Originally Posted by
Athena53
All the posts with this keyword were pretty old so I'm starting a new one, hoping to get recent experience.
DH, my beloved travel companion, died last November. He was 15 years older and had health issues, so I'd expected that I'd outlive him and always planned to scatter bits of his ashes in some of the places we loved- and new places that he was never able to visit with me.
That starts next month when I go to Central America. What's least likely to be confiscated? I'm planning on putting a few ounces of them in a baggie and keeping it in my carry-on. If you haven't seen cremains (sorry if this is TMI), they look pretty much like greyish particles with the occasional larger chips of bone. Hard to mistake them for anything elsealthough I sppose a terrorist with some imagination could mix explosives with them. I have a large plastic container from the funeral home that's large enough to contain all his ashes; it's got his name and my name on it (the latter as the person who authorized cremation). If that would make them feel better I can certainly bring it with me; I can also bring a death certificate. I'll mostly be pis*ed if they confiscate them- there will be plenty more at home- but how can I maximize my chances of getting DH's ashes through without a major incident?
Thanks.
Sorry to hear about your loss and my condolences to you on his death.
I know someone who traveled internationally with some of their relative's cremated remains always while traveling and probably still does. While I haven't heard of any instances of her having had the cremated remains in her pendant (and perhaps even a ring) seized by airport security or customs, I suspect there is a chance that it could happen or that they could otherwise end up being in part mishandled by the screeners if they ever decide to investigate the item too closely.
In a sealed bag of toiletries, it's more likely to be flagged for examination but it's less likely to be singled out for extra-close scrutiny compared to other stuff in the toiletries/make-up kit. Customs is highly unlikely to notice such items, but if the person is flagged as a drug-smuggler, then the chances of issues rise. Volume, I suspect, matters. If you put an item with cremated remains in a container that is then placed close to your electronics, you'll increase the chances of it being flagged. The chances of it being flagged amongst make-up and some limited jewelry in a 3-1-1 bag and confiscated is very low.