A couple’s dream trip to Venice took a dark turn when they were asked to sit next to the body of a woman who died mid-flight on their 14-hour journey from Melbourne, Australia, to Doha, Qatar. The flight attendants followed standard protocol and moved the deceased into an empty seat in the row where the Australian couple, Jennifer Colin and Mitchell Ring, were seated.
According to guidelines set by the International Air Transport Association, when a person dies mid-flight, flight attendants should alert the captain, move the body to a seat with few passengers around, and place it in a body bag. The deceased was then disembarked first, accompanied by family members.
The couple described the experience as “shocking” and felt that they received no support from the airline after landing. Qatar Airways has since spoken to the passengers, assuring them of the airline’s priority on passenger safety and comfort.
In-flight deaths are rare, with one medical emergency for every 604 flights, according to a study published in 2013. When a person dies mid-flight, pilots often continue to the planned destination and hand over control to paramedics upon landing.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/world/europe/dead-body-flight-qatar-airways.html