After a cremation, you may need to travel interstate or overseas with your loved one’s ashes. Or you may wish to travel by plane to a special family location so you can scatter the ashes for for a memorial service. Are allowed to do so? The answer is yes, you can.
There are no legal requirements regarding the transportation of cremated remains across Australia or overseas. Ashes can be stored either in carry-on or checked-in luggage.
If you prefer to carry the ashes on a plane, here are three things to do:
1. Make sure the remains are contained in a sealed, non-metallic container, free from contaminants such as soil. The crematorium may have given you the ashes in a solid plastic container that is well sealed and resistant to breaking. This is a very good container to travel with. Virgin, Qantas and Jetstar all require official documentation and for the ashes to be in a sealed container.
2. Make sure you have some official documentation with you confirming the contents of the container. You can obtain this from the crematorium or your funeral director. Some countries also require the official death certificate, so having a copy of this is advisable. Living Hope Funerals will help you with these documents.
3. Check with the country the ashes will be traveling to regarding their specific requirements. Also check if the country you are travelling to has restrictions or requirements regarding the scattering of ashes. A list of foreign embassies and consulates in Australia can be found on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website:
https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/foreign-embassies/foreign-embassies-and-consulates-in-australia
Contact Living Hope Funerals if we can help you in any way. Please see more articles under the Help & Advice menu on our website, for answers to other funeral related questions.