04/01/2026
I wish this was a prank ⤵️ (comment CATSA for the link to updated rules)
Traveling by air with cremated remains used to be relatively straightforward, but that’s no longer the case if you’re leaving from Canada.
Recent updates from Canadian Air Transport Security Authority mean that cremated remains are now treated like powders or granular materials, and if they can’t be clearly screened, they won’t be allowed through security.
The worst part of the changes are:
• you’re expected to keep the remains in a container not exceeding 350 ML (ridiculous, since an average adult human’s cremated remains will often weight between 5-12 lbs or 3-5 kilos)
• screening officers cannot open the container, even if you ask.
So if the urn doesn’t pass through the screening process, even if you have all the right paperwork in place, you’re left with some pretty awful options:
�• miss your flight/rescheudle it�• hand the cremated remains back to a non-traveling companion outside of security at the airport�• ship them as cargo, which is NOT something you can arrange right at the airport
This is a massive policy shift with terrible real-time and real-life implications.
If you’d like me to send you the new rules, comment CATSA for a link right to your inbox.
