Summary
A couple on a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha was forced to sit next to a deceased passenger for four hours after she collapsed and died mid-flight.
The flight crew moved the woman’s body to an empty seat beside them and denied their request to change seats.
Qatar Airways apologized but did not offer the couple support after the incident.
The couple, en route to Venice, criticized the airline’s handling of the situation but are trying to continue their trip despite the distressing experience.
Couldn’t have placed the body in the cargo hold or one of the bathrooms? I think passengers wouldn’t have minded being one bathroom down.
Put it in the first class or the crew bunkers. Anywhere but there…
Why not secure it in a flight attendant seat in the back and the flight attendant take the seat next to the living people?
It makes the most sense.
Doubtful those are actual options. Bathroom? How are they going to secure the body incase of an emergency? It’ll just be bouncing around in the bathroom. I don’t think the door is strong enough to keep the body from falling out. And access to the cargo hold through the plane is very tight/small. It’s hard enough to be an able body person getting down there. Dragging a body would be next to impossible.
Even if the body was in the aisle seat… Can you imagine hauling a body down the aisle of a fully booked flight?
It sounds like they already moved the body after death. They specifically moved the body to that seat.
I think the only thing they’re pissed about is the airline didn’t allow them to move seats after they put the woman not in her original seat and probably being forced to stay on the plane longer than needed, potentially missing their connection to Venice, while medics came on board to haul her away.
If the flight wasn’t full and they didn’t allow them to move seats that’s extremely messed up.
Honestly they could’ve secured the body to one of the flight staff seats. If there’s no extra, the flight attendant could sit next to a passenger.
Poll:
Would you rather sit next to a dead person or a crying baby for 4 hours on a plane?
Personally, I’d take the dead person.
Keep in mind, dead people evacuate their bowels. It’s not a mummy type situation, but more of a sitting next to an open, used by concert goers, porta potty situation.
So do babies. At least the dead person just stinks and isn’t also screaming.
