Qatar Airways Passenger Dies Mid-Flight, Leaving Australian Couple in Shock
An Australian couple has described the “traumatic” experience of witnessing a fellow passenger die during their Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha, only for the deceased body to be placed next to them for the remaining four hours of the journey.
Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin, who were en route to Venice for a dream holiday, told Australia’s Channel 9 that a woman collapsed in the aisle beside them and later passed away despite cabin crew efforts to save her.
“Unfortunately, the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch,” Mr. Ring recalled.
Body Placed Next to Passenger for Four Hours
According to the couple, after the woman passed away, Qatar Airways cabin crew covered her with blankets and attempted to move her to business class, but she was too large to be maneuvered through the aisle.
Instead, Mr. Ring said the crew asked him to move over and then placed the deceased woman in his previous seat.
While Ms. Colin was relocated, Mr. Ring said he was not offered the option to move, despite the presence of empty seats on the flight.
“They said, ‘Can you move over please?’ and I just said, ‘Yes, no problem’. Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in.”
Couple Demands Better Protocols for Handling Mid-Flight Deaths
The flight landed in Doha four hours later, where passengers were held back while medical staff and police boarded.
Mr. Ring recounted the shocking moment when emergency responders removed the blankets, exposing the deceased woman’s face.
“We totally understand that we can’t hold the airline responsible for the poor lady’s death, but there has to be a protocol to look after the customers on board,” Ms. Colin emphasized.
The couple also expressed disappointment that neither Qatar Airways nor Qantas—the airline through which they booked the flight—had reached out to offer support or counseling.
“We should be contacted to make sure, ‘Do you need some support? Do you need some counseling?’” Ms. Colin said.
Qatar Airways Responds to the Incident
Qatar Airways issued a statement expressing condolences:
“First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight.
We apologize for any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused and are in the process of contacting passengers in line with our policies and procedures.”
Meanwhile, Qantas distanced itself from the incident, stating that handling such situations is the responsibility of the operating airline, which in this case was Qatar Airways.
This experience raises questions about airline protocols for handling medical emergencies and deaths mid-flight. As passengers continue to call for improved procedures, the aviation industry faces renewed scrutiny over how it manages unexpected tragedies onboard.
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