Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin, en route to Venice for a holiday, described what they felt was a lack of care from the airline after a woman passed away in the aisle. The cabin crew's decision to place her body next to Mr. Ring, while he was not offered a seat change despite available space, has raised serious concerns about passenger welfare and protocol during tragic events onboard. The couple has voiced the need for improved procedures to address similar situations in the future, while Qatar Airways has offered an apology and stated they are reviewing the incident.
Passenger Horror: Couple's Trauma After Dead Body Placed Next to Them
Passenger Horror: Couple's Trauma After Dead Body Placed Next to Them
An Australian couple recounts their shocking experience aboard a Qatar Airways flight when the body of a deceased passenger was placed beside them during the journey.
It was a dream vacation that quickly turned into a nightmare for an Australian couple on a Qatar Airways flight when they were confronted with the traumatic experience of having a deceased passenger's body placed beside them. Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were traveling from Melbourne to Doha when tragedy struck—the woman sitting in the aisle adjacent to them suddenly died. The couple revealed in an interview with Australia’s Channel 9 that the flight attendants placed the woman’s corpse, wrapped in blankets, right next to Mr. Ring for the remaining hours of flight without proposing the option to move him to the numerous empty seats available on board.
While Ms. Colin managed to relocate to a vacant seat, Mr. Ring was left sitting next to the deceased. He explained that initially, the cabin crew had promptly responded when the woman collapsed but were unable to move her body to business class due to the size of the passenger and space constraints. Ring recounted, “They said, ‘Can you move over please?’ I just said, ‘Yes, no problem’,” but the next thing he knew, the lady was placed in his seat.
Upon landing in Doha, medical personnel arrived to examine the situation, and Ring stated that it was heart-wrenching to witness the body being uncovered. He expressed the necessity for airlines to maintain a "duty of care" toward their passengers in such harrowing circumstances. Colin described the incident as “traumatic,” emphasizing that while they do not blame Qatar Airways for the woman's death, there must be established protocols for passenger support during such moments.
Qatar Airways issued a statement conveying condolences to the deceased’s family and acknowledged the distress caused to the passengers, asserting that they were in the process of contacting them as part of their policies. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Qantas reiterated that the handling of in-air incidents is under the purview of the operating airline, which is Qatar Airways in this case. The couple continues to advocate for the need for better measures to ensure passengers are treated with compassion and care when faced with such unexpected tragedies at 30,000 feet.
While Ms. Colin managed to relocate to a vacant seat, Mr. Ring was left sitting next to the deceased. He explained that initially, the cabin crew had promptly responded when the woman collapsed but were unable to move her body to business class due to the size of the passenger and space constraints. Ring recounted, “They said, ‘Can you move over please?’ I just said, ‘Yes, no problem’,” but the next thing he knew, the lady was placed in his seat.
Upon landing in Doha, medical personnel arrived to examine the situation, and Ring stated that it was heart-wrenching to witness the body being uncovered. He expressed the necessity for airlines to maintain a "duty of care" toward their passengers in such harrowing circumstances. Colin described the incident as “traumatic,” emphasizing that while they do not blame Qatar Airways for the woman's death, there must be established protocols for passenger support during such moments.
Qatar Airways issued a statement conveying condolences to the deceased’s family and acknowledged the distress caused to the passengers, asserting that they were in the process of contacting them as part of their policies. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Qantas reiterated that the handling of in-air incidents is under the purview of the operating airline, which is Qatar Airways in this case. The couple continues to advocate for the need for better measures to ensure passengers are treated with compassion and care when faced with such unexpected tragedies at 30,000 feet.
