Couple's Horrific Experience Following Death on Qatar Airways Flight

An Australian couple, Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin, described a harrowing experience aboard a Qatar Airways flight when the body of a deceased passenger was placed next to them. Despite vacant seats available, cabin crew did not relocate Mr. Ring, prompting calls for better airline support during such tragic incidents.

An Australian couple has shared their distressing experience aboard a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha, where the corpse of a deceased passenger was placed next to them. Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were traveling to Venice for a vacation when the woman collapsed in the aisle. According to the couple, cabin crew placed the body, covered with blankets, next to Mr. Ring for the flight's remaining four hours, neglecting to offer him an alternative seat despite the presence of empty seats.

Qatar Airways has since apologized for the "inconvenience or distress" caused by the incident, stating they are in the process of contacting affected passengers. However, Mr. Ring and Ms. Colin reported they had not received any support from either Qatar Airways or Qantas, the airline with which their reservation was made.

In an interview with Australia's Channel 9, Mr. Ring recounted the moment the woman, unable to be revived, was declared dead in his vicinity. He noted that while the cabin crew initially acted promptly, attempting to move her body to business class, they ultimately decided to place her next to him. Ms. Colin managed to relocate to a nearby empty seat, while Mr. Ring, who felt distress over the situation, was not provided with the same opportunity.

Upon landing four hours later, passengers were instructed to remain seated as medical personnel and police boarded the aircraft. It was during this time that Mr. Ring saw the deceased woman's face as ambulance officers removed the blankets. The couple expressed their need for a formal protocol to prioritize passenger care during such crises.

“The experience was traumatic,” Ms. Colin remarked, acknowledging that while they understood the airline could not be held responsible for the woman's death, there should be a framework in place to adequately support passengers during distressing situations. In a statement, Qatar Airways conveyed their condolences to the deceased passenger’s family, reaffirming their commitment to reaching out to passengers affected by the incident. A spokesperson for Qantas added that such matters are handled by the operating airline, reiterating Qatar Airways' responsibility in this case.