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.

  • Catoblepas
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    11 hours ago

    Even if it was full they should have found an alternate method of securing the body. They’re already dead, they don’t need a seat.

    • robbinhood@lemmy.world
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      11 hours ago

      I think the problem likely comes down to safety and respect for the dead.

      Put the body in the back galley and suddenly the plane hits rough turbulence and that body is now a +100 pound projectile.

      Putting the body in a bathroom seems better, but that turbulence hits and now the body is flying around in there during the rough turbulence, and then the next day the media is lambasting the air line for desecrating the body or whatever.

      • Catoblepas
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        10 hours ago

        Then not having an alternate plan in place is on the airline, if there was nothing else the crew could do.

        • robbinhood@lemmy.world
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          10 hours ago

          I think it’s more the nature of modern air craft. There isn’t much spare room and space is extremely expensive on planes. Meanwhile, these deaths rarely occur.

          There’s probably some way to design a system to secure a body in the bathroom, however, and I broadly agree with you that they should have some type of solution.