Air Transportation of Deceased Individuals Requires Specialized Services and Adherence to Regulations
Transporting deceased individuals, especially over long distances or across state lines and international borders, primarily relies on air transportation. This process is complex and cannot be directly arranged by families. According to US Funerals Online, only approved 'known shippers,' typically specialist mortuary shippers, are authorized by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to tender human remains to airlines. These shippers have established contracts with airlines, allowing them to coordinate routes, obtain freight fees, and register shipments efficiently. For domestic air transport within the U.S., the deceased must be prepared, either through embalming or by packing on dry ice, and placed in an airline-approved air tray or a hermetically sealed container. International repatriation involves even more stringent requirements, including embalming, placement in a hermetically sealed casket within a shipping container, and extensive documentation, such as certified death certificates, emba...
