Deceased Passenger Positioned Next to Australian Couple on Qatar Airways Flight

Mr. Ring recounted a distressing experience on a flight when a woman suddenly collapsed. He praised the flight attendants for their quick response, saying they acted “in no time.” Despite their efforts to help, sadly, the woman could not be saved, which he described as a heartbreaking sight. He shared his story during an interview on a television program called A Current Affair.

The cabin crew attempted to move the woman away from her seat towards the business class area. However, Mr. Ring explained that she was a large lady, and this made it difficult for them to navigate her through the narrow aisle. He observed the crew becoming frustrated as they struggled to find a solution. Eventually, they turned to him and his wife, who were sitting in a row with two other empty seats available. They asked Mr. Ring if he could move over so they could place the woman in his seat. With no hesitation, he agreed to help.

Mr. Ring’s wife, Ms. Colin, expressed her shock when she heard that the staff wanted to move her husband. She questioned, “Are they going to put her there?” After the cabin crew helped the woman, Ms. Colin was able to shift to a nearby empty seat, but Mr. Ring noted that he was not offered the same choice, even with vacant seats close by.

When the plane landed after four hours, passengers were instructed to remain seated as medical personnel and police boarded the aircraft. Mr. Ring described a troubling moment when ambulance officers began pulling back blankets from the woman, revealing her face to the passengers. He couldn’t understand why they were still asked to stay put at that moment.

After this traumatic event, Mr. Ring and Ms. Colin stated they had not received any contact or support from Qatar Airways or Qantas, the airline through which they booked their tickets. Mr. Ring emphasized that airlines have a responsibility to care for their customers and crew. He expressed a desire to talk to someone about his feelings following the incident, stating, “I don’t really know how I feel and would like to speak to somebody to make sure I’m alright.”

Ms. Colin described the experience as traumatic, acknowledging that while they did not hold the airline accountable for the woman’s death, they believed there should be a proper protocol in place to support passengers during such crises.

In response to the incident, Qatar Airways issued a statement expressing their condolences to the family of the deceased passenger. They acknowledged the distress this situation may have caused and noted they are in the process of reaching out to passengers affected by the incident, following their established policies.

A spokesperson from Qantas clarified that handling onboard incidents like this is the responsibility of the airline operating the flight, which in this case was Qatar Airways.