A couple was left horrified and traumatized after being forced to sit next to a deceased passenger during a long-haul flight.
An Australian couple recently shared a shocking experience that left them deeply disturbed.
While traveling on a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Venice, they were forced to sit next to a deceased passenger.
The incident unfolded in a way that no one could have anticipated.
A female passenger suddenly died on the plane
Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were excited for their long-haul journey when the unexpected happened.
During the flight, a woman collapsed in the aisle after using the restroom.
The flight attendants quickly rushed to help her, trying to revive her.
Despite their efforts, the woman sadly passed away on the plane.
Mitchell witnessed the heartbreaking scene unfold right beside him.
He later recounted, “The staff were there in no time, and they did a wonderful job trying to revive her.”
Unfortunately, the woman could not be saved, which left everyone on board in shock.
Couple left shaken after flight crew makes them sit next to deceased passenger on long-haul flight
With several hours left in the flight, the cabin crew faced a difficult decision about what to do with the woman’s body.
They attempted to move her to another area of the plane but encountered problems.
The woman was large, making it challenging to get her through the narrow aisle.
Eventually, the crew decided to place her body in a vacant seat next to Mitchell.
This meant that he and Jennifer had to sit next to her for the remaining four hours of their flight to Doha.
The couple was not offered a different seat or relocation, which added to their distress.
Jennifer was taken aback when she realized what was happening.
She said, “When my husband turned around and said, ‘move, move,’ I was pretty shocked.”
According to the couple, the cabin crew didn’t offer to relocate them away from the body.
To cope with the situation, a kind passenger offered Jennifer a seat further away, allowing her some distance from the deceased woman.
Mitchell described the experience as traumatic.
He mentioned that he caught a glimpse of the woman’s face when the crew began to remove the blankets covering her body.
“I was there and I got to see her face… it wasn’t nice,” he said, expressing the emotional toll it took on him.
The couple remained seated after the flight.
Once the flight landed in Doha, the couple remained seated while police and medical crews boarded the plane.
This wait only prolonged their discomfort as they dealt with the memory of what had just happened.
After the ordeal, Mitchell and Jennifer were disappointed to find that Qatar Airways had not offered them any emotional support.
Mitchell stated, “They have a duty of care towards their customers as well as their staff.
We should be contacted to make sure, do you need some support, do you need some counselling?”
Now in Venice for their holiday, Jennifer is trying to make the best of a difficult situation.
She mentioned that they are doing their best to enjoy their time despite the traumatic experience.
“We’re really trying to have a good time,” she said.
Qatar Airways responds to the incident
In response to the incident, Qatar Airways expressed their condolences to the family of the deceased passenger.
They apologized for the inconvenience and distress caused by the situation.
The airline also mentioned that they are investigating the matter further and will contact passengers in line with their policies.
“First and foremost our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight.
“We apologise for any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused, and are in the process of contacting passengers in line with our policies and procedures.”