Can You Take Human Ashes on a Ryanair Flight?

Having travelled to over five different countries with ashes on Ryanair flights, we’ve gained significant insights into their specific rules and regulations regarding this sensitive matter. This guide aims to offer you precise information to ease any concerns you may have about flying with ashes.

Ryanair’s Rules for Carrying Ashes

Ryanair does permit passengers to fly with ashes, but there are guidelines and restrictions that you need to be aware of:

• Cabin Baggage Only: Ashes are allowed only in your cabin baggage. They cannot be stored in hold luggage.
• Necessary Documentation: You are required to carry copies of the death certificate and the cremation certificate.
• Container Requirements: The ashes must be transported in a suitable container, which must be non-metallic and highly durable. This can be included as part of your standard cabin baggage allowance.
• Urn Specifications: If you prefer to carry the ashes in an urn, ensure that it’s made of materials that are X-ray friendly.
• Sealing: Although Ryanair’s website says that the container must have a screw-top lid, our direct communication with them clarified that as long as the container is sealed securely, it’s acceptable.

Carrying Ashes on Ryanair Flight Restrictions

If you decide to use an urn, it needs to meet the following criteria:

• Robust Make: The urn must be strong and well-packaged to protect against turbulence, shock, and damage.
• X-ray Friendly: The urn must be made of materials like plastic, ceramic, marble, wood, or glass that can pass through security X-rays.
• Secure Lid: The urn should have a securely sealed lid, either by a screw top or a strong adhesive.

Urn & Baggage Allowance

For carrying an urn, it needs to fit within Ryanair’s cabin baggage dimensions. Ryanair allows for:

Small Personal Baggage: A small personal bag with dimensions of 40cm x 25cm x 20cm is allowed, which must fit under the seat in front of you. While it’s unlikely that an urn would fit into this smaller bag, a scatter tube could be a more suitable option.

Paid Baggage: while we’ve never incurred additional charges for this, it’s worth noting that you could be subject to an extra fee upon boarding. This paid baggage option grants you a 10kg allowance and the bag should not exceed dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm.

International Travel Documentation for Ryanair Ashes Flights

You can fly to all of Ryanair’s destinations with ashes. However, different countries have varying regulations, and some may require more paperwork than Ryanair itself. To avoid complications, always check with the embassy of the country you are flying to.

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