Couple Recounts Trauma After Deceased Passenger Placed Beside Them On Flight.
An Australian couple has described the distressing experience of having a deceased passenger placed next to them for four hours on a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha.
Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin, who were travelling to Venice for a dream holiday, said the woman collapsed in the aisle beside them during the flight. Despite the crew’s swift response, she sadly could not be saved.
Speaking to Australia’s Channel 9, Mr Ring explained that flight attendants attempted to move the woman’s body to business class but were unable to do so due to space constraints. Instead, they covered her in blankets and placed her in the seat next to him.
“They said, ‘Can you move over please?’ and I just said, ‘Yes, no problem.’ Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in,” he recounted.
While Ms Colin was offered a different seat nearby, Mr Ring was not given the same option, despite the presence of vacant seats on the aircraft.
Upon landing, passengers were asked to remain seated while medical staff and police boarded the plane. Mr Ring said ambulance officers removed the blankets covering the woman, exposing her face—an image he described as deeply unsettling.
Calls for Better Passenger Care
The couple has since criticised the handling of the incident, calling for airlines to establish clear protocols to support passengers in such situations.
“We should be contacted to make sure—do you need some support, do you need some counselling?” Ms Colin said, adding that while the airline was not responsible for the woman’s death, there should be a duty of care for those onboard.
In response, Qatar Airways expressed condolences to the deceased passenger’s family and apologised for any distress caused to other travellers.
“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,” the airline said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Qantas, through which the couple booked their tickets, clarified that Qatar Airways was responsible for handling such onboard incidents.
The experience has raised concerns over how airlines manage unexpected medical emergencies and the level of support provided to affected passengers.
