Five Tips to Travel Successfully on a Plane with Cremated Remains

Are you traveling back to your home with ashes you received from cremation services in Phoenix, AZ? Or are you flying in with them? Traveling across the country to retrieve or deliver a loved one’s ashes is a huge challenge.

We’ve put together five tips to help you make it easier.

Place the cremains in a carry-on bag to protect them from spillage

The TSA allows travelers to transport cremated ashes on airplanes. However, it recommends that you do so in a carry-on bag. It prevents them from spilling during the routine handling of checked baggage.

Checked baggage is susceptible to rough movements on conveyor belts and cargo containers. The urn could break or spill its content, thus adding to the pain of losing a loved one.

The urn is safer in a carry-on bag that you can have on your person or store in the far more stable overhead bin.

Choose an urn that can pass through an X-ray machine

Cremated remains are not exempt from airport screening. Whether in a carry-on or checked bag, they have to go through an X-ray machine or a special CT scanner.

Thick materials do not let X-rays pass through them. If the X-ray operator cannot screen the remains, the TSA will use a non-intrusive way to identify the content. Should that prove impossible, the remains will not be allowed on the plane.

To avoid this, buy a TSA-approved urn for this purpose, even as temporary storage. Approved urn materials include wood, biodegradable materials like paper or plastic.

Make sure you have the proper documentation

During the inspection process, the TSA might ask for one or more pieces of documentation. They are –

• Document from the funeral home that states the urn contains cremated ashes of the deceased
• Death certificate or certificate of cremation
• Proof of your relationship to the deceased (copy of the obituary, birth certificate, etc.)

Airlines also have their own policies and may require additional documentation. Check with the airline before booking your flight to confirm their documentation requirements.

Keep the urn closed and sealed

You don’t have to worry about the TSA opening the cremation urn. They never do so out of respect for the deceased. Because of that, you don’t have to seal the urn, especially since it is in a temporary container.

That said, to prevent spillage or an accident, keep the urn or container properly sealed tight. Also, make sure to keep the container inside an urn bag. This way, even if it breaks, the ashes will still be wholly secure enough to transfer to a permanent location.

Talk to a licensed funeral director before traveling

Experience is always the best teacher, and licensed funeral directors have plenty of it. Ask the funeral home you worked with for tips and advice on transporting cremains, especially from the local airport.

Each city has its behaviors, laws, and quirks. Talking to an experienced insider can give you the upper hand you need for a successful trip.

As a leading Phoenix, AZ cremation service, our funeral director is well equipped to answer any question you might have. Visit Simply Cremation & Funeral Arrangements for any help you need getting your loved one’s ashes home, or call us today.