What do they do with coffins?
Nov 11, 10, 7:44 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,329
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.
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.
Nov 11, 10, 8:10 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: BDL
Programs: NWA Platinum, HHonors Diamond, SPG, YX, AA
Posts: 5,351
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.
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.
Nov 12, 10, 7:57 am
#5
Join Date: May 2004
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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?
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?
Nov 12, 10, 9:15 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Gulf Coast/Ventura County/Somewhere in between
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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. ^
Nov 12, 10, 5:56 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: UK & Ghana
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Posts: 224
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
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
Nov 13, 10, 11:39 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,329
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
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
Nov 20, 10, 9:00 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: IAD, and sometimes OMNI/PR. Currently: not far from IAD, but home will always be SAN (not far from the "touch my junk and I'll have you arrested" Memorial TSA Check Point) even if I'm not there so much these days.
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