DOHA: An Australian couple has voiced their distress after Qatar Airways seated a deceased passenger next to them during a long-haul flight from Melbourne to Doha. Mitchell Ring and his wife, Jennifer Colin, were on their way to Venice when a fellow passenger passed away mid-flight. Airline staff attempted to move the body to business class but struggled due to space constraints. Eventually, they placed the deceased person in an available seat next to Ring, leaving the couple in shock and discomfort.
Ring recounted the experience, stating that he remained seated next to the body for nearly four hours, even after the plane landed. He described how emergency responders, including ambulance officers and police, boarded the aircraft upon arrival and began removing the blankets from the deceased passenger. The situation left him deeply unsettled, and his wife, already an anxious flier, questioned whether proper procedures were in place for handling such incidents.
According to Ring, the airline crew did not offer them alternative seating despite other empty seats being visible. He recalled being asked to move over to make space for the deceased passenger, an instruction he complied with, assuming the situation was being handled appropriately. However, he later expressed frustration that the airline had not done more to minimize the emotional distress caused by the unexpected circumstances.
In response, Qatar Airways issued a statement apologizing for any inconvenience or distress experienced by the couple. The airline extended its condolences to the family of the deceased passenger and acknowledged the unfortunate nature of the incident. Despite the apology, the couple remains critical of the airline’s handling of the situation, calling for a clearer protocol to ensure that passengers are treated with greater sensitivity in similar emergencies.
