Can You Take Human Ashes on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines?

If you’ve recently lost a loved one and are facing the daunting task of transporting their ashes by air, the process can feel overwhelming. To help navigate this challenging process, we’ve reviewed information from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and its policies on carrying human ashes on their airlines. Read on for details.

Hand Baggage or Check-In Baggage and Conflict.

You have the option to carry an urn with ashes either in your hand luggage or as checked baggage. However, due to the sensitive nature of the contents and the fact that KLM Royal Dutch Airlines doesn’t offer coverage for damages, we highly recommend opting for hand luggage. Additionally, during our phone conversation with KLM, they didn’t mention the checked baggage option as stated on their website, which further emphasises our suggestion to carry the ashes in your hand luggage for added security.

Required Documentation for Carrying Ashes on KLM Flights

You are required to present both the cremation certificate associated with the urn and the death certificate during security checks.

Urn Size and Material Guidelines on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

If you are taking the urn as hand baggage, it should not exceed the dimensions of 55 x 25 x 35 cm (21.5 x 10 x 13.5 inches). The urn cannot be made of metal but should be X-rayable, meaning urns made of wood or similar materials are acceptable.

The urn must be sealed and wrapped discreetly so other passengers are unable to identify it as an urn.

So...