Just Another Way to Dig Up Business

NEW YORK — USAir wants more business sending people to their final destination.

Funeral directors who are booking flights for bodies and mourners can call a special reservations line intended to make the process easier.

Undertakers frequently find themselves in the role of travel agent, handling arrangements to fly remains and survivors to sometimes-distant burial places.

The USAir effort reflects airlines’ increased efforts to get more revenue from cargo as passenger tickets have become less profitable.

And for every 30 corpses shipped on USAir, the funeral director gets a free round-trip ticket for domestic travel.

But they can leave their black suits behind. The ticket is good only for coach class, where the attire leans more toward blue jeans and sweat shirts.