The US Air Force is seeking jet-capable charter operators to ferry caskets and escorts, primarily from the Dover Air Force base in Delaware, to hometown locations throughout the US.
The move to switch casket transport domestically from commercial airlines to private operators came about after the parents of a soldier killed by a roadside bomb last year had to claim his remains from an airline’s holding area for oversized luggage. The couple worked with US legislators to incorporate special handling procedures for fallen soldiers in this year’s defense authorization act.
Under the request for proposals issued in late November, the Air Force is seeking Part 135 operators that can provide jet aircraft to fly as many as four simultaneous missions per day, based at Dover. Each aircraft is to carry one or possibly two 500-lb caskets along with escorts, with an estimated 110 movements per month. The contract is set to begin 1 January and last for 31 days with a possible six-month extension.
Source: FlightGlobal.com