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Did I see a dead body being loaded into the cargo hold?

Did I see a dead body being loaded into the cargo hold?

Old Feb 1, 2006, 11:33 am
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by cur
Yup, it's a dead body, and it happens a lot. With AC, sometimes they're worthy of a priority tag! But only if the carcas has status. Whether it comes on the carosel first is up to the carosel gods.
Here's a deep thought: If you have elite status, you die, and need your body transported, will they put a shiny priority handling luggage tag on your coffin, maybe even upgrade you to an extra-wide leather one?
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Old Feb 1, 2006, 11:37 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by MMMinTX
I also heard that, but my news station mentioned she was traveling by private jet, so not so certain it was cargo.
True, but even on the smallest private plane, I can't imagine her buckled into a seat.
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Old Feb 1, 2006, 2:48 pm
  #18  
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Originally Posted by BamaVol
True, but even on the smallest private plane, I can't imagine her buckled into a seat.
Not so. A number of years back in one of the Flying magazines was an article, one of those Worst Job I ever Had type. Newly minted commercial pilot got a job to build up hours: flying bodies home. I think it was in the Midwest. In a Cessna 172 or so. No place to lay out body, put em in a military plastic body bag and sit em in the back seat. With a seat belt on, of course. Sometimes flying at night.

The real fun part: Seems things like the bacteria inside you like in the digestive system don't know you are now at ambient temperature. So they live on a few days, working away, producing gas. Combine that with a sudden change of altitude, and all gas must pass. Apparently there is enough to cause noise and even motion of the dearly departed. What fun for the low time commercial pilot flying alone with the moving moaning body at night.
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Old Feb 1, 2006, 10:51 pm
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Originally Posted by MMMinTX
I also heard that, but my news station mentioned she was traveling by private jet, so not so certain it was cargo.
She was transported via private jet and landed at Charlie Brown airport/Fulton County airport (FTY).

Photos on the AJC website appeared as if she was transported in a cardboard-looking box.
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Old Feb 2, 2006, 12:51 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by viajero7889
Here's a deep thought: If you have elite status, you die, and need your body transported, will they put a shiny priority handling luggage tag on your coffin, maybe even upgrade you to an extra-wide leather one?
Who would need their coffin to be wrapped in the Canadian flag when it could have a bag tag + priority label on top?
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Old Feb 2, 2006, 9:43 pm
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I heard that jet blue also has a frequent flyer program for caskets.

El Al airlines allows you to call up before flight time and ask if they are going to be carrying a casket on board a particular flight
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Old Feb 2, 2006, 10:06 pm
  #22  
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Man, imagine if you get on an earlier flight and just go round and round on the turnstile for hours until your flight is met.

When I was with an organization that helped families in situtations like this, I had to get a passport for somebody who died in south america to get them back here for the services. Total night mare because of the expired passport and all that. Local congressman's office cut through the red tape for us.

Never would have thought of the passport issue. Don't want to be behind them in the line at the airport.
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Old Feb 3, 2006, 5:54 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by ghurty
...El Al airlines allows you to call up before flight time and ask if they are going to be carrying a casket on board a particular flight
Really? Are there some who have religious objections to travelling with a corpse, or is it just to accommodate those who would be freaked out?
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Old Feb 3, 2006, 6:39 am
  #24  
 
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Beats being seated next to a corpse. Or if you fly NWA, being served by one

Apologies to all the NWA FAs who knew the Wright Brothers personally.
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Old Feb 3, 2006, 7:00 am
  #25  
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Originally Posted by jinglebear
Apologies to all the NWA FAs who knew the Wright Brothers personally.
Double apologies to the mothers of those NW FA's still flying on Delta.
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Old Feb 3, 2006, 7:22 am
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Flaflyer
Double apologies to the mothers of those NW FA's still flying on Delta.
Triple apologies to their grandmothers still serving on UA.
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Old Feb 3, 2006, 9:07 am
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by BamaVol
Triple apologies to their grandmothers still serving on UA.
Finally, viajero7889 laughs out loud for the first time this week...thank you for the humor
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Old Feb 3, 2006, 10:05 am
  #28  
 
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Definately a dead body

Yes sir! I used to work for Continental and they definately transport bodies all the time. It's a very high margin biz for them.

Word of caution for the rampers. Always send the body up the beltloader head first or else you'll be covered in embalming fluid - and that's just disgusting.
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Old Feb 3, 2006, 12:58 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by dhuey
Really? Are there some who have religious objections to travelling with a corpse, or is it just to accommodate those who would be freaked out?
Yes there is. High priests or Coheniem cannot go near dead bodies or they become unpure; this includes modern day cemeteries. The law is derived from the days of the Temple in Jerusalem. Generally speaking people with the last name of Cohen who are jewish are Coheniem and if they are observant they cannot go near a dead body; thus EL AL being willing to let anyone know.

I remember reading somewhere that the only reason that DL flies mainline to DAB is to transport bodies back north. Apparently this is a huge money maker for Delta between FL and the Northeast. Does anyone know if this is true?
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Old Feb 3, 2006, 2:00 pm
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by GWU ESIA STUDENT
I remember reading somewhere that the only reason that DL flies mainline to DAB is to transport bodies back north. Apparently this is a huge money maker for Delta between FL and the Northeast. Does anyone know if this is true?
Flying bodies out of Florida is big business for many carriers as so many people move/retire there, but want to be buried back home. As mentioned before Delta allows Funeral Home Directors to earn FF miles when they ship bodies with them.

Last edited by MKEbound; Feb 3, 2006 at 3:02 pm
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