Flew for Hours Beside a Woman, Then Discovered: She Wasn't Alive

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Collin, a couple from Australia flying from Melbourne to Doha on their way to Italy, experienced chilling moments when a woman collapsed and died next to them during the flight. The incident occurred about 10 hours after takeoff when a passenger exited the restroom and fainted near their row of seats.

According to Ring, "They tried to save her, but unfortunately it wasn't successful. It was heartbreaking to watch." He added that the crew attempted to move the woman to business class, but due to her size, they couldn't transfer her through the aisle. Ultimately, the crew placed the body in the seat where Ring was sitting and said to him, "Could you please move?" He said, "I just replied yes, no problem, and then they placed the woman where I was sitting."

The couple reported that the woman remained beside them for an additional four hours until landing, without being offered the option to move to other vacant seats. "It was very unpleasant, we expected a different handling of such a situation," Ring noted.

Qatar Airways stated in a declaration: "First, our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who passed away on the flight. We apologize for any discomfort or distress caused and are updating that we are working with the passengers in accordance with our policy."

Despite the apology, the incident sparked an uproar on social media and among passengers who expressed shock at how the event was handled. This is not the first time a similar case has occurred during a flight. In October 2022, passengers on a Lufthansa flight from New York to Frankfurt were forced to sit beside the body of a passenger who died from a heart attack mid-flight. That incident also caused public outcry after passengers claimed they weren't offered alternative seating and had to remain next to the body until landing. These events raise questions about the procedures and handling of in-flight medical emergencies by airlines.