Qatar Airways has defended its handling of a mid-flight death, stating that its crew acted “quickly, appropriately, and professionally” when they placed the deceased passenger next to an Australian couple. The airline’s statement, issued to the BBC on Friday, followed claims by the couple that they were left traumatized by the experience during their Melbourne-to-Doha flight.
The incident has sparked debate over standard procedures for dealing with deaths on aircraft. Qatar Airways had previously apologized for “any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused.”
Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin, who were en route to Venice for a holiday, recounted that the deceased woman had collapsed and died in the aisle beside them. The crew attempted to move her body to the business class section but were unsuccessful due to her size. Instead, they placed the woman—covered in blankets—into Mr. Ring’s seat and asked him to move over.
While Ms. Colin was offered a seat across the aisle by another passenger, Mr. Ring stated that the airline staff did not offer him an alternative seat, despite available vacant spots elsewhere on the plane.
In its statement, Qatar Airways maintained that its crew followed standard industry protocols. “Passengers were accommodated in other seats, and a crew member remained with the deceased passenger at all times for the duration of the flight until landing in Doha,” the airline said.
“It is an unfortunate reality that unexpected deaths sometimes occur aboard aircraft. Our crew are highly trained to handle such situations with as much respect and dignity as possible.”
The airline also confirmed that it had extended support and compensation to the family of the deceased and other passengers directly affected by the incident.
Ms. Colin acknowledged that the airline was not responsible for the passenger’s death but expressed disappointment over the handling of the situation. “Surely, there has to be a better protocol to care for customers on board,” she said in a televised interview with Channel 9.
Upon landing, passengers were instructed to remain seated while medical personnel and police boarded the aircraft. Mr. Ring described seeing ambulance officers remove the blankets covering the deceased woman. “I can’t believe they told us to stay,” he said, suggesting that passengers should have been allowed to disembark before medical staff attended to the body.
Aviation experts have weighed in on the incident. Barry Eustance, a former Virgin Atlantic captain, told the BBC that in his experience, crews generally attempt to isolate the body for reasons of privacy, respect, and medical considerations.
Guidelines from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) state that deceased passengers should be moved to a seat away from other travelers when possible and covered with a blanket or body bag up to the neck. If relocation is not feasible, the body should be placed in an area that does not obstruct an aisle or exit. IATA also recommends that, upon landing, other passengers disembark before local authorities attend to the deceased.
The incident has reignited discussions about how airlines handle medical emergencies and deaths in flight, with calls for clearer, more passenger-conscious protocols.
