Ryanair - Carry Human Remains

[Sober Lark]

'Ryanair will carry human remains, but only on the London Stanstead-Knock route'.

As a matter of interest, does anyone know why the facility only applies on this route?

[Secateurs]

My thought is Knock is a significant place of Catholic pilgrimage. I would guess Ryanair get a lot of requests to take ashes to Ireland, so loved ones' ashes can be taken to a holy place, or maybe to their home area in the west of Ireland, so nearby.

[Basil]

Don't think ashes count as HUM for the purposes of transport. I'd have thought no restrictions on any sector.

[PAXboy]

Indeed. 'Human remains' as in 'cadaver for burial' or cremated human remains, carried in hand luggage.

[anchorhold]

I would not imagine you can carry cremated remains as hand luggage as it could be thermite or gun powder. I should add that the Royal Mail will not carry cremated remains.

[PAXboy]

I took my mother's ashes on FlyBe last year (BHX-IOM). They had info on their web site.

Basically, there are two rules that all carriers ask:

1. Have the correct certificate from the Crematorium.
2. Ashes to be in a plastic container so that it can be x-rayed.

You could just as easily put them in checked luggage. I should add, I work in a related field and knew the rules before checking with FlyBe.

[wiggy]

Originally Posted by anchorhold

I would not imagine you can carry cremated remains as hand luggage as it could be thermite or gun powder....

As PAXboy Has pointed out some/many airlines do allow it, but you need to check the conditions of carriage via their website. If they do allow carriage they typically say something like this:

” Cremated remains can be taken onto our flights in either your hand baggage or checked baggage.

In order to comply with regulations you'll need to carry with you a Certificate of Death, or other country-specific equivalent. This document must have been issued by a competent/official authority from your country of departure.

Please make sure that you pack the remains in a tightly-sealed and sturdy outer box or case. If you're carrying them in your hand baggage we need to advise you that full security procedures will still have to be be followed in the airport and your sealed box/urn will have to be x-rayed at the airport security team. Because of this, it's very important to know that if your urn is made of a material that prevents the x-ray screener from clearly being able to see what is inside, then the container won't be allowed through with you. (It's not policy at airport security locations to open any urn and look in it, out of respect for the person who has passed.)

[PAXboy]

In years gone by, folks were placing other items into containers of ashes.

[anchorhold]

So how can an x-ray machine differentiate between a mixture of sulpher, charcol and salpetre (gunpowder). Seems a strange rule when you can not take a pot of yoghurt through security. Do they x-ray bodies as well.

[wiggy]

Originally Posted by anchorhold

So how can an x-ray machine differentiate between a mixture of sulpher, charcol and salpetre (gunpowder). Seems a strange rule when you can not take a pot of yoghurt through security. Do they x-ray bodies as well.

As the frequent traveller knows you do get the occasional “swipe” test on hand baggage when going through many airports.....as for what gets scanned and what those scans are capable of revealing , well I’m sure that is a definite case of

[ExXB]

I believe the answer to the OP’s question is that Ryanair do not carry cargo in any form. However they have made an exception for human remains, in coffins, on this one route. Likely because of political pressure or because they have made a very good deal with a specialist shipper.

Said cargo moves at a multiple of the most expensive rate per kg, and a coffin and it’s contents are heavy.

Transporting ashes, otoh, is much less complicated and costs nothing extra. The airline doesn’t care, as long as you can get through security.

[PAXboy]

I expect there are many who wish to return to the Old Country for burial. Coffins for this transit are VERY heavy, with extra lining and, often, with an external crate.

anchorhold

a mixture of sulpher, charcol and salpetre

Really? Where did that list of components come from? I am interested as I have worked alongside the UK funeral trade for (nigh on) 27 years and witnessed the whole cremation process many times.

[Load Toad]

Human Remains pretty much sums up Ryan Airs passenger demographic...

[WilliumMate]

Originally Posted by PAXboy

anchorhold
Really? Where did that list of components come from? I am interested as I have worked alongside the UK funeral trade for (nigh on) 27 years and witnessed the whole cremation process many times.

I think anchorhold was asking how x-ray machines would differentiate between gunpowder (sulphur, charcoal and saltpetre) and cremated remains.

[anchorhold]

Thank you WilliamMate you are correct, or for that matter Thermite or sand.

[PAXboy]

Ah! Understood. The answer = Good Question!!! I cannot recall if the container was swabbed last year.