What do they do with coffins?
 

OK this is kind of weird and morbid.

But I was talking with a friend, and we were wondering what happens when a coffin gets off of a commercial plane? What kind of car takes it? A hearse? Where does it take it to? Do family members come to pick it up and where do they meet it?

Like I said...weird thing to be wondering.

Call a local undertaker and inquire.

Local practices vary from country to country and airport to airport. For the most part however, any container with human remains is universally treated with the utmost dignity possible under the circumstances.

Growing up in Wisconsin I can tell you there is a large business of shipping bodies from AZ and FL back to WI.

Let's say a person dies in FL and the family wants a burial back in WI. An undertaker in FL would prepare the body, then arrange to transport the body to the airport cargo area. When the plane lands in WI, a undertaker in WI (who would be coordinating with the family and the undertaker in FL) would be there with the funeral home's hearse.

The business of shipping bodies is lucrative enough that some airlines offer Frequent Flyer miles to undertakers to use them to ship coffins.

When I worked in VA I visited the UA cargo building at IAD quite often; it was not uncommon at all to see a metal transport coffin coming or going.

If you haven't, you may want to see the HBO (TV) movie, Taking Chance. A real-life story got played out by fine actors. You get to see how things work in a military context. I highly recommended it. ^

+100!!! Excellent movie and good primer on the process.

You Rang, (yes i am the local undertaker).

WE deliver caskets or coffins properly wrapped to the cargo area at the airport. The paperwork is then completed and the casket loaded on to the flight

when collecting caskets from the airport this again is doen via the cargo area, the casket has to clear customs and then we collect from cargo.

stuart

Thank you...Random thing to ask, but just curious. It's true that FlyerTalkers do ALL sorts of things!

More here or here.

More here.