On a recent Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha, Australian couple Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin found themselves facing the unimaginable: spending the last four hours of their long-haul flight seated beside the body of a deceased passenger. The situation, they described as traumatic, unfolded when the woman suddenly collapsed and was later confirmed dead, leaving the couple to endure a harrowing travel experience.
During their appearance on the Australian television show A Current Affair, Mitchell recounted the shocking moment the woman fell ill. “The crew arrived on the scene in no time, and I patted her back, they did a fantastic job trying to revive her,” he stated. Despite their efforts, the flight attendants were unable to resuscitate her. Following this, they attempted to move the deceased passenger to business class, but the logistics proved challenging. “She was quite a large lady, and they were struggling to get her through the aisle,” Mitchell explained.
After assessing the situation, the crew turned to Mitchell, who was sitting next to his wife, and asked, “Could you please move?” With no hesitation, he responded, “Yes, no problem,” transitioning to another seat so they could place the body where he had just sat. For the remaining four hours of the flight, Mitchell and Jennifer, who eventually moved to another empty seat as per another passenger's offer, sat uncomfortably next to the deceased woman, who was covered with blankets.
Throughout the uncomfortable ordeal, Jennifer noted it was “traumatic,” making it difficult for both of them to process the event. Upon landing, they were left waiting for emergency services before disembarking. “The paramedics started removing the blankets covering the lady,” Mitchell recalled, adding, “It was not pleasant.”
Jennifer emphasized there was a pressing need for clear protocols to address such situations on board, insisting, “There needs to be a protocol concerning the treatment of passengers on board.” Their sentiments reflect broader concerns about how airlines handle the unfortunate reality of death during flights.
Qatar Airways responded to the incident with statements expressing their condolences to the deceased passenger's family and regretting the anguish caused to fellow travelers. “We express our thoughts to the family of the deceased passenger and regret any inconvenience and distress caused to other passengers,” read their official statement.
This unsettling incident raises important questions about airline protocols. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), standard protocol dictates moving deceased passengers to empty rows, covering them with blankets, and ensuring they are treated with dignity. The couple's experience starkly highlighted the potential lapses when such contingencies occur.
Traveling is often fraught with its unique challenges but finding oneself next to the body of another passenger on board is perhaps one of the most disturbing breaches of comfort and safety imaginable. This couple's heart-wrenching story serves as both a cautionary tale and a reminder of the protocols airlines are urged to enact to avoid similar distressing experiences for other travelers.