A married couple traveling on a Qatar Airways flight reportedly had to spend several uncomfortable hours near the body of a woman who died during the flight.
Traveler Mitchell Ring told "A Current Affair" earlier this week that crew members on the flight placed the deceased woman in a seat within his and wife Jennifer Colin’s row after they were unable to move her body to business class.
"They looked at me and saw seats were available beside me. My wife was on the other side. We were in a row of four all by itself," he told the outlet. "They said to me, ‘Can you move over, please?’ and I just said, ‘Yes, no problem.’ Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in."
Ring said he sat near the body for the "3½ to four hours left on the flight."
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The flight was traveling to Doha, the capital of Qatar, from the Australian city of Melbourne, according to "A Current Affair."
The Qatar Airways logo during the Web Summit Qatar 2024 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 28, 2024. (Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile for Web Summit Qatar via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The woman reportedly collapsed near the couple on her way back from the restroom.
"The staff were there in no time and, pat them on the back, they did a wonderful job trying to revive her," Ring told the outlet. "It was right beside me in the aisle, and they did everything they could, but unfortunately, the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch."
Colin said she moved to a seat in another row beside another female traveler at that passenger’s suggestion while Ring remained in the row with the deceased woman. The plane’s staff did not provide alternative seats for Ring and Colin during the flight even though there were some available, the couple said.
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"We totally understand, and we can’t hold the airline responsible for the lady’s death, but surely after that, there has to be a protocol that then looks after the customers that are onboard," Colin told "A Current Affair."
Crew members instructed the couple and others nearby them not to move when they landed so authorities could remove the deceased passenger from the plane, Colin said.
The shaken couple described the situation as "traumatic."
Qatar Airways told Gxstocks its "thoughts are with the family members of the passenger who sadly passed away on board a recent Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne, Australia.
An Airbus A350-900 Qatar Airways aircraft at Fiumicino International Airport in Rome Jan. 28, 2024. (Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"We have been in contact with the family of the passenger who passed away to express our condolences on their loss. We have also directly spoken with the affected passengers to address their concerns."
The couple had not been contacted by the airline at the time of the interview, according to "A Current Affair."
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"The safety and comfort of all our passengers is of paramount importance to us," Qatar Airways said.
