What must heirs pay if a passenger dies before the voyage?

Heirs must pay half of the agreed passage price if a passenger dies before the voyage because this reflects the contractual obligations outlined in maritime law. The passage price often includes not only a fee for the journey itself but also reflects a commitment by the carrier to provide services for that entire trip. When a passenger dies before the voyage, it is recognized that the carrier has incurred some costs and commitments related to that passenger. However, since the voyage was not completed, only a portion of the fare (typically half) is retained as a form of compensation for the services that were to be rendered.

This policy is typically guided by the assumption that while the passenger will not be using the service, the carrier had still allocated resources and planned for that passenger’s presence on the voyage. The retained amount serves as a fair resolution that acknowledges both parties' interests without imposing an undue burden on the heirs.