Image: ERIC SALARD / CC BYSA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A groundbreaking incident occurred on a Qatar Airways flight between Doha and Sydney last week in which a couple attacked flight attendants after allegedly finding a dead passenger sitting next to them. The aircraft, an Airbus A380, flew in this condition for around 14 hours.
According to the Chron, the situation became tense after the couple, who refused to reveal their last name, claimed the crew did not adequately help the deceased passenger and left her wrapped only in a blanket.
The woman, identified as Francesca, told the Chron that she alerted staff when she noticed something was wrong with the passenger’s breathing. Since first aid was unsuccessful, the team called a doctor on board and struggled unsuccessfully to revive her for about twenty minutes. However, according to the couple, she remained on the bench for another half hour before being removed for cardiac resuscitation.
The couple’s complaints continued as they felt the crew failed to exercise due care as there was no structure to move a body on a crowded plane. While some companies chose to change the route from the location of the death, the Qatar flight continued to its destination.
There is no defined rule and the final decision rests with the flight commander.