience is the key. Keep all the documents like the death certificate, post mortem report, and an FIR copy from the police station, in the case of an unnatural death, embalming certificate, and other necessary documents handy so that the process takes less time.