Qatar Airways defends crew after passengers forced to sit next to dead body for hours

An Australian couple’s trip to Venice took an 'unexpected' turn when they were asked to remain seated next to the body of a passenger who died mid-flight.

The incident occurred on a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha. It has sparked debate across various platforms over airline protocols for handling in-flight deaths.

The couple claims they received no support or relocation despite available seats. On the other hand, Qatar Airways has defended its crew. Authorities say that they acted according to industry standards. In a statement shared with People, the airline mentioned that their crew's response was,

"in line with training and industry standard practice."

It also added,

"Passengers were accommodated to other seats, and a crew member was sitting at all times with the deceased passenger for the duration of the flight until landing in Doha."

Per Travel and Tour World, Qatar Airways shared their stance on the matter in question, stating,

"At Qatar Airways, we deeply sympathise with all those involved in this sad situation, and our thoughts remain with the family members of the passenger who passed away on board our flight. It is an unfortunate reality that unexpected deaths do sometimes occur on board aircraft across the aviation industry, and our crew are highly trained to deal with these situations with as much respect and dignity as possible."

It continues:

"After an internal review, it is clear that Qatar Airways cabin crew acted quickly, appropriately, and professionally at all times in line with training and industry standard practice. Passengers were accommodated to other seats, and a crew member was sitting at all times with the deceased passenger for the duration of the flight until landing in Doha. We have been in direct contact with the family of the deceased as well as other passengers who were directly affected by this difficult situation and have offered emotional support and compensation."

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The mid-flight tragic incident at Qatar Airways

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were on their way to Venice. A passenger of the same flight collapsed in the aisle after using the restroom. It led to medical intervention from the cabin crew. However, the woman could not be saved.

With no dedicated space on board for handling deceased passengers, the crew attempted to move the body to business class using a wheelchair. However, this was not possible. As a result, the woman’s body was placed in a seat where Mitchell Ring had been sitting. The body was covered in blankets.

On the other hand, Jennifer Colin was moved across the aisle by another passenger’s offer, but Mitchell remained in his seat, directly next to the deceased for the next four hours until the flight landed in Doha.

Per reports, Colin described the experience as "traumatizing," adding that while she does not blame the airline for the passenger’s death, she believes there should be better protocols to handle such incidents.

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