Administrator
Tri-Centennial Member
AsianBookie Tipster
Posts: 308599
Liked By: 168751
Joined: 01 Feb 20
Followers:
109
Tipsters
Championship:
AB$:
1,241,250
Ranked: #288
|
A couple’s holiday to Italy took a nightmarish turn when they were made to sit beside a dead body during their flight.
Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin told Australian news program A Current Affair that they thought they had “lucked out” when they noticed spare seats on their four-seat row.
However, their experience quickly soured when a fellow passenger collapsed and passed away.
The crew reportedly decided to place the body on their row for the remaining four hours of the flight.
The couple said they left the flight feeling “traumatised.”
Passenger collapsed and died
The couple recounted how a woman walked out of the bathroom and collapsed next to their row.
"Unfortunately, the lady couldn't be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch," Ring said.
Initially, the crew attempted to move the woman to business class, but they couldn’t get her through the aisle because she was “quite a large lady,” Ring explained.
Noting the crew’s apparent frustration, he said they glanced at the couple and saw the empty seats next to them.
“They said, 'Can you move over please?' and I just said, 'Yes, no problem,'" Ring continued.
"Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in," he said.
Did not offer them spare seats
Despite there being several empty seats on the flight, the couple claimed they were never offered an alternative seat.
Thankfully, a passenger from the row behind them offered Colin a spare seat next to them.
Ring, however, had to remain in the same row as the body for the rest of the flight.
He was even instructed to stay seated after the plane landed while medical personnel checked on the deceased.
"I can't believe they told us to stay… it wasn’t nice,” Ring said.
No support from airline
The couple expressed frustration over the lack of support from Qatar Airways.
“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?” Ring said.
“I don’t really know how I feel and would like to speak to somebody to make sure I’m alright.”
Despite the unsettling experience, the couple is trying to make the most of their holiday in Italy.
“I’m trying to make the best of a pretty hard situation, but, you know, we’re on holidays, so we’re really trying to have a good time,” Colin said.
Statement from Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways issued a statement expressing condolences to the deceased passenger’s family.
“First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight,” a spokesperson said.
“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.”
Qantas, through which the couple booked the flight, stated that it would speak directly to the couple.
“The process for handling incidents onboard an aircraft like this is managed by the operating airline, which in this case is Qatar Airways,” said Qantas.
Guidelines for death on board
According to guidelines from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), cabin crews are recommended to follow certain protocols when dealing with death or presumed death on board.
This includes moving the person to a seat with few passengers nearby, restraining the person with a seat belt or other equipment and covering the body with a body bag or blanket.
Another recommendation is to disembark other passengers first and ensure the family members stay with the body.
|
Main Menu >
Gossip Corner >
News Corner
1
Find all Topics Started by Eleven Men
Find all Posts by Eleven Men
Follow / Unfollow
PM Eleven Men
12-Feb 2025 Wednesday
10:17 AM (28 days ago)
7 Likes
Like
12-Feb 2025 Wednesday
10:20 AM (28 days ago)
12-Feb 2025 Wednesday
8:29 PM (28 days ago)
