El Al airline will now be offering a daily flight that will be certified coffin-free to accommodate Kohanim who may not be under the same roof as a Jewish corpse.
YWN
Starting this week, EL AL’s daily flight LY02 from John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Tel Aviv (TLV) will be designated as coffin-free year-round in order to accommodate Kohanim who cannot fly in the same vessel as a meis.
Historically, human remains have been transported in the baggage compartments of passenger flights for burial in distant locations, particularly on routes to Israel due to its significance. However, this has posed a problem for Kohanim, as the tumah from the deceased can rise into the passenger cabin.
Aiming to address the concern of Kohanim wanting to fly to Israel, EL AL is introducing the coffin-free flight option, ensuring that Kohanim can travel without worrying about tumah. This move follows the airline’s existing policy of not carrying coffins on flights from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
While some rabbonim permit Kohanim to fly under certain circumstances, others forbid it entirely.
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