How is a dead body transported by a plane?

Airlines provide adequate facilities for all kinds of tourists and their travel purposes, ensuring they do not face any inconvenience on their flight journey. They also allow the transportation of dead bodies or human remains to domestic and international destinations. Please note that the dead body transported by a plane is prohibited inside the cabin and can only be transported as cargo. Reading the guidelines of the concerned airline is suggested for hassle-free conveyance. Read ahead to acquire all the essential details regarding human remains air travel:

What paperwork do you need to provide to transport a dead body on a domestic flight?

Without adequate documentation, passengers will not be allowed to carry the dead body or the human remains. Therefore, knowing what documents are essential for demised individuals' body conveyance is extremely crucial. The following certificates are required for the airline's approval to fly with a deceased body. 

• Death Certificate from a reputed hospital
• Post-mortem receipt in case of unnatural death
• No Objection Certificate from a local police station
• ID proof of the demised individual
• Embalming Document
• Coffin maker/Undertaker certificate

What documents are required for the international transfer of human remains?

International flight travel requires more documentation than domestic ones because you are flying across a broader area and entering a different nation. Due to higher security concerns, the airline demands more paperwork for dead body transport by air. Below are some examples of documents essential for dead body transportation for non-domestic flights. Please review the airline's website for a precise and detailed view of their guidelines.

• Death Certificate from an authentic Medical Authority
• Ticket confirmation and destination approval of the accompanying passenger
• The competent authority should embalm the human remains
• Local Health Authority Clearance
• Local Police Authority Clearance
• Identity Proof of the person booking the human remains
• Appropriate State of the Authority Clearance of the deceased's origin
• The demised person's passport was duly canceled by the proper issuing State of Authority

Do airlines have any policy regarding air travel for dead bodies?

Every airline has its own set of rules and regulations regarding different travel purposes, including dead body transportation. This policy decides various factors of the human remains conveyance, such as the maximum weight allowance. The guidelines may vary from airline to airline, but the following are the most basic, and most airlines follow them. You should visit the airline's official website to have a detailed view of their policy.

• The air travel of dead bodies and mortal remains is allowed for both domestic and international destinations.
• For domestic transport, the human remains of individuals ten years or less are charged 50 kg (including coffin).
• The mortal remains of persons above ten years are charged 100 kg on domestic flights, including coffins.
• Passengers are not permitted to bring the human remains of those who died of yellow fever, plague, or other diseases.
• The maximum acceptable weight of the dead bodies is 100 kg on international flights, and including the coffin, is 200 kg.
• Demised bodies are only allowed for carriage in coffins and are not used for burial purposes.