Qatar Airways has issued a statement defending its crew’s decision to keep a dead body of a woman sitting beside a couple on a 14-hour-long flight. The airline company said that its staff “acted quickly, appropriately and professionally” in placing the body of the dead woman who died mid-flight next to an Australian couple.
In a statement to news outlet BBC, Qatar Airways said that the way its crew handled the woman’s death was “in line with the training and industry standard practice”.
“Passengers were accommodated to other seats, and a crew member was sitting at all times with the deceased passenger for the duration of the flight until landing in Doha,” it said in the statement.
The company further stated that “unexpected deaths” sometimes occur onboard an aircraft across the aviation industry and “our crew are highly trained to deal with these situations with as much respect and dignity as possible.”
Qatar Airways further revealed that they have offered compensation and support to passengers who were “directly affected” by the incident as well as the family of the deceased woman.
Australian couple left ‘traumatised’
Qatar Airways’ statement comes after the couple told Australia’s Channel Nine that they were left ‘traumatised’ by the incident.
Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin narrated the incident on their Melbourne to Doha flight, recalling that the cabin crew had placed the body of the woman covered in blankets next to them.
The dead body was placed right next to ring for the last four hours of the 14-hour flight.
“We totally understand that we can’t hold the airline responsible for the poor lady’s death, but surely after that there has to be a protocol to look after the customers on board,” Colin was quoted as saying by Channel Nine.
Ring meanwhile said that the crew had asked him to move over and placed the body on the seat previously occupied by him. Another passenger invited his wife to sit with them, but the crew did not make arrangements for him, Ring claimed.